Continuing their commemoration of the anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, the Octagon is providing a poignant home for Early One Morning, the true story of 26-year-old soldier James Smith from Bolton who, after three years of fighting in some of the war’s fiercest battles, finds himself on trial for his life.
Written by Bolton playwright Les Smith (And Did Those Feet) and revised specifically for the Octagon’s 2014/15 season, Early One Morning was commissioned and first produced by the Octagon in 1998, starring Iain Jones and Maxine Peake.
The original performance became key in a campaign to pardon deserters—and finally proved successful in 2006, following Private Smith’s entry on Bolton’s Roll of Honour of soldiers who died in the Great War.
Following the current production of Journey’s End, the Octagon is working again with John Branwell (The Sea, Theatre Royal Haymarket and Much Ado About Nothing, Royal Exchange), Tristan Brooke (Of Mice and Men and Tull, Octagon Theatre), Colin Connor (Stones in His Pockets, New Vic and The Cruel Sea, Liverpool Everyman) James Dutton (the BBC’s Our World War and Posh, West End, Duke of York’s Theatre), Ciaran Kellgren (Macbeth, Everyman Theatre and Poppy, Royal Shakespeare Company), and Michael Shelford (Hobson’s Choice, Twelfth Night) as Private James Smith.
Early One Morning will also see the return to the Octagon of Bolton actress Jessica Baglow as Lizzie Cartwright.