What do ‘A Question of Duty’ and a train have in common? #Train #WW2 #Eisenhower

A Question of Duty is a play by Gary Tippings is set on the train, known as Train Alive, that Eisenhower used when in Britain during World War Two.

Set aboard General ‘Ike’ Eisenhower’s private train as the end of WWII approaches, ‘A Question of Duty’ offers a quietly devastating portrait of power, pressure, and the personal costs of leadership.

Gary Tippings’ writing is spare but emotionally rich, with dialogue that crackles beneath its military decorum. At the centre is Ike. Not the mythic general, but the weary man behind the stars, caught between loyalty, loneliness, and the burden of sending men to die.

The supporting cast shines: Albert’s warmth, Kay’s quiet strength, and Gault’s stoicism form a textured human web around Ike’s solitude. The play’s restraint is its strength. No grand speeches, no theatrics… just the slow, precise erosion of a man carrying history on his back. Subtle, humane, and exquisitely timed, A Question of Duty lingers long after the final blackout. A triumph of tone and tension.

On 25 and 26 July 2025, A Question of Duty can be seen at Rickmansworth Watersmeet Theatre.
You can get Train Alive any time here.