The Trench

A World War I epic blending live music, puppetry and physical performance to tell a story of anguish, hope and facing your demons.

Written by Oliver Lansley and with live music by Alexander Wolfe, The Trench is inspired by the true story of a miner who became entombed underground in a collapsed tunnel during World War One. As the horror threatens to engulf him, he finds that not everything in the darkness is what it seems. The line between fantasy and reality blurs as he embarks on an epic journey for survival questioning what’s real, what’s not and whether it even matters?

Dates

Edinburgh Fringe

01 - 27 Aug 2012

UK Tour

28 Feb - 07 Jun 2013

UK Tour

14 Oct - 30 Nov 2014

Norway

09 - 14 Nov 2015

UK Tour

28 Sep - 06 Oct 2018

Southwark Playhouse, London

10 Oct - 17 Nov 2018

Follow this show

The Trench is now available to license for schools. As one of our best-known productions, this show is the perfect option for students to utilise their creativity to create the space and practice working with puppets.

Rated 5 out of 5

"A truly epic piece of storytelling"

Rated 5 out of 5

"Pitch perfect"

Rated 4 out of 5

"Visually stunning, vividly realised"

Rated 4 out of 5

"Stays with you"

Rated 4 out of 5

"Exciting, slick and evocative"

Rated 5 out of 5

"Theatre which cuts deep"

Rated 4 out of 5

"Spellbinding intensity"

Rated 4 out of 5

"You’ll be harrowed"

Cast & Creative Team

Cast
Edward Cartwright
James Hastings
Kadell Herida
Oliver Lansley
Alexander Wolfe
Creative Team
Oliver Lansley
Writer & Director
James Seager
Director
Alexander Wolfe
Soundtrack
Sam Wyer
Designer
Paul Green
Original Lighting Design
Richard Mansfield
Silhouette Animation
Liam McDermott
Sound Design
Alice Cox
Associate Designer
Tim Kelly
Associate Lighting Designer
Peter Fennell
Associate Lighting Designer

String quartet intro to The Landing written by Alex Metcalfe & Alexander Wolfe, played by The Wolfettes; Rachel Dawson (cello), Polly Wiltshire (viola), Catriona Parker (violin), Sarah Tuke (violin)

Special Thanks to: Malcolm & Gillian Lansley, Vicky Sanders, Malcolm & Jean Sanders, Luton Hat Factory, Wales Millennium Centre, The Pleasance, Sally Higginson, Elise Colledge, Harriet Darling, Megan Harrison, Lara Booth, Isabella Van Braeckel, Georgi Shire, Jude Christian, Natalie Richardson, Alex McCarthy, Doreen Braund, Anna Marsland, Louise Miles Crust, Odunsi Oluwatoyin.

First performed in 2012 with: CJ Boyd, Tim Jackson, Oliver Lansley, Conrad Sharp, and Alexander Wolfe.