Oh What a Lovely War
At the end of November, the Ben Travers Theatre staged a magnificent production of ‘Oh What a Lovely War’ by Joan Littlewood and Theatre Workshop.
Reviews by Miles Beckwith (pupil) and the Director of Drama below:
This term's major production, “Oh, What a Lovely War” was a delight. The humour was delivered sharply, the acting was natural and fluent and the several poignant moments of the play were realised with aplomb bordering reverence. The cast in general was solid with a number of standout performances. These include: Luke Millington-Drake as a vocal and melodramatic French Officer; Tasso Doyle was the consummate exuberant and naïve English Commander; and Oliver Higginson brought bite and vigour to the role of a strict Captain, inspiring the audience themselves to sit up straight and face the front.
The band performed a majestic score, adding a nostalgic authenticity to the performance. The bayonet wielding, flushed Freddie Mills badgered the audience as did the girls, pulling unsuspecting members of audience onto the stage for a dance, lending an enjoyable element of interaction to the play.
The Christmas scene, in which acts of goodwill are exchanged between weary British and German troops, was a triumphant concerto of atmosphere and the way in which they tentatively creep into No Man's Land and was sensationally spine-tingling. The singing was good for the most part although not as remarkable as the play’s major highlights. There were diverse accents throughout and occasionally they were not entirely convincing. In all, flair, humour and emotion were displayed in abundance, with few blemishes to detract from what can be considered a fine production.
Miles Beckwith, First Year Specialist
The talented cast of thirty seven demonstrated exceptional skill and versatility in bringing this deceptively difficult musical play to life. The ensemble acting, singing and dancing were of the highest standards and kept the three packed houses absolutely enthralled from beginning to end. For this production an entire Victorian proscenium arch was created complete with a raised stage, trap doors and an orchestra pit. The end of the pier style production was complemented by pierrot costumes, back projection and a live, seven piece band.
It is a sobering thought to think that a large number of the actors on stage were exactly the same age as many of those who lost their lives in the Great War and this gave the production an added poignancy which many a professional production could not hope to match. As well as being hugely entertaining, many of the audience members were profoundly moved by the production and it is a testament to the cast and outstanding crew that they were able to do justice to this landmark of British theatre.
Julian Freeman, Director of Drama
