Four soldiers - from completely different points in history - suddenly find themselves locked in the same room. What brought them here? Who has secrets to hide? Times clash in their fight for the truth, revealing common ground that some would rather remained buried…Pro Patria is on stage at Titchfield Festival Theatre from 11 – 16 May 2025.

This brand new play explores heroism, duty, and conflict across time; through an intersection of historical and science fiction. It raises questions about whether the face of war over the centuries has actually changed as much as we might think. What does it truly mean to be a good soldier?

The show contains strong language, violent scenes, and flashing images.

The playwright, Alec Sleigh was interviewed by Simon Frost:

Simon: Is this your first play for TFT? How long have you been working with the theatre (for example, tell me about other TFT projects you may have been involved in?)

Alec: My first play for TFT was back in 2021. At the time, I was cast in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Sadly, the rights were pulled, but the production was changed to The Macabre Tales by Edgar Allan Poe. I opted to stick with it, and I'm so glad I did. Since then, I have appeared in As You Like It, A Stranger in Our House, Much Ado About Nothing, A Yorkshire Tragedy, and Dead Leaves. I was also in The Comings and Goings at No10 when it was taken to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024 (though I didn't appear in its original TFT debut in January of that year!). Pro Patria is my first time in the Director's chair (both with TFT and overall!).

Simon: Have you written plays before?

Alec: I co-wrote a musical for the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe, so it's certainly been a fair while since my last venture in writing for the stage! I have written for the screen, though most of that has gone unproduced. With the exception of an adaptation of Prometheus Bound, which I was able to put together remotely during lockdown, with the help of creatives in the UK and US.

Simon: What was the inspiration for Pro Patria?

Alec: Truth be told, I tend to let ideas develop in my head for quite a long period until I feel compelled to write them down. The downside of this approach being that I've usually forgotten the original inspiration by the time I start writing! (I think at one point I envisioned a purely Viking story if I recall...).

Simon: The soldiers are from four completely different points in history. Do you have an interest in military history? Tell me the reasons for your choice of the soldiers and the period.

Alec: Prior to my left turn into the arts, I obtained an MSc in War & Psychiatry from King's College London. I had once upon a time planned for any one of a number of careers related to this. Even came very close to being in the army myself, before I was suddenly diagnosed with a condition that scuppered my application. (I am very grateful for the direction my life has taken since though).

While the knowledge I gained was mainly intended to apply to the effects of conflict in a modern setting, military history was often utilised to provide a valuable context. And this served to feed into an interest in military history that I've had ever since I was in school.

I love the idea of using real history as something of a playground for a fictional story. My rationale for choosing the time periods comes from a few different factors. First of all, I wanted to explore a wide breadth of history. This would mean that any differences would be a lot more pronounced. And any similarities would be even more striking.

There's a very specific reason I opted for battles at Thermopylae, Edington, and Gallipoli. Keen war historians might figure it out rather easily. Anyone else could probably Google it just as easily. But I'm going to avoid giving too much away here...and introducing one more soldier from the future provides a great mechanic for tying it all together. (And grants me absolute freedom over where the story goes).

Simon: What do you think makes a good soldier?

Alec: I can honestly say I don't know, and I will probably never be able to develop a more specific belief in the question than that.

And that's one of my favourite things about this question. Some might say a good soldier follows orders. But if those orders are to do terrible things, is that soldier truly "good"? Others might say a good soldier knows right from wrong. But what happens if their orders and their morality collide?

One can spend a lifetime exploring this dilemma in depth and still not reach a definitive answer. There's just so much to discover here.

Simon: Why should people come along and watch the play?

Alec: We've been very careful not to give much away with the marketing materials. Those who have seen the trailer, and the images, will know the premise - and that's it. Come see it, and discover the truth as to what's even going on here.

There's a balance of many things in this production; drama, action, mystery, even a respectful dose of humour. There's something in this play for just about everyone!

The incredibly talented and dedicated cast is supported by an equally talented ensemble, portraying a wide variety of characters from across the eras (both real figures, and fictional characters).

The set and tech are taking shape wonderfully as well (thanks to the amazing talents of Abi Lindon and Jo Larner). I'm so excited to share this production with everyone!

Pro Patria performs in the Acorn Theatre, Titchfield Festival Theatre between 11 May and 16 May 2025. For more information including booking tickets please go to http://titchfieldfestivaltheatre.com/ or contact our Box Office on 0333 666 3366.