Wireless Operator is an exciting new play premiering at the Pleasance Courtyard (Below) in August at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
What is Wireless Operator ?
Wireless Operator is a powerful portrait of a young man, barely an adult, as he struggles to survive the trauma of one horrifying night in a Lancaster Bomber.
What is special about Wireless Operator?
Bob Baldwin's father was a wireless operator in WW2. The compelling narrative is compiled from memoirs, first hand reports and the log books of many operations.
Sergeant JJ Baldwin. (Father of Bob Baldwin, writer)
Who were they?
These boys, normal guys, weren’t hateful or aggressive. They were teachers, tradesmen, artists, academics and office workers. Our young wireless operator was a carpenter. They were obliged to participate in slaughter and become witness to one of the most contentious strategies of WW2.
Bob Baldwin with Ted Watson. Flight Engineer and last surviving member of his father's Lancaster Bomber Crew
Why now?
Next year, 2020 will be the 75th anniversary of the ending of WW2 and the controversial strategy of bombing cities like Dresden. It will be a time of reflection and remembrance.
What was the cost?
The aircrew of a Lancaster Bomber were not expected to survive more than 10 missions. A tour of duty was 30. If they survived physically, they couldn’t escape the memory of dropping bombs that obliterated whole towns. The brutal legacy of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) still echoes down the generations.
The production
It's a one man play featuring a startling and compelling physical performance supported by a cast of 8 who we hear, but do not see. A unique soundscape based on the iconic Rolls Royce Merlin engines provides the backdrop to the unsettling narrative.
Have a listen here....

Who are we?
Bob Baldwin, director and co-writer, has collaborated, amongst others, with Rik Mayall and Stephen Berkoff. He has written, produced or directed award-winning drama comedy and documentaries for BBC, ITV, CNN, Discovery and PBS.
Max Kinnings (co-writer) is a novelist and film writer. He wrote Rik Mayall’s bestselling spoof autobiography (ghost-writer), the digital game Little Big Planet 3 (Sony) with Bob Baldwin and feature films: Act of Grace (2012), Alleycats (2016) and The Pagan King (2018). He lectures at Brunel University, London where he was recently awarded a PhD in Creative Writing.
Stephen Graham, Hilary Townley and Jan Baldwin (producers). Stephen has previously won a Fringe First for Hauptman by John Logan. He and Hilary produced the critically acclaimed production of Shakespeare’s “Venus and Adonis” at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe and its subsequent production at Shakespeare’s Rose Playhouse on London’s Southbank. Jan is an award winning photographer.
What can you do to help?
We would be grateful for any contribution, however small.
Join us and help to make Wireless Operator happen. Even though it is a one-man play our production is very ambitious – playing to full houses won't cover the costs of bringing the production to Edinburgh! Thank you.