A WARTIME play staged by the original Hardy Players on the eve of the Battle of the Somme is to be re-created by the New Hardy Players.

As part of this year’s commemorations of the outbreak of the Great War, the actors are re-creating both the occasion and the performance of the original Players with two performances at Thomas Hardy’s home Max Gate in Dorchester on Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12, starting at 7.30pm.

In June 1916, the Hardy Players performed scenes from The Dynasts by Thomas Hardy to raise money for the Red Cross. Hardy himself wrote the script and oversaw the production, and wrote a foreword contrasting the ‘scientific slaughter’ of the current war with the chivalry and relative inefficiency of the long campaigns against Napoleon. The players struggled to cast the play due to leading members being called up, but the show still went on.

Directed by Tim Laycock and Emma Hill, 2014’s Wessex Scenes features the threat of invasion by France, the aftermath of the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Nelson, and the final epic struggle at Waterloo are all seen through the eyes of Wessex folk in Budmouth. It features songs and music from Napoleonic times and some of the famous songs of World War One, rich local dialect, vintage make-up and a mummer’s play.

Director Tim Laycock is well known to Dorset audiences through his performances with The New Scorpion Band and his many shows on local subjects.

He also provided the music for last year’s Bristol Old Vic Theatre School production of Moonfleet, and for this year’s Dorchester Community Play Drummer Hodge. On Friday, July 18 it will be performed at Bridport Millennium Green at 7.30pm, on Saturday, July 19, it will be at Minterne House at 7.30pm and on Friday, July 25, it will be at Watercombe House near Owermoigne at 7.30pm.

For all these open air performances people are asked to bring a picnic chair or rug and warm waterproof clothing.

Indoor performances are on Sunday, July 27, at Dorchester Corn Exchange at 8pm (also a Hardy Conference event), Wednesday September 17 at The Tivoli , Wimborne Minster at 7.30pm, Saturday, September 20 at Hope Chapel, Harbourside, Weymouth at 7.30pm and Saturday, September 27 at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton at 7.30pm.