Dons, Wrens and Bombes
Top Organizer
Bytnmoc
Part of the In-Person Events collection
The National Museum of ComputingBletchley
Saturday, May 30 • 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Overview
“Dons, Wrens and Bombes; - A Musical Account of Wartime Codebreaking and Courage”
This launch event introduces Dons, Wrens and Bombes, a new musical telling the story of wartime Bombe codebreaking through the intertwined lives of the academics, operators, engineers and military leaders who shaped its impact.
Structured in four acts — Dons, Bombes, Wrens, and Impact — the musical explores not only intellectual brilliance but emotional courage: the discipline of secrecy, the weight of responsibility, and the collective intelligence that made success possible.
The event combines narrative storytelling with performed mini-excerpts (spoken and patter-sung), demonstrating how historical material is translated into stage form.
The presentation concludes with an immersive response experience, inviting the audience to engage actively with staging, musical and educational questions arising from the work.
• 10:30–11:00 – Arrival, refreshments, and signing “Official Secrets Activity” form
• 11:00–11:05 – Welcome (Museum Director)
• 11:05–11:15 – Overview: Origins, Structure, Musical and Educational Vision
• 11:15–12:00 – Structured narrative presentation with performed mini- excerpts and post-Act insights on Staging, Casting, Music and Song Selection for Directors.
o Act 1 – Dons
o Act 2 – Bombes
o Act 3 – Wrens
o Act 4 – Impact and Concluding Sequence
• 12:00–12:30 – Immersive “Hut Mission” Response Experience (small-group engagement, structured reporting)
• 12:30–13:00- Book signing
“Dons, Wrens and Bombes; - A Musical Account of Wartime Codebreaking and Courage”
This launch event introduces Dons, Wrens and Bombes, a new musical telling the story of wartime Bombe codebreaking through the intertwined lives of the academics, operators, engineers and military leaders who shaped its impact.
Structured in four acts — Dons, Bombes, Wrens, and Impact — the musical explores not only intellectual brilliance but emotional courage: the discipline of secrecy, the weight of responsibility, and the collective intelligence that made success possible.
The event combines narrative storytelling with performed mini-excerpts (spoken and patter-sung), demonstrating how historical material is translated into stage form.
The presentation concludes with an immersive response experience, inviting the audience to engage actively with staging, musical and educational questions arising from the work.
• 10:30–11:00 – Arrival, refreshments, and signing “Official Secrets Activity” form
• 11:00–11:05 – Welcome (Museum Director)
• 11:05–11:15 – Overview: Origins, Structure, Musical and Educational Vision
• 11:15–12:00 – Structured narrative presentation with performed mini- excerpts and post-Act insights on Staging, Casting, Music and Song Selection for Directors.
o Act 1 – Dons
o Act 2 – Bombes
o Act 3 – Wrens
o Act 4 – Impact and Concluding Sequence
• 12:00–12:30 – Immersive “Hut Mission” Response Experience (small-group engagement, structured reporting)
• 12:30–13:00- Book signing
Lineup
Mike Cashman
Good to know
Highlights
- 2 hours
- In person
Refund Policy
Refunds up to 7 days before event
Location
The National Museum of Computing
Bletchley Park
Bletchley MK3 6DS
How do you want to get there?
Agenda
-
Arrival, refreshments, and signing “Official Secrets Activity”
-
11:00–11:05 – Welcome (Museum Director)
-
Overview: Origins, Structure, Musical and Educational Vision
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