Oh What A Lovely War London Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (8)
See it if want an intimate staging of a rarely produced musical.
Don't see it if You want something totally coherent, all very disjointed
See it if you want to see a satirical (and sadly still very relevant) show about the senselessness of wars.
Don't see it if you're after a fluffy, light evening at the theatre.
See it if you like to be entertained
Don't see it if you don't like ensemble pieces
See it if You agree that war is futile
Don't see it if You like a linear plot
See it if You want to see a very clever take on a classic show
Don't see it if .
See it if If you enjoy more intimate staging, amazing actor musician performances and a darkly comedic and very british take on WW1 satire.
Don't see it if You don't enjoy some audience engagement and participation or if you don't enjoy tongue and cheek comedy or satirical comedy on dark topics. Read more
See it if You want to see a vintage, brilliantly clever WW1 musical performed slickly and effectively with its rawness still relevant
Don't see it if You want a mindless frothy show. This one from 1963 packs a punch about the absurdity of the Great War.
See it if you enjoy a satirical take on WW1 played out by a talented cast of multi instrumentalists
Don't see it if you want a 100% feel good show. Also don't see if you haven't a clue about the history of WW1 as it may be confusing however well depicted
Critic Reviews (6)
“While some of the humour feels outdated and the pacing loses steam in act two as it struggles to connect scenes that often outstay their welcome, they’re still worth sitting through for its emotionally powerful ending.”
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“This grim counterpoint grounds the production, ensuring that even during the lighter skits we never forget the staggering human cost of the war.”
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“Nobody with an interest in how theatremakers make theatre in the 21st century should miss this show. Perhaps others should accept that it has its ups and downs and enjoy the best of it. And we should all reflect on the grim casualty counts, displayed to audible gasps around me, as a contextualising backdrop for many scenes.”
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“...this anniversary production of ‘Oh What a Lovely War’ proves that the satire is as smart and sharp as it's ever been, even when the change in sensibilities and approaches to crafting a comedic musical become more noticeable.”
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“It’s frenetic, and it’s hard to follow some of the politicking in the second act at points despite the production’s great efforts in clarifying movement and array of accents, but the production’s never boring for a moment. Choosing earnestness over cynicism in its bearing every time, it plays things breathlessly, and alarmingly straight.”
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“ ‘Oh What a Lovely War’ presents a strong message about the futility of war. It is an entertaining, satirical musical that’s as comically funny as it is devastating.”
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