TWO theatre groups have joined forces to mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War with the production of a classic musical.

Oh, What a Lovely War, which was devised as an anti-war show by Joan Littlewood and her ensemble at London’s Theatre Workshop in 1963, is being brought to the stage in Grove by Stagelights and Wantage Stage Musical Company (WSMC).

It will be one of the many events making up the popular Wantage Summer Festival. Poignant, hard-hitting and, yet, often very funny, the musical explores The Great War through sketches, songs and music of the time, and the attitudes and effects of the war on the soldiers, officers and civilians.

More than 20 actors and singers will be taking on the challenge of portraying 100 characters in over 40 rapid-fire scenes conveying the horror and the humour of ‘the war to end all wars’. They will be backed by a live band and recorded incidental music.

Following the traditional format of the show first performed at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, in 1963, most of the performers will be wearing Pierrot costumes, with their characters delineated by their hats — more than 90 different ones are featured, many provided by the Oxfordshire Drama Wardrobe Collection based in Steventon

When writing the original show, Theatre Workshop turned to original materials for its research including the diaries of generals such as British commander General Douglas Haig, official war records, soldiers’ letters homes from the front and popular songs of the time.

And, in realising a long-held ambition to direct the show, director Chris Osland, of Grove-based Stagelights, also carried out his own.

He said: “Doing my own research for the Stagelights/WSMC production has shown that the script uses actual quotes from Haig’s diaries and many other contemporary sources.

“Many staggering facts, that today might be thought urban myths, turn out to be true: when the British and French commanders (Sir John French and General Lanzerac) met to discuss the Somme offensive, neither spoke the other’s language and both preferred to have no interpreter present ‘to maintain absolute secrecy’.

“When French asked Lanzerac why the Germans were likely to go to a certain bridge, Lanzerac scornfully replied that perhaps they wanted to do some fishing.”

With such a major production only made possible by the combining of the groups’ talent, WSMC is providing most of the singing talent and musical director Pete Curtis, while Stagelights fields director Chris, the bulk of the actors and much of the behind-the-scenes technical know-how.

Mr Osland said: “I’ve wanted to direct Oh, What a Lovely War for many years and it was a chance discussion after Stagelights’ last production that lead to the idea of a joint production with WSMC.

“With so many people playing so many parts in so many scenes — and with so many people for domestic reasons having to miss some rehearsals — the logistics have been ‘interesting’. However, with so much goodwill between the groups, and so much hard work being done by the actors, the musicians, the technical crew and the backstage crew, I’m confident that this will be a once-in-a-lifetime production and a worthy part of the Wantage Summer Festival.”

The cast includes: Christina McQuirk, Emily Cooper, Janet Browning, Jennie Cosgrave, Lilly Dunkley, Rachael Pullen, Rachel Margolis, Sally Hadler, Sheila Prestidge, Suzie Hanks; Andrew Barber, Andy Osborn, Bill Jestico, David Hunter, David Wise, Ian Dews, Richard Browning, Vern Dunkley and Voula Morris.

Oh, What a Lovely War is being performed at Old Mill Hall, Grove, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 26 to 28, at 7.30pm with the addition of a 2.30pm Saturday matinée performance.

Tickets £10 full price and £8 concessions are available from the Vale and Downland Museum, Church Street, Wantage, Bretts pharmacy, Grove, or by calling 01235 765562.

For further information, see: www.stagelightsgroup.org and www.wantagestagemusical.co.uk