About the playwright: Peter Whelan

Peter Whelan was born in Newcastle-Under-Lyme in 1931 and raised in Stoke-on-Trent. His career has included farm worker, manservant, demolition worker, hall porter, advertising copywriter and English teacher. In 1950 he undertook his mandatory National Service and some of his later plays, such as A Russian in the Woods and The Accrington Pals include themes of military conscription. 

His works includes seven plays for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the first of which was Captain Swing, in 1979. Another was The School of Night in 1992 which addresses, in fictional form, the relationships between Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Thomas Kyd and Sir Walter Raleigh as well as the events leading up to Marlowe's death in 1593.  The Herbal Bed, another RSC commission ran for six months at The Duchess Theatre from April to October 1997.

Peter Whelan is an Honorary Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company and has been nominated for a number of literary awards for his plays including the Writers Guild Award.  He has also written for television.