Barring the archival news footage which bookends the production, the main play takes place on 28 April 1945.
Benito Mussolini usually kept his mistress Clara Petacci out of the public eye, so there is relatively little film footage of her to study. Much of Helen Mirren's performance as Claretta is creative speculation.
Robert Hardy: [WWII] This is one of numerous productions where Hardy played a powerful political figure (such as a head of state of government) during World War II. In this case it is Benito Mussolini.