I’m lucky to have a really good theatre not far away. I’m guilty of not making the most of it, so booked up to see one or two things this spring.
This week I went to see Oh What a Lovely War. For those of you who don’t know, it’s a musical play featuring songs from World War One set in the context of an end of pier entertainment show.
When I was at college, back in the dark ages, I was in a production of it. It’s staged with a backdrop featuring pictures from the war, along with some startling and sobering statistics. When I was on stage, I couldn’t understand why it was so hard to raise a laugh. It may well have been the quality of my acting! However, I prefer to think it might have had more to do with the juxtaposition of the fiercely jolly songs with graphic images of what a shell can do to a soldier. It’s one reason why the musical haunts you – and is powerfully anti-war.
I saw a Theatre Royal Stratford East revival of the musical which first saw light in 1963. Scripted by the legendary Joan Littlewood, it makes use of authentic material from the war – Haig’s speeches and songs which soldiers adapted; the lyrics of which have a certain gallows humour. It’s a play which doesn’t hide its politics and is unashamedly on the side of the ‘lions led by donkeys’ theory of World War One. I laughed, cried and ended up freshly angry at the waste of life. We seem to teeter on the edge of war upon war in the 21st century and it’s depressing to realise the message of the play is still relevant 50 years after it was created.
It’s an ensemble piece with Wendi Peters, Christopher Villiers and Ian Reddington leading a strong cast in the current production. Here’s the link to more information:
http://www.stratfordeast.com/out-and-about
It’s hard work for them. They have to sing, dance, flip between comedy and tragedy and play a multitude of parts. I saw a matinee and couldn’t believe they were back on, doing it all over again, a few hours later.
I was so enthused I tweeted a couple of the cast, not something I’d usually dare do. Wendi Peters tweeted back and was so lovely I’ve gone quite fangirly about her!
It’s currently on tour. Comes highly recommended so catch it if you can. The Facebook page has loads more information, pictures and interviews, so is worth a look:
https://www.facebook.com/OhWhatALovelyWarUK?ref=ts&fref=ts
And here’s the link to the trailer, with the lovely Wendi Peters belting out a tune!
And this is the ending from the 1969 film version, directed by the late Richard Attenborough. If this doesn’t get to you, you have a heart of stone!
Love and peace,
Georgia x
