First written and produced in the 1960s, this classic piece of musical satire is well worth reviving this century. True to the original stage concept of having World War One portrayed as a game and a show, one of many attractions at a fair, and presented by a kaleidoscope of actors each in basic Pierrot costume, Gaye Poole’s and Theatre Studies’ production emphasises the clownish tragedy of war.

When the play was first staged and later filmed by Richard Attenborough, much of the information it reveals was not well known to the public: that industries profited from war, that atrocities were allowed while the generals drank and danced, that bodies of the dead on both sides formed the structure of the trenches, and that armies experimented with toxic gases. Much of that information is well documented and available in our time, yet of course war continues to be a useful opportunity for businesses and technologies and has not gone out of fashion as means to assert national pride.

In the absence of a new satire and in the face of continuing apathy alternating with worrying nationalism from all nations, Oh What A Lovely War puts war in its place, as nonsensical. But I mustn’t make it sound too serious. It is a very funny show filled with wit, parody, caricature and joy and, in this production, played with obvious delight and conviction by a fine young cast.

At the heart of the show is the music. Popular songs from the era, genuine ballads and ditties from musical hall stages – such as ‘Row, Row, Row’ and ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’ – mix with parodies of hymns and other songs from the front and from the trenches, like ‘They Were Only Playing Leapfrog’ to the tune of ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic’ and ‘When This Lousy War is Over’ to the tune of ‘What A Friend We Have In Jesus’. They tell the passage of WWI, from Sarajevo to battlefields, in and out of nations’ war chambers, leaping to the generals and their wives dancing, then switching to the troops marching then drowning in mud.

The production is very well served with the sharp musical direction of Clive Lamdin, conducting and leading an outstanding band of musicians and some of the fine soloists from the Waikato Music Department’s performance stream. 

One of the most touching moments is when the ‘Jerries’ and ‘Tommies’ share musical good wishes across No Man’s Land. The German sings ‘Stille nacht’ (‘Silent night’) and the Tommies respond with a bawdy ditty about the Cookhouse. Jonathan Eyers here gives one of his many brilliant cameos. Equally brilliant is Anna Mahon in many roles but whose ‘Keep the Home Fires Burning’ is a triumph of simple sentiment without sentimentality.

While the entire cast has worked on all aspects of the production, the roll call of talent is unending. To list a few: Alice Kennedy’s sinuous MC; Amy Thomas’ playful ‘I’ll Make Man of You’; Fiona Sneyd’s expostulating French Genéral and Mrs Pankhurst’s fruitless soap box oratory; David Marris’ Scottish ghillie; Jesse Parker-Wood’s American magnate; Emily Donderwinkel’s many accents and singalong of a tongue twister; Ruth Hare’s feisty Irish sergeant; Amelia William’s superb dancing; the many excellent slides and lighting and sound effects, and ‘grouse’ (a pun there for the initiated) properties … It’s a huge effort of collaboration. 

Although a little sluggish at the beginning of Act One on opening night, the energy is sure to be maintained for the season, and the jokes and songs soon start warming everyone up. By the mournful cast finale of Jerome Kerns’ tune to Cole Porter’s lyrics, ‘And When They Ask Us’, we have all learnt a great deal about irony:
And when they ask us 
How dangerous it was
We never will tell them
We never will tell them
We fought in some café
With wild women night and day
It was the wonderf’lest war you ever knew.

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