Lovely
, What A
Oh
ALL SAINTS OPERATIC SOCIETY
Lest we forget
1914-1918
arlier this year, Prime Minister, David
Cameron expressed a wish for as many people
as possible to be involved in events to
commemorate the start of the First World
War, 1914-18, and to acknowledge the sacrifice
made by so many in that conflict.
And so what better contribution
could Leek based All Saints
Operatic Society make than
stage a performance of the
musical ‘Oh What a Lovely
War’.
The show, originally
created
by
Joan
Littlewood
and
her
Theatre Workshop, was
first performed for an
audience at the Theatre
Royal in Stratford East in
1963. It is a scathing
indictment of the follies of the
generals
and
a
moving
celebration of the common
humanity of the soldiers on both sides.
While it is most definitely an anti-war
production it also acknowledges the bravery and
the sense of duty that sustained the ordinary
soldiers and enabled them to continue fighting in
the most appalling physical conditions and loss of
life.
Although the underlying theme of the show is a
serious one it does have touches of humour and
incorporates many of the well-known songs of the
period such as ‘Roses of Picardy’, ‘Keep the Home
Fires Burning’, ‘The Bells of Hell’, ‘I’ll Make a Man
of You’ together with parodies of other well-known
songs.
What is a particularly nice aspect of this
production for the members of the society as well
as for the audience is that there are no principal
parts in the show meaning that everyone who takes
part plays a number of small roles. It is based on
the idea of a pierrot show and is a real ensemble
E
8 Leek Life March/April 2014
piece.
The company members range in age from 17 up
to 74 with a mix of singers and actors and includes
many faces who are now well known to local
theatre goers. One member of All Saints Operatic
Society’s grandfather actually fought in the First
World War, aptly referred to as The Great War.
Last performed in Leek in 1982 by the then St.
Luke’s Players the 2014 production will give Leek
people an opportunity to see this poignant and
entertaining piece of theatre.
Oh What a Lovely War will be
performed from Wednesday 30th
April to Saturday 3rd May 2014
at St. Edward’s Academy in
Westwood Road, Leek.
Evening
performances
start at 7.30pm with a
matinee performance on
Saturday 3rd May at
2.30pm.
Ticket prices are £10
for
evening
performances and £9 for
the matinee with 50p
from each seat sold
donated to the very worthy
cause ‘Help for Heroes’.
Tickets are available from
Westwood Post Office, Over the
Rainbow toy shop in Sheepmarket, online
at www.leekoperatics.org.uk or can be reserved
over the telephone by calling 01538 382546.
“