A behind-the-scenes documentary is set to be launched online surrounding the creation of the acclaimed Prestonpans play 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War.

The play was written by Wonder Fools, an artistic team made up of Jack Nurse and East Lothian’s own Robbie Gordon.

The documentary, created and directed by the award-winning Carina Haouchine, will take viewers through the several-years-long creative process that was born in the heart of the county town.

The play takes place in a small pub in Prestonpans, where four millennials are told the true story of four local miners who, 86 years ago, travelled from the streets of the town to the valleys of Spain.

They gave up everything that was familiar: for a land that was not; for a people they had never met; and for a cause they believed was right.

The four men, George Watters, Bill Dickson, Jock Gilmour and Jimmy Kempton, would make up four of 549 men who travelled to Iberia to join the Scottish ranks of the Spanish Civil War’s anti-fascist International Brigade.

The show debuted in 2018 and has since toured to both town halls and theatres across Scotland. The show has grown in scale and gathered momentum in each outing, with packed houses totalling more than 5,000 people and a committed following.

For the first time, audiences will be given a glance of how the production has developed from a story told by Robbie’s grandfather, to meeting the real families of the four men from Prestonpans, to the production it is today.

The 15-minute documentary includes interviews with the families, creative team and a glimpse into the legacy of the project, including a stained glass window in Prestonpans Labour Club and a plaque in Prestonpans town centre.

Robbie said: “The creation of 549 was a process that spanned over several years and was formative in defining who we all are as artists and as a company.

“It all started in Prestonpans, which is where this documentary kicks off.

“549 is about how embracing our collective history can influence our future and the importance of standing up for what we believe in. In the current political climate, we can’t think of a better time to release it.

“For us, this documentary shows the true impact that culture can have on communities, which feels more important now than ever to talk about in the wake of the recent cuts.”

The documentary debuts at 7pm this evening (Thursday) at wonderfools.org and on YouTube.