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We’ll Meet Again - Hits from the Blitz

Published Thursday 25 March 2010 at 17:45 by Thom Dibdin

Respect where it is due is consistently the name of the game in this light entertainment trip down memory lane, featuring songs and music hall routines of the Second World War years. And respect is what the five vocal performers give - both to an audience who are mostly old enough to remember the hits the first time around, and to allow the hits to speak for themselves.

Which is what makes Hits from the Blitz the success it undoubtedly is. There’s no complacent trotting out of the old material. Although the opening Army, Navy and Air Force Medley has all the cliches you might expect - from sirens and Chamberlain’s declaration of war to the uniforms and projected flags of the Union - there is a strength about its delivery.

From then on in the performers seek to own the material. Steve Barclay’s stand-up comedy routines might hint at what has become the modern pantomime dame, but he delivers them as if he thought them up on the way to the theatre, specially for that afternoon’s audience.

Andy Eastwood’s Formby Melody has the energy you would expect of a Ukulele spot - together with the gritted teeth and sparkling eyes. While Mervyn Francis comperes it all with real charm.

It isn’t completely fantastic. Lucia Matisse is over-fond of treating the audience like a pantomime crowd, who need constant over-enthusiastic remonstrations to sing-up. And in the big-throated numbers she strains somewhat. But when it demands a more intimate moment or articulation and story-telling, she is right on the button.

Production information

Management:
Duggie Chapman Associates
Cast:
2010: Andy Eastwood, Steve Barclay, Lucia Matisse, Mervyn Francis, Tony Layton, The Martyn St James Band
Director:
Duggie Chapman
Musical direction:
Martyn St James

Production information can change over the run of the show.

