Oh, What a Lovely War! is an epic musical that Joan Littlewood and her Theatre Workshop created in 1963. It is based on The Donkeys by military historian (and future Conservative politician) Alan Clark, with some scenes adapted from The Good Soldier Švejk by Czech humorist Jaroslav Hašek; it was also inspired by Charles Chilton’s BBC 1961-1962 documentary radio ballad The Long Trail. It is a satire on World War I (and by extension against war in general). The title is derived from the music hall song “Oh! It’s a Lovely War,” which is one of the major numbers in the production.

I had the great pleasure of photographing the dress rehearsal of The Pirton Players version in March 2010. I also attended the Friday night performance and there was a fantastic sense of community amongst the eclectic cast. A most memorable evening.

© Rupert Hennen of Getting The Picture 2011. All Rights Reserved.