The Beaches of St Valery by Stuart Hepburn, one year on.

This weekend only, we’re delighted to bring you a special reprise of Stuart Hepburn’s critically acclaimed ‘The Beaches of St Valery’.

Starring Ron Donnachie, Ashley Jade Smith & James Rottger, Hepburn’s powerful play recounts one man’s experiences during the betrayal and surrender of the 51st Highland Division at St Valery en Caux in June 1940.

In June 1940 Churchill hailed the “miracle of Dunkirk,” when all 350,000 men of the British Expeditionary Force were evacuated to safety.

But for the men of the 51st Highland Division, there was no miracle. Sacrificed in a secret political deal, Churchill ordered them to stay and fight to the last bullet.

Against overwhelming odds, 9,000 Scotsmen surrendered at St-Valery-en-Caux, and were marched to POW camps in Poland.

All of them were betrayed.

Some of them escaped.

One of them fell in love.

The Beaches of St Valery is his story.

Originally presented at Òran Mór in March 2017, The Beaches of St Valery was due to be performed again at Òran Mór in March 2020, though its revival was interrupted by lockdown. We’re delighted to present it again, for this weekend only, one year on.

Available on YouTube from 1pm Saturday 20th March until 2pm Sunday 21st March.