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Oh What a Lovely War

Author: Judith Smith

Information

Date
8th November 2018
Society
Settle Musical Theatre & Courthouse Kids Theatre
Venue
Settle Victoria Hall
Type of Production
Musical
Director
Pat Harding
Musical Director
Pam Whitehead

This show was created in 1963 by that innovative director Joan Littlewood from a book by Charles Chilton and music by Alfred Ralston, being a means of satirizing the futility of “the war to end all wars”.  A musical revue packed with historical details of World War I communicates the harsh reality of war, using actual slides of the time, together with well known songs of the period, and their parodies, via humorous sketches performed by a troupe of Pierrots from the end of a pier show.

Settle did well with this totally different style of production from their ‘norm’ but the whole thing would have been more easily understood if, at the outset, the opening number had had more action, life and movement as of a seaside show.  Act I was slow and rather static but held together well by the Master of Ceremonies, Eric Parker.  There was some very spirited, old fashioned music hall type singing from Molly Summersgill-Smith with that perfect clipped diction of the time, similarly too from Melanie Edgar. The act ended with a touching sketch which depicted the temporary first Christmas ceasefire from the troops and the comradeship, for that short, time between the German and English soldiers beautifully marked by the singing of ‘Heilige Nacht’ with the reply of ‘Christmas Day in the Cookhouse’.

The whole tempo of Act II speeded up somewhat and, as the news from the front became more horrific – news headlines of so many thousand dead, distance won only a few yards, so the sketches became more comedic and bawdy.  Excellent acting from General Haigh (Graham Jarvis) with his careless attitude to the lives of the soldiers serving under him. Excellent diction and singing from the ladies, with the help of the audience, performing ‘Sister Susie’s sewing shirts’ which, with each encore, got quite a bit quicker!.  Memorable moments for me were the various trumpet calls to a silent theatre, and the clever counterpoint singing in the Church sketch where the choir and congregation were singing the correct words to the hymns and the soldiers were singing their version!  The balance was perfect throughout the show of the lighting and sound for the various bombs and bullets flying around and the reactions of the soldiers – well done.  

The finale of the show was the real showstopper with the beautiful voice of Jonathan Cunningham singing ‘And when they ask us’ to a dimly lit stage and auditorium, with poppy petals floating down brought us all back to life and made us remember the thousands of young men and women who were killed or badly injured during this horrific time.

The Society chose this show as their contribution to the centenary of the armistice after four long years of fighting the First World War.  It was a very good tribute – we will remember them. 

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