Oh What a Lovely War

This play with music was certainly Joan Littlewood’s stroke of genius, picturing as it does the absolute futility of war when virtually a whole generation was lost in appalling conditions.  It was to be the war to end all wars and as we know it certainly wasn’t.  At the time of World War 1, the Music Hall was very popular so it was ideal to make it into a musical with the singing led by a Pierrot Troupe.

This production was well handled in all ways, both musical (and as the programme states, the musical side contained quite a lot of forced jollity) and the dramatic interludes.  We were taken through the war years in style with the slides showing the progress (or lack of it) with the loss of life ever mounting up.

I am not going to name individuals as the whole group worked as a great team, accompanied by a group of excellent musicians. The action was well performed and there were some extremely good solo voices in the troupe. The set was well designed and the scenes in the trenches were very realistic.  It wasn’t all doom and gloom as the humour of the time came through very well indeed.

The stage crew must have worked very hard, together with wardrobe and props who managed to find all necessary costumes and other items. Sound effects were also very important and these worked well.

Just one thing – the Band, probably due to the close proximity to the action on stage which couldn’t be helped, sometimes overwhelmed the dialogue.  However, I am having a hearing test soon which may well have accounted for words that I missed!

Thank you Hailsham for bringing this important piece of theatre to life and congratulations to all taking part and especially Director Sam Elsby, Musical Director Judith Brooke and Choreographer Sue Bowers and all those in any of the roles that are carried out backstage.

An ideal production as we celebrate the end of this terrible conflict.

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