BILL  BRAY  introduces the author

Our next production depicts the devastating effect of a war on the parents of those at the front. The irony is that David Haig, author of My Boy Jack, was born in the mid-fifties at Aldershot Barracks where his father was a career soldier before leaving the army to become director, for ten years, of the Hayward Gallery on the South Bank. 

David was not academic, although he considered a career in art history after leaving school,  but instead spent a year on a kibbutz and then two years in Holland learning plumbing before an acting course at drama school absorbed him totally. His acting career has been notable with an Olivier Award for his role in Our Country's Good (by Timberlake Wertenbaker) at the Royal Court in 1988.

My Boy Jack concerns the wave of jingoistic enthusiasm for the First World War which drew 16 year-old boys to volunteer for active service although they had no idea of what was involved.  David Haig wrote the play and took the part of Rudyard Kipling, poet and war enthusiast in its premiere at the Hampstead Theatre in 1997, then on tour and in the film/television production in 2007 which cut the last act. This role was in sharp contrast to his TV persona as the manic Detective Inspector Derek Grim in Ben Elton's series The Thin Blue Line, in which his frenetic "Go,go,go!" became a catch-phrase. 

His most notable film role was in Four Weddings And A Funeral. He recently played the king in Alan Bennett's The Madness Of George III at the Apollo Theatre in which he collected rave reviews for a role which had been in his sights since he saw Nigel Hawthorne creating the part in its first production. His stage work has been mainly in modern plays although he has played Angelo in Measure For Measure for the RSC and Pinchwife in Wycherley's restoration comedy The Country Wife.  He has a fine singing voice (his mother sang in opera) and he  played Mr Banks in the musical version of Mary Poppins in the West End.

My Boy Jack is an historical play but, sadly, up to date, because politicians make sure that we are always involved in wars. Little wonder that our economy is in decline with these constant overseas adventures.

JEAN  FRANKS, Director, writes on Kipling and the play

"If any question why we died,

Tell them, because our fathers lied"

So wrote Rudyard Kipling. Some maintain this is an expression of guilt.

It is England, 1913 and war with Germany is imminent. With patriotism across the country at fever pitch, it would be unthinkable that the son of England's greatest writer and patriot would not serve his King and Country.  The fact that 17 year-old John (called Jack) is severely short-sighted, and fails all medicals for the Navy and Army because of this, need not be a stumbling block.  Surely the powers that be cannot overlook Rudyard Kipling, such is his celebrity.  Surely those same powers would not prevent young John from achieving his finest hour, witnessing the greatest glory. Rudyard Kipling can pull strings and did so to his life-long regret.

Based on truth, this is the core of David Haig's poignant and gripping play My Boy Jack  and is now a highly acclaimed major TV film (for which Haig won the FIPA D'Or Award 2008 for Best Screenplay), starring Haig as Kipling, Kim Cattrall as his wife Carrie, Carey Mulligan as daughter Elsie and Daniel Radcliffe as his beloved son John.  The play explores how the famous Kipling family not only handles events that thousands of families had to face at this time, but how each family member is affected and how conscience and guilt play their biggest parts. 

Rudyard Kipling enjoyed massive celebrity.  He was a most prolific writer of prose and poetry and to this day remains the youngest ever to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.  He was born in India and spent his first six years there.  This influence is apparent in his writing - Kim and The Jungle Book being just two books in particular.  He was a great world traveller and loved new and exotic places.  His work brought him enormous wealth, power and influence.  He mixed with the good and the great; he had the ear of the King.  This was quite a heady atmosphere to share with a wife and in which to bring up children.  Carrie, his much maligned but strong American wife, whose main role in life, it seems, was to act as a Castle Guard; to protect Rudyard from prying eyes, nosey reporters and an ever growing stream of visitors.  This she did to great effect and sadly it earned her and Rudyard an unfortunate reputation amongst the villagers of Burwash, East Sussex, where they lived, of being snobbish and aloof. However, Carrie was relentless in protecting Rudyard, allowing him the privacy needed for his work. 

The Kiplings' private life was fiercely guarded.  Certain facts are well documented and tinged with great sadness.  Their first child, Josephine, died at the age of six.  Elsie, their spirited second daughter, never received the great love given to Josephine and then, of course, there was their much adored son John.  It is the concentration of this relationship and how it impinges on the whole family that this play develops so effectively.  Kipling was a great letter writer and the book O Beloved Kids, a compilation of letters written to his children, probably tells us more about the man as a father than any biography could.  Whatever he did or did not do, the love for his children was undeniable.

I have been most fortunate in having a highly talented and committed cast who have been a joy to work with.  Playing Kipling is Mike Higginson, a GWT favourite who last appeared as Gustave in Heroes. Cath Bateman (Joan Todd in 84 Charing Cross Road and Alice Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor), has been gracing the GWT stage for many years in the most demanding parts and that of Kipling's wife Carrie is no exception.  Elsie, the Kiplings' daughter, is played by Kellie Risby.  Regular patrons will not forget her performance as Gioia in A Little Like Drowning. We are pleased to welcome back, in the part of John (Jack) Kipling, teenager Scott Godfrey who made such an impact with his debut performance as Raleigh in Journey's End in 2009.  We take great pleasure in renewing our association with Michael Bate as Guardsman Bowe having last appeared at the GWT in On the Razzle in 2006 and we extend our warmest wishes to newcomers Stephen Malyon who makes his debut as Guardsman McHugh and also to Ian Welch in the part of Mr. Frankland.  Regular GWT stalwarts Michael Martin, Peter Griffin and Dave Kerry complete our ensemble. 

Let me take this opportunity of thanking the cast and our amazing production team, for their wonderful and creative work and their ability to always go the extra mile.  I am truly grateful.

Given the circumstances at the time audience members will surely forgive our attention to an authentic script with some strong language used by soldiers.  Smoking is also essential to the script.