Pressure: The Original Play

Title: Pressure: The Original Play
Author: David Haig
Price: $27.99

June 1944. One man's decision is about to change the course of history.

Everything is in place for the biggest invasion ever known in Europe – D-Day. One last crucial question remains: will the weather permit it?

While Scotsman Dr James Stagg, Chief Meteorological Officer for the Allied Forces, forecasts a storm, his rival, American celebrity weatherman Colonel Krick, predicts sunshine. As the world watches and waits, General Eisenhower, Allied Supreme Commander, must decide which of these bitter antagonists to trust. The decision will not only seal the fates of thousands of men, it could even win or lose the entire war.

An extraordinary true story, Pressure thrillingly explores the responsibilities of leadership, the challenges of predicting the future, and the personal toll of taking a stand.

First performed in 2014, the play was adapted for the screen by David Haig and Anthony Maras, directed by Maras, and starred Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon and Damian Lewis. This tie-in edition was published alongside the film's release in 2026, and features Haig's original play, along with an exclusive introduction, insights from the filmmakers and colour production photographs.

'The tension is palpable and expertly maintained throughout, with real wit and warmth as well... Haig has obviously done his research, and then smartly played with the facts for full dramatic effect. You wouldn't think a story about predicting the weather could play like a thriller, but it does… a rip-roaring evening's entertainment' — Radio Times

'Utterly engrossing… unostentatiously and with a quiet intensity, Pressure covers a lot of ground without ever resorting to patriotic cliché' — Whatsonstage.com

'This highly watchable, microscopic look into the mechanics of battle is nothing short of enthralling. It's also surprisingly humorous; Haig's dialogue feels quintessentially British and for that reason it resonates fondly' — Broadway World

'Fascinatingly original… with its moments of comedy and atmosphere of high stakes, this is an excellent documentary drama' — The Arts Desk

'Haig has researched his subject matter in great detail, but more importantly the play grabs the attention from the outset and never loosens its dramatic grip. It captures the extraordinary pressure its characters are under at this crucial turning point in the Second World War, with wit, compassion and sheer dramatic verve. By turns funny, tense and deeply affecting. I cannot recommend it too highly' — Telegraph

'Sharp, witty and affecting… events flow across the stage like sunlight and shadow on a changeable summer's afternoon – fast and hectic, tense and fraught, calm, thoughtful' — Guardian

'A tense, tight and quite brilliant drama… more moving than a dozen Saving Private Ryans' — British Theatre Guide

ISBN: 9781839046391
Publishing status: AU Dropshipping