A survey of Charles Wood's plays for stage and screen, with particular reference to the treatment of war in "Dingo", "H", and the associated films

Over the past twenty years, Charles Wood has written 13 stage plays, at least 20 screenplays, and more than 14 television plays (of which one was divided into two series, each of six 50-minute episodes). His major plays have been performed at either the National, Royal Shakespeare Company, or Royal Court Theatres; he has an international reputation for his work in the cinema; and writes regularly for television. Yet his work, though mentioned respectfully on the whole by modern theatre critics, has not received a full and considered critical appraisal. This study sets out to provide a fuller examination of a major aspect of his work; his treatment of War for theatre and screen. Its first chapter offers essential, and hitherto unpublished, biographical material concerning Wood's own Army career, and his early connections with the theatre. This provides a foundation for a consideration of those of his early plays, written from 1958 to 1965, with the Army as the basis for subject matter. These two chapters form a framework for the main emphasis of the study: his portrayal, in theatre and film, of the Second World War in Dingo, and 'How I Won the War'; and the Victorian conflicts in India and the Crimea, as shown in H, and 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'. Finally, there is a consideration of Veterans, and Has "Washington"? Legs?, two plays concerned with the making of films about War. The writer's source materials, both written and visual, are explored, and photographs accompany the text. An analysis of important scenes and characters is provided. Most importantly, the focus, where possible, is on the plays in performance, with observations on the rehearsal process (studied at first-hand in Has "Washington" Legs?) and the interaction at various stages between dramatist, director, and designer. Where available, original typescripts have been used, and comparisons made, where appropriate, with final, printed versions. Existing prompt copies have been referred to where available, and use made of conversations and interviews with the author and his associates. To widen the perspective, there is also an appraisal of critical responses from both reviewers and critics of modern drama.<p

A survey of Charles Wood's plays for stage and screen, with particular reference to the treatment of war in "Dingo", "H", and the associated films

Over the past twenty years, Charles Wood has written 13 stage plays, at least 20 screenplays, and more than 14 television plays (of which one was divided into two series, each of six 50-minute episodes). His major plays have been performed at either the National, Royal Shakespeare Company, or Royal Court Theatres; he has an international reputation for his work in the cinema; and writes regularly for television. Yet his work, though mentioned respectfully on the whole by modern theatre critics, has not received a full and considered critical appraisal. This study sets out to provide a fuller examination of a major aspect of his work; his treatment of War for theatre and screen. Its first chapter offers essential, and hitherto unpublished, biographical material concerning Wood's own Army career, and his early connections with the theatre. This provides a foundation for a consideration of those of his early plays, written from 1958 to 1965, with the Army as the basis for subject matter. These two chapters form a framework for the main emphasis of the study: his portrayal, in theatre and film, of the Second World War in Dingo, and 'How I Won the War'; and the Victorian conflicts in India and the Crimea, as shown in H, and 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'. Finally, there is a consideration of Veterans, and Has "Washington"? Legs?, two plays concerned with the making of films about War. The writer's source materials, both written and visual, are explored, and photographs accompany the text. An analysis of important scenes and characters is provided. Most importantly, the focus, where possible, is on the plays in performance, with observations on the rehearsal process (studied at first-hand in Has "Washington" Legs?) and the interaction at various stages between dramatist, director, and designer. Where available, original typescripts have been used, and comparisons made, where appropriate, with final, printed versions. Existing prompt copies have been referred to where available, and use made of conversations and interviews with the author and his associates. To widen the perspective, there is also an appraisal of critical responses from both reviewers and critics of modern drama.<p

Pancreatic surgery outcomes: multicentre prospective snapshot study in 67 countries

Background: Pancreatic surgery remains associated with high morbidity rates. Although postoperative mortality appears to have improved with specialization, the outcomes reported in the literature reflect the activity of highly specialized centres. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes following pancreatic surgery worldwide.Methods: This was an international, prospective, multicentre, cross-sectional snapshot study of consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic operations worldwide in a 3-month interval in 2021. The primary outcome was postoperative mortality within 90 days of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore relationships with Human Development Index (HDI) and other parameters.Results: A total of 4223 patients from 67 countries were analysed. A complication of any severity was detected in 68.7 percent of patients (2901 of 4223). Major complication rates (Clavien-Dindo grade at least IIIa) were 24, 18, and 27 percent, and mortality rates were 10, 5, and 5 per cent in low-to-middle-, high-, and very high-HDI countries respectively. The 90-day postoperative mortality rate was 5.4 per cent (229 of 4223) overall, but was significantly higher in the low-to-middle-HDI group (adjusted OR 2.88, 95 per cent c.i. 1.80 to 4.48). The overall failure-to-rescue rate was 21 percent; however, it was 41 per cent in low-to-middle-compared with 19 per cent in very high-HDI countries.Conclusion: Excess mortality in low-to-middle-HDI countries could be attributable to failure to rescue of patients from severe complications. The authors call for a collaborative response from international and regional associations of pancreatic surgeons to address management related to death from postoperative complications to tackle the global disparities in the outcomes of pancreatic surgery (NCT04652271; ISRCTN95140761)