Celebrating Centenaries

Celebrating Centenaries: An evening to remember was an evening of drama, comedy, dance and songs as a tribute to World War I, the RAF, the WI and the Suffragettes.  There were dancers from the Diamond Dancentre, three short plays, a couple of solo songs and speakers from the RAF and the WI.  

The set was excellent and multi-purpose ranging from a church hall to the Western Front to a parlour.  It was practical, using the stage creatively and imaginatively.  The scene changes were efficient and speedily executed.

There was great attention to detail in ensuring each character was appropriately dressed. A lot of thought had gone into the use of costume and hair to emphasise the personality and class of the characters. 

The lighting was effective and well controlled. 

After the flags and Bands tells the story of what happens to the women when the men have gone to war; the effect the passing years has on them: the wife left behind, the dutiful daughter torn between her secret love and duty to her parents when they learn her brother has been killed. There’s the nurse who goes to the front and the mouthy former housemaid who goes to work in a munitions factory. This was a great piece of ensemble acting; strong characters and great story-telling.

Lions and Donkeys moved the action to the Western Front where a couple of British soldiers have made a pact with the Germans, realising they are just the same and struggling to stay alive. The arrival of an Officer threatens to disrupt the status quo and a farcical situation arises. With serious sub-text, this was a great piece of relevant theatre to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War.

How the Vote was Won emphasised the rigid class and gender roles of the times when a genteel woman is forced into housework as her maid has left, to go and help get the vote for women. The absurdity of the events that follow reinforce the contradictions of the time with wit and comedy. There were some strong performances, notably from Bill Hansell (who had also appeared in Lions and Donkeys) and Becky Wilson (also in After the Flags and Bands). 

Between the plays there was a talk on the RAF by Tony Davies and a humorous and witty potted history of the WI given by Fiona Burchall from Hartley Wintney WI.  Becky Stanton sang “Keep the Home Fires Burning” and “Sister Suffragette” and the evening was completed by a fish and chip supper served in the interval.  Well done to HAG for another evening of great entertainment under the directorship of Helen Lewis and Lesley Parish. 

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