On the eve of the 70th anniversary of the start of the Second World War, and its own 30th, Oxfordshire Theatre Company revisits the wartime experience of young evacuees in this new play by Neil Duffield.
Many of the familiar elements are in place - the poverty-stricken London kid whisked off into a rural backwater, the clash of values and habits, and the bouts of homesickness that were so real to the thousands of British children who were displaced by the threat of bombs. The engaging twist in this tale lies in its use of dance as a way of escape.
Kathleen, played with great charm by Lauren Cocoracchio, has a head full of Fred and Ginger routines and MGM numbers, which burst out on to the stage periodically in full top hat, white tie and tails.
There is no band, and the actors have to sing their way through a cappella arrangements of the Irving Berlin standards. Their harmonies occasionally drift, but, by and large, this is a successful weaving of music and action.
A particularly winning sequence involves Kathleen and Monica (Lois Urwin) in a rendition of Cheek to Cheek, children on the verge of realising a talent they never knew they had. The play is full of such positive messages, although that is not to say that darkness is entirely pushed aside. Much of that comes from the British characters themselves, wrestling with xenophobia and religious intolerance. It is ideal for older children as well as their parents - it does not patronise, and everyone should learn something along the way.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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