Musical showcases wartime tunes

By Jeanne Beneteau, Northumberland NewsIt's deja vu for an upcoming stage production that packages romance, comedy and nostalgia with a host of musical classics that dominated the airwaves during World War II.
'The War Show,' penned by renowned Canadian playwright Peter Colley, played to sold-out houses at the Victoria Hall Concert Hall during its initial August, 2000, run, says MusicMakers President Michael Ellis. The musical, then a joint partnership with Northumberland Players, was - and still is - the single biggest money-maker in MusicMakers' 15-year history, says Mr. Ellis. The all-volunteer company, which has donated over $150,000 to various Northumberland County charities to date, has high hopes history will repeat itself when the curtain rises once again on the Second World War saga on Nov. 3 for a four-performance run. Proceeds from the musical are earmarked for YMCA Northumberland, he explains.
The musical chronicles the romantic and dramatic adventures of five 'crazy' guys who join the Canadian Army in 1939 and set sail for the United Kingdom for training, he says.
There's 'Sharky,' the savvy soldier played by Trinity College School Chaplain Don Aitcheson; 'Pops,' the oldtimer and veteran of the Great War, played by Bill Bates; 'Jean-Pierre,' the Quebecer, played by Courteney Ponting; and Doug Frith in the role of 'Dud,' a wet-behind-the-ears recruit who needs all the help he can get from his pals to stay out of the hair of 'Sarge,' played by Mr. Ellis. Female cast members include Gwen Darling, Clare Tickle, Beth Craig and Pat Tatlock, who come and go throughout the production, cast in roles of the widow, the mother, the barroom girl and a selection of other women who figure highly in the lives and loves of the five soldiers.
"They eventually lose one of their number at Dieppe, another in Sicily, the next in Italy and a fourth at D-Day. In the end, only Dusty (young Dusty is portrayed by Jamie Hunt) is left," he says. "Some 40 years later, Legionnaire Dusty (played by Len Hirst) finds himself at the cottage, reminiscing about his war year antics and his four fallen pals."
The musical is hilarious, notes Mr. Ellis, with jokes flying fast and furious; however, there are also poignant moments as, one by one, four of the fun-loving lads make the ultimate sacrifice.
"The play encompasses a full range of emotions... it brings the audience right up and then right back down," he says.
However, it is the lush choral arrangements, featuring 24 of the most popular songs of the war years that truly make 'The War Years' an entertaining and captivating walk down memory lane, he says. Musical offerings include selections such as 'I'll Be Seeing You,' 'White Cliffs of Dover,' 'We'll Meet Again,' 'A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,' 'Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag,' 'Der Fuehrer's Face,' and 'We're Gonna Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line,' just to mention a few, he adds.
'The War Show' debuted at London's Grand Theatre in 1975, the culmination of a year's research and interviews by the playwright where veterans, factory workers, housewives and war brides relayed stories of their war year experiences. Although Mr. Ellis was just a youngster during the Second World War, he says many individuals who lived through the era often comment, despite the hard times, sadness and tragedies, it was the best times of their lives.
"It was a time of camaraderie, where a feeling that 'we're in this together, damn it, we're going to do it,' prevailed," he says.
Since its inception in 1991, the MusicMakers have presented choral music of all kinds - from Renaissance, swing and classical, to light opera and Broadway - to as many people as possible in Northumberland County, says Mr. Ellis. All concerts are fundraising events, he notes.The War Show,' plays Cobourg's Victoria Hall Concert Hall on Nov. 3 and 4 at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees slated for Nov. 4 and 5. Theatre-style reserved seating tickets are $20 for evening performances, $18 for matinees, with a special matinee group rate of $16.50 each for 20 or more tickets. For tickets or additional information, contact the theatre box office at 905-372-2210 or 1-888-262-6874.