A TIMELY play will be staged in Broadoak that coincides with Armistice weekend and the centenary of the end of the Great War.

Meet Tommy Atkins will tour to Broadoak near Bridport on Thursday, November 8, courtesy of Artsreach.

On August 4, 1914, reservist Tommy Atkins was immediately called up to serve his country. Within weeks he saw his first action in the fields of France and subsequently experienced the full scale of life in the Western Front trenches of the First World War - the horror, the pain, the misery, the boredom and even the moments of joy.

Written by playwright/actor Peter Gill, Meet Tommy Atkins details, through the eyes of a simple 'Tommy', the reality of war for those who actually fought it, in an astonishing solo performance.

Journey through Tommy's war, a war that saw him fight at Ypres, Passendale, Loos and on the Somme and that took him to the depths of despair but also brought him unique comradeship that he would never find again. Follow his life back home in Britain post war and see how a generation of returning men were maltreated and how, ultimately, it was Tommy’s generation that forced through the foundations of the Welfare State. From the beginning of the war to the end, Private Tommy Atkins was there. This is his story.

*Meet Tommy Atkins is at Broadoak near Bridport (01308 424922) on November 8 and Yetminster (01935 873719) on November 16. Both performances are at 7.30pm. Tickets and further information are also available at artsreach.co.uk. Monies raised from these performances will go towards supporting Artsreach and Help For Heroes as charities.