The Wilson Papers

Politics, Power and Paper Trails

Debut: The Wilson Papers — a sharp, actor-led political drama orbiting Harold Wilson, power, and those who walk the corridors of power.

About the show
Production complete

The Wilson Papers

Whitehall. Private secretaries, press offices, and the quiet gravity of a filing cabinet. A chamber piece about loyalty, legacy, and who gets to write the first draft of history.

First staged at MAC Birmingham, Hexagon Theatre, 19 to 20 February 2026.

What it is

A lean, precise, ensemble-driven play: five to six actors, clean doubling, brisk scenes, and a staging language that’s elegant rather than fussy. We value clarity, tempo, and bite.

  • Actor-led storytelling; table work into labs; minimal, purposeful design.
  • Writer: Alex Viveash. Director/Producer: Simon Ashton.
Read the synopsisPress archivePast performances

The Story in Brief

  1. Fragility. Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson is fading; money is tight. Lady Wilson seeks help.
  2. The Deal. With Marcia Falkender, a plan: sell Wilson’s papers.
  3. Fallout. A private fix ignites a constitutional storm.
“Who owns a Prime Minister’s history: the family, the nation, or the highest bidder?”
letters read aloudnewspaper headlinessharp dialoguewit to urgency to quiet grief
Cabinet Secretaryloyalty versus mercy
Civil Servicecontain the leak
Academia (Canada)cheque books open

Created from hundreds of documents at the National Archives; a kitchen-sink drama in oak-panelled corridors.

  • When does history become public?
  • Can loyalty survive ambition?
  • Are Prime Ministers ever private again?