The Wipers Times

Ian Hislop and Nick Newman's The Wipers Times tells the true and extraordinary story of the satirical newspaper created in the mud and mayhem of the Somme. The Wipers Times is coming to Cheltenham direct from the West End.

In a bombed out building during the First World War in the Belgian town of Ypres (mis-pronounced Wipers by British Soldiers), two officers discover a printing press and create a newspaper for the troops. Far from being a sombre journal about life in the trenches, they produced a resolutely cheerful, subversive and very funny newspaper designed to lift the spirits of the men on the front line.

Defying enemy bombardment, gas attacks and the disapproval of many of the top Brass, The Wipers Times rolled off the press for two years and was an extraordinary tribute to the resillience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity.

There will be a Q&A session with Ian Hislop and Nick Newman following the Tuesday evening performance.
The session will take place in the auditorium following the performance and is free to ticket holders of the Tuesday evening performance.