Over three acts writer Wally Sewell imagines the regular Tuesday lunches between George VI and his wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

This fascinating examination of two men and their parallel lives starts in September 1940, just after the miracle of the Dunkirk evacuation. Although the main course is Spam, the frugality is compensated for by Buckingham Palace’s excellent wine cellar.

Winston (Edmund Dehn) takes full advantage of the vintage bottle and soon they are chatting away, two members of the same exclusive class reflecting on their mothers, school days and even nicknames. In reality they are duelling and it's not long before they both (although extremely well mannered) introduce an element of passive aggressive questioning.

Their conversations are wide ranging: duty and kingship, the tactics and progress of the war; George’s unexpected accession; the King’s simple faith (“He’s on our side: see what he did at Dunkirk”) and Winston’s earlier military and political failures.

Dehn turns in a pretty robust performance as Churchill: he’s got the voice and mannerisms and is hugely believable. Peter Saracen’s portrayal of George is more problematic. While George’s stutter is spot on, he brings an air of flighty camp to the Queen's father - I was reminded of Carry On star Charles Hawtry. For the first two acts this interpretation just about passes muster but in the third act everything gets rather dark.

It is the luncheon held on D-day: Winston elects not to drink but His Majesty, perhaps out of nerves, hits the bottle (at one point clambering onto the table) and the play turns into an unsettling psycho-drama with George revealing his insecurities and Winston articulating very unpleasant views about India.

Perhaps a stronger focus is needed, but this enjoyable piece of theatre taught us little new about Winston and left us wondering if this George bears any resemblance to the actual character.

Until January 29. https://www.thehopetheatre.com/productions/power-luncheon/