Oh What A Lovely War by Joan Littlewood, Gerry Raffles & Charles Chilton. Southwark Playhouse – the Large, 77 Newington Causeway, London SE1 to 09 December 2023. 4****: William Russell.

Oh What A Lovely War by Joan Littlewood, Gerry Raffles & Charles Chilton. Southwark Playhouse – the Large, 77 Newington Causeway, London SE1 to 09 December, 2023.

4****: William Russell.

“Littlewood’s magic is lacking but for first time audiences this production should still work powerfully enough.”

A six strong young cast bring boundless energy and talent to this version directed by Nicky Allpress of one of Joan Littlewood’s most exciting of Theatre Workshop productions first seen at the Theatre Royal in Stratford East in 1963 and then at Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End. I am old enough to have seen that production and it was one of those nights in the theatre one does not forget. One cannot say the same of the Allpress version which is at best competent and not inspired – Littlewood’s great idea was to have the events of the First World War acted out by a Pierrot troupe in white with the traditional black pompoms while overhead a list of the casualties of that war led by donkeys was projected – the cast acted out a series of scenes interspersed with the songs of the war. The contrast was devastating and she was also blessed with a marvellous cast most of whom became household names – Victor Spinetti, Mavis Bunnage, Larry Dann, Anne Beach and Murray Melvin among them. Allpress and designers Victoria Spearing and Naolmi Gibbs have opted to create a dingy cabaret more Weimar than anything - in other words Cabaret - with some in whiteface and costumes of indeterminate age. The statistics put out on a distinctly inadequate screen above a central entrance to the stage simply do not pack the necessary impact – they are horrific still but do not class with the seaside concert party fun on stage – Richard Attenborough copied it for his 1959 film version set on Brighton pier. For people coming fresh to the show the Allpress version probably works pretty well but there is too much mugging, some muffled lines – nobody is miked which doesn’t help especially when they are playing musical instruments far too loudly as far as the words are concerned – and more fake interludes with the audience than need be. There would be little point in recreating the Littlewood production by numbers as happens with all those long running West End musicals and everything to be said for a fresh eye. But while this one is decently conceived and performed with enthusiasm and -in some instances - manifest versatility it is not likely to be one remembered as the original was as something completely out of the ordinary. It had – as Kenneth Tynan suggested at the time - its flaws. Based on a radio programme by Charles Chilton the second half as things got steadily worse did rather tend to repeat what had already been made crystal clear in the first half although those First World War songs save the day. The concert party concept seemed the perfect vehicle for what the show has to say. Cynical, lyrical, tuneful the songs had become part of the national consciousness by then and some of them still are. That there had been immense casualties was accepted – but by then the fact that they were also unnecessary and due to the errors of a top command whose practices were out of date had begun to sink in.

Cast

Christopher Arkeston

Tom Crabtree

Henry Curley

Alice E Mayer

Chioma Uma

Euan Wilson.

Creatives

Direcor – Nicky Allpress.

Musical Director – Ellie Verkerk.

Movement Director – Adam Haigh.

Orchestrator – Tom Neill.

Set Designer –Victoria Spearing.

Costume Designer – Naolmiu Gibbs.

Lighting Designer – Alan Valentine.

Projection Designer – Clive Elkington.