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Run sheet

Woodville Halls Gravesend
April 28 2004
Concert Hall Stevenage
April 29 2004
City Hall Hull
May 4 2004
Mechanics Burnley
May 5 2004
Harlequin Redhill
May 11 2004
Hazlitt Arts Centre Maidstone
May 12 2004
Lyceum Crewe
May 13 2004
Playhouse Whitley Bay
May 19 2004
Parc and Dare Treorchy
May 22 2004
Town Hall Cheltenham
June 2 2004
Assembly Rooms Tamworth
June 3 2004
Royal and Derngate, Derngate Northampton
June 5 2004
Pavilion Rhyl
June 6 2004
Customs House South Shields
June 7 2004
Playhouse Harlow
June 8 2004
Roses Tewkesbury
June 9 2004
Pavilion Bournemouth
June 10 2004
Perth Theatre Perth
June 12 2004
Maltings Berwick-upon-Tweed
June 13 2004
Royal Spa Centre Leamington Spa
June 14 2004
Dorking Halls Dorking
June 16 2004
Central Chatham
June 17 2004
Pavilion Worthing
June 18 2004
Princes Clacton-on-Sea
June 19 2004
Embassy Skegness
June 21, 28 2004
Prince of Wales Cannock
June 30 2004
Empire Consett
July 1- 2 2004
Embassy Skegness
July 5, 12 2004
Princess Torquay
July 15 2004
Embassy Skegness
July 19, September 6, 13, 20 2004
Gaiety Ayr
April 2 2005
Town Hall (FTH) Falkirk
April 5 2005
Music Hall Aberdeen
April 6 2005
Carnegie Hall Dunfermline
April 7 2005
Barrfields Theatre Vikingar Largs
April 9 2005
Whitehall Dundee
April 12 2005
Albert Halls Stirling
April 13 2005
City Varieties Leeds
April 14 2005
Mechanics Burnley
April 17 2005
City Hall Hull
April 18 2005
Prince of Wales Cannock
April 19 2005
Palace Newark
April 20 2005
Music Hall Shrewsbury
April 21 2005
Winding Wheel Chesterfield
April 22 2005
Millfield Arts Centre London
April 23 2005
St David's Hall Cardiff
April 25 2005
Alban Arena St Albans
April 26 2005
Queen's Barnstaple
April 28 2005
Parc and Dare Treorchy
April 29 2005
Spa Bridlington
April 30 2005
Grand Opera House York
May 8 2005
Hexagon Reading
May 8 2005
Theatre Royal Lincoln
May 9-10 2005
Customs House South Shields
May 11 2005
Albert Halls Bolton
May 13 2005
Venue Cymru Llandudno
May 15 2005
Civic Hall Grays
May 17 2005
City Hall Salisbury
May 18 2005
Civic Hall Grays
May 19 2005
Dorking Halls Dorking
May 20 2005
Palace Paignton
May 21 2005
Theatr Brycheiniog Brecon
May 23 2005
Congress Eastbourne
May 24 2005
Swan High Wycombe
May 25 2005
Playhouse Harlow
May 26 2005
Wyllyotts Potters Bar
May 27 2005
Pavilion Rhyl
May 29, 30 2005
Opera House Jersey
June 1- 4 2005
Woodville Halls Gravesend
June 6 2005
Guildhall Portsmouth
June 7 2005
Roses Tewkesbury
June 8 2005
Civic Hall Bedworth
June 10 2005
Marina Lowestoft
June 11 2005
Floral Pavilion New Brighton
June 12 2005
Forum Billingham
June 13 2005
Playhouse Whitley Bay
June 14 2005
Central Chatham
June 15 2005
Camberley Theatre Camberley
June 16 2005
White Rock Hastings
June 17 2005
Princes Clacton-on-Sea
June 18 2005
Hall for Cornwall Truro
June 19 2005
Athena Leicester
June 21 2005
Gordon Craig Stevenage
June 23 2005
Villa Marina Douglas, Isle of Man
June 25 2005
Palace Southend-on-Sea
June 28 2005
Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone
June 29 2005
Hazlitt Arts Centre Maidstone
June 30 2005
Theatre Royal Nottingham
July 1 2005
Forum Billingham
September 7 2005
Landmark Ilfracombe
September 14 2005
Brentwood Theatre Brentwood
November 13 2005
Town Hall Paisley
March 27 2006
Hexagon Reading
April 9 2006
City Hall Salisbury
April 10 2006
Roses Tewkesbury
April 11 2006
Camberley Theatre Camberley
April 13 2006
Pavilion Rhyl
April 17 2006
De Montfort Hall Leicester
April 19 2006
Leatherhead Theatre Leatherhead
April 24 2006
Venue Cymru Llandudno
May 11 2006
Customs House South Shields
May 18 2006
Playhouse Weston Super Mare
May 21 2006
Millfield Arts Centre London
May 22 2006
Wyllyotts Potters Bar
May 24 2006
Cresset Peterborough
May 30 2006
Theatre Royal Nottingham
May 31 2006
Thameside Grays
June 1 2006
Dorking Halls Dorking
June 2 2006
Marina Lowestoft
June 3 2006
Cliffs Pavilion Southend-on-Sea
June 4 2006
Guildhall Portsmouth
June 5 2006
Civic Hall Bedworth
June 6 2006
Oakengates Telford
June 7 2006
St George's Concert Hall Bradford
June 8 2006
Marlowe Canterbury
June 11 2006
Music Hall Shrewsbury
June 12 2006
Palace Newark
June 14 2006
Prince of Wales Cannock
June 15 2006
Floral Pavilion New Brighton
June 18 2006
Playhouse Whitley Bay
June 19 2006
Orchard Dartford
June 20 2006
Broadway London
June 21 2006
Hazlitt Arts Centre Maidstone
June 22 2006
Pavilion Cromer
June 25 2006
Everyman Cheltenham
June 27 2006
Lowry Salford
June 28 2006
Swan High Wycombe
June 29 2006
Winter Gardens Margate
June 30 2006
Landmark Ilfracombe
September 13 2006
Lowther Pavilion Lytham St Annes
March 23 2007
King's Edinburgh
March 25 2007
Albert Halls Stirling
March 27 2007
Whitehall Dundee
March 28 2007
Pavilion Glasgow
March 29 2007
Music Hall Aberdeen
March 30 2007
Gaiety Ayr
March 31 2007
De Montfort Hall Leicester
April 2 2007
Winter Garden Eastbourne
April 3 2007
Theatre Royal St Helens
April 5 2007
Pavilion Rhyl
April 6 2007
Civic Chelmsford
April 8 2007
Artrix Bromsgrove
April 10 2007
Hexagon Reading
April 11 2007
Camberley Theatre Camberley
April 12 2007
Lyceum Crewe
April 13 2007
Princess Hunstanton
April 15 2007
Parkway Cleethorpes
April 16 2007
Municipal Hall Colne
April 17 2007
Pavilion Worthing
April 18 2007
Dorking Halls Dorking
April 19 2007
Broadway Barking
April 20 2007
Theatr Brycheiniog Brecon
April 24 2007
Coliseum Aberdare
April 25 2007
Woodville Halls Gravesend
April 26 2007
Gordon Craig Stevenage
April 27 2007
Millfield Arts Centre London
April 30 2007
Forum 28 Barrow-In-Furness
May 1 2007
Charter Preston
May 2 2007
City Hall Hull
May 3 2007
Garrick Lichfield
May 8 2007
Music Hall Shrewsbury
May 9 2007
Albert Halls Bolton
May 10 2007
City Hall Newcastle-upon-Tyne
May 11 2007
Towngate Basildon
May 14 2007
Central Chatham
May 16 2007
Playhouse Harlow
May 17 2007
Civic Hall Grays
May 18 2007
Playhouse Weston Super Mare
May 20 2007
Winding Wheel Chesterfield
May 22 2007
Assembly Rooms Derby
May 24 2007
Harlequin Redhill
May 28 2007
Beck Hayes
May 31 2007
Cliffs Pavilion Southend-on-Sea
June 3 2007
Orchard Dartford
June 5 2007
Civic Hall Bedworth
June 6 2007
Grand Opera House York
June 6 2007
Swan High Wycombe
June 7 2007
Pacific Road Arts and Exhibition Centre Birkenhead
June 8 2007
Plaza Stockport
June 10 2007
Guildhall Portsmouth
June 11 2007
Everyman Cheltenham
June 12 2007
Palace Newark
June 13 2007
Hazlitt Arts Centre Maidstone
June 14 2007
Roses Tewkesbury
June 18 2007
Theatre Royal Nottingham
June 19 2007
Broadway London
June 20 2007
Customs House South Shields
June 21 2007
Memorial Hall Northwich
June 22 2007
Marina Lowestoft
June 24 2007
Spa Pavilion Felixstowe
June 25 2007
Embassy Skegness
June 26 2007
Palace Mansfield
June 27 2007
Prince of Wales Cannock
June 28 2007
Winter Gardens Margate
June 29 2007
Pavilion Cromer
July 1 2007
Fairfield Halls, Ashcroft Croydon
July 11 2007
Hertford Theatre (formerly Castle Hall) Hertford
July 12 2007
Venue Cymru Llandudno
August 31 2007
Forum Billingham
October 24 2007
Theatre Royal Lincoln
November 21-22 2007
Lowther Pavilion Lytham St Annes
March 9 2008
Mechