Oh What a Lovely War embarks on UK tour
It’s a Long Way to Tipperary!
Last updated 11th Jul 2023
Blackeyed Theatre has announced a major revival of the acclaimed epic anti-war musical, Oh What a Lovely War, touring nationally from September, including a three-week run at Southwark Playhouse Borough.
Marking the 60th anniversary of Joan Littlewood’s stage satire, since 1963 Oh What a Lovely War has remained a cornerstone of modern musical theatre and fusion of timeless songs – including Pack Up Your Troubles and It’s a Long Way to Tipperary.
Oh What a Lovely War stars Christopher Arkeston (Only Fools and Horses: The Musical, Theatre Royal Haymarket; Revolting Women, Mikron Theatre Company), 2023 Rose Bruford graduate Tom Crabtree, Harry Curley (Once, Barn Theatre; Summer in the City, The Gatehouse; Caligari, Underbelly), Alice E Mayer (Frankenstein, Blackeyed Theatre; The Chronicles of Wild Hollow, Audible; Y Mabinogi, Welsh tour), Chioma Uma (Brief Encounter, New Wolsey and UK tour; Kiss Me Kate, Watermill Theatre) and Euan Wilson (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Vienna English Theatre; The Great Gatsby, Immersive London; Stick Man, UK tour).
The production is directed by Nicky Allpress (The Shape of Things, Park Theatre; The Walworth Farce, Southwark Playhouse Elephant; My Brilliant Friend, National Theatre), with musical direction by Ellie Verkerk (Burnt City, Punchdrunk; The Color Purple, UK tour; SIX, West End and UK tour) and movement direction by Adam Haigh (The Mikado, Theatre Royal Bath and UK tour; Ruddigore, Wilton’s Music Hall; Kiss Me Kate, Leicester Curve)
Oh What a Lovely War tour dates:
September 2023
14th-16th: Wilde Theatre, Bracknell
18th-20th: Churchill Theatre, Bromley
21st-23rd: Mercury Theatre, Colchester
25th-27th: Norwich Playhouse
October 2023
2nd-3rd: Royal & Derngate, Northampton
4th-5th: EM Forster Theatre, Tonbridge
7th: Hemsted Park, Cranbrook
11th: Palace Theatre, Mansfield
12th-14th: The Theatre Chipping Norton
16th-18th: Theatre Royal Winchester
19th-21st: The Haymarket, Basingstoke
November 2023
31st October-4th November: Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne
7th-8th: Stahl Theatre, Oundle
9th-11th: Artsdepot, Finchley
14th-15th: Waterside, Sale
16th-17th:The Coro, Ulverston
21st November-9th December: Southwark Playhouse Borough
Director Nicky Allpress commented, I’m so thrilled to be directing this unique piece of theatrical history, having followed Blackeyed Theatre and their extraordinary work for many years. One of the most exciting things about Oh What a Lovely War is how universal, timeless, and ever relevant it is, and testament to the brilliance of the work is how it can bear endless reinterpretation. Our concept will explore the idea of war as a circus, with an incredibly talented company of actor-musicians bringing Joan Littlewood's ground-breaking classic to life with music, comedy, and stories.
To find out more you can visit the Blackeyed Theatre website.
Have a look at more musicals based on historical events:
Treason The Musical
Treason the musical drama is based on the events of the 1605 Gunpowder plot. Following the events leading up to it and the ultimate failure of the plot. The musical boasts a folk and pop medley and explores themes of love, secrecy, and the revolution. With an online concert in 2021 and two sold out concerts and an album featuring Lucie Jones and Carrie Hope Fletcher the production is now embarking on its world premiere in later 2023.
Hamilton
This musical takes place in 1780's onward and tells us the story of one of the founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton as he helps shape the United States of America. It opened on Broadway August 6th 2015 and has been breaking records ever since, being nominated for 16 Tony's and winning 11 as well as a Pulitzer prize and 7 Olivier awards too! A filmed version of the production was released on Disney + in 2020.
Six
A pop hit; this musical follows the lives of Henry the VIII's six wives. They each take centre stage to show who they truly are after living under their infamous husband's shadow. This all-female cast and band was a hit, first premiering at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017. Six is now a Tony-winning musical entertaining audiences in the West-End, on Broadway and beyond.
Allegiance
A true story based on George Takei's life. Taking place in America 1941-2001, Allegiance explores a family's journey during World War II and their experience in the Japanese internment camps. The family struggles with their opposing views of America when anti-Japanese sentiments sweep across the country after Pearl Harbour. The musical run on Broadway from October 2015 to February 2016 and came to London in January 2023.
Diana, The Musical
Based on the life of Princess Diana, at 19 she was engaged and introduced to the Royal Family and thrusted into the spotlight at a young age. Directed by Christopher Ashley and written by Joe DiPietro and David Bryan, the production opened on Broadway November 2021 but closed just over a month later, however it is still available to watch on Netflix.
Evita
The iconic and hard to believe story of Eva Perón was immortalised in the musical Evita. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Evita follows the life of Argentine political figure Eva Perón the wife of Juan Perón. Showing early life in which, she was raised in a poor family to her rise to power and ultimately her death in 1952. The musical started as a concept album in 1976 before opening in the West End in 1978 wining an Olivier Award for best musical, subsequently opening on Broadway a year later in 1979.
Newsies
Starting as a film Newsies is based on the Newsboys strike of 1899 which took place in New York. The protagonist Jack Kelly and his group of work friends take on different publishers fighting for equality and justice. The film was released 1992 with the Broadway adaptation premiering in 2012 and its London debut in 2022.
Come From Away
Although the events in the musical are fictionalised Come From Away inspired by the events that took place during the attacks of 9/11 when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly in the town of Gander in Newfoundland, Canada and how the town rallied together to help the stranded travellers. The hit musical opened on Broadway in 2017 and then opened in the West End in 2019 where it picked up four Olivier Awards. The Broadway production was filmed and can be streamed on Apple TV+.
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