100 Minutes

Full Length Drama (3M, 1F) Running time: 100 minutes

In 1912, a flimsy Bleriot XI aeroplane left a field in Goodwick, Pembrokeshire,

Wales.  100 minutes later it arrived in Enniscorthy, Wexford. It was to be the first ever flight from Britain to Ireland. The pilot was an Anglo-Irishman; son of a wealthy Irish family – Denys Corbett Wilson. He had initially set off from Hendon Aerodrome on 17 April 1912, and made the last leg of his journey from Goodwick to Enniscorthy in Wexford, flying across the Irish Sea on 
22 April 1912. Derek Webb's play celebrates this achievement and the life of Corbett Wilson who was tragically killed in action flying with the Royal Air Corps in May 1915.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A short clip from the original production starring Jess Sandy, Huw Novelli, Nick Richards and Gerry Fitzpatrick

Main characters in order of appearance:

DENYS CORBETT WILSON: (early 30s) Enthusiastic, yet modest, but with the

assurance of the wealthy man he is. His mother is Irish, his father is an English barrister. He sports a splendid moustache and walks with a slight limp sustained in the Boer War.
MECHANIC: (20s - 30s) Corbett-Wilson's mechanic, called Evans, when he is in France with the RFC. Also his batman. Has a easy going relationship with Denys.
BOSKY: (20s - 30s) Arthur Drummond Borton – friend of Denys' and an observer with the RFC. His father is Colonel Borton, his brother a famous pilot. Bosky himself feels the need to prove himself.
MRS WILSON: (40s - 50s) Denys' mother. Irish, but has lived in Italy, France and London for a lot of her life. Very wealthy.
ROBERT LORAINE: (30s) Famous actor/airman. Popular and very successful, but not arrogant. Friend of George Bernard Shaw, and very much an actor.

Other parts:

FARMER: A Herefordshire farmer
BETTY: A local Herefordshire woman
WAITRESS: Middle-age hotel waitress
GASTON VIAL: Denys' French mechanic
MRS PREEDY: Local Welsh woman
MR PERKINS: Welsh lifeboatman
MR BREEN: Irish farmer
REPORTER: Kilkenny Moderator reporter
MAN AT AIRSHOW: Irish spectator
VOICE 1: Newspaper reader
VOICE 2: Newspaper reader
VENDOR: Programme seller
DOCTOR JAMES: Very small part
TELEGRAPH OPERATOR: Non-speaking part


Doubling up

ACTOR 1: Denys Corbett Wilson
ACTOR 2: Mechanic/Gaston Vial/Robert Loraine/Mr Breen/Voice1/ Doctor
ACTOR 3: Bosky/Farmer/Mr Perkins/Reporter/Man at airshow/ Voice 2/Vendor
ACTOR 4: Mrs Wilson/Betty/Waitress/Mrs Preedy/Telegraph operator

 

for more information on this and other Derek Webb plays, email: info@derekwebb.co.uk