Eden's Empire

Published as a programme play text to tie-in with the world premiere at the Finbourough Theatre in September 2006. Playwright James Graham won the Pearson Playwriting Bursary for Albert's Boy, produced at the Finborough Theatre in 2005, starring Victor Spinetti. "Fringe theatre at its best!" Aleks Sierz, The Stage, on Albert's Boy. The world premiere of a specially commissioned new play by the Finborough Theatre's Pearson Playwright-in-Residence, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Suez Crisis

A new, uncompromising political thriller exploring with electrifying theatricality the events of the Suez Crisis, and the tragic story of its flawed hero - Churchill's golden boy and heir apparent, Anthony Eden.Fifty years ago, Britain propelled itself into a disastrous war in the Middle East. Condemned by the UN and accused of falsifying intelligence, the Prime Minister was left fighting for his political life against a Party disillusioned, a public betrayed, and a wily Chancellor with ambitions to take his place...With the pressure of opposition to his war, Prime Minister Anthony Eden rapidly lost his grip on both the Empire and his health. Unable to control the growing power of both the United States and the Arab world, nor his own failing body, history would mark him as the worst British Prime Minister of the twentieth century. A new, uncompromising political thriller exploring with electrifying theatricality the events of the Suez Crisis, and the tragic story of its flawed hero - Churchill's golden boy and heir apparent, Anthony Eden.