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Oh, What a Lovely War
Director - Robert Rae
Assistant Director - Morven Gregor
Musical Director - Matthew Brown
Assistant Musical Director - Jemma Brown
Costumes - Christine Ross
Costumier Assistant - Jenny Dear
Choreographer - Tony Ellis
Designer - Gordon Davidson
Film Maker - Emma Davy
Lighting Designer - Phil Haldane
Gaelic Song Composer - Phamie Gow
Venue - Theatre Workshop Edinburgh Hamilton Place, Stockbridge
0131 226 5425
Dates - Wednesday 5 June to Saturday 15 June 2002
Run Time - 2hrs 45mins including 20 min interval
Reviewer - Ksenija Horvat
Some engaging moments in overlong production
Joan Littlewood's Oh, What a Lovely War is one of the landmarks of modern
British theatre. Its satirical sting and sharp insight into the political
intrigues are still as fresh as they were all those years ago when it
was first written and performed. Sadly, Theatre Workshops new production
of Oh, What a Lovely War has little to do with Littlewood's remarkable
vision. This is a shame, because the enormity of effort and enthusiasm
invested in this show by its remarkable integrated cast and crew oozes
from its every pore, and there are some wonderful performances from the
individual members of the cast.
One can always rely on Theatre Workshop to use the entire stage space
and all technical resources at their disposal, including multimedia, and
Gordon Davidson's immaculate design and Tony Ellis's carefully arranged
stage choreography for this production are no exception. All this said,
the need to achieve the authenticity and get all of the little details
right has prevailed over the theatrical magic this time round, and one
of the things that is sadly lacking from this show is a clear directorial
vision.
At almost three hours of playing time, this show is too long. It cannot
be expected to sustain the audiences undivided attention throughout only
by clever gimmicks and sheer enthusiasm of the cast. Something else is
needed, the vision that is as poignant as it is profoundly political,
that cuts with the cleverness of Littlewood's lines and speaks to us about
the madness of our own world. Though occasionally entertaining and even
endearing, Edinburgh's Theatre Workshop's Oh, What a Lovely War fails
to do so, and instead, is satisfied to merely play on the audiences cheapest
sentiments.
Still, there are some engaging moments, such as the recruiting scene and
the first winter in the trenches; and a few musical scores get the audience
to sing along with the actors. Such moments, as in the original, make
this production recall the entertaining yet bitter irony of the original.
But, people, you may be glad of the pint you took into the auditorium,
when this production gets stuck in the mire of its war polemic.
© Ksenija Horvat 8 June 2002
Community Company - Heidi Widelewski, Robyn Hunt, Megan McKrell,
Jane Fraser, Linda Grant, Ruth Bradley, Vanessa MacDonald, Catherine Steel,
Rowan Nelson, Alyson OConnor, Alison Barrow, Denise Gibson, Sarah Johnston,
Heather McSharry, Kathy Macrae, Sharon Isola, Rory Dewar, Kirstin Dewar,
Sinead MacInnes, Jessica Dewar, Lois Blamire, Oriana Franceschi, Alastair
Smith, Fraser C Stewart, Sarah Young, Anam Islam, Kenna Barrow, Julia
Caird, Rob Flett, Peter Hockett, Naveen Arles, Jerry Anderson, Ross Chmiel,
Chris Pearson, Neil Shaw, Jane Fraser, Denise Gibson, Tom O'Connor, Linda
Grant, Jerry Anderson, Rachel Meyer, John Gunn, Charlotte Haines, Philip
Allison, Ian Reilly, Mary Methven, Eddie Lovelock, Paul Dyer, Ann Howie,
Ruth Loewenthal, Audrey Anderson, Josh Dickson, Hannah Logan, Susan Wales
The Orchestra - Naveen Arles, Jemma Brown, Corinne Clarke, Alan
Dewar, Belinda Dewar, Denise Gibson, Sarah Nelson, Alyson OConnor, Gerard
Paton, Caroline Read, Ian Reilly, Karen Stevenson, Sophie Tolley
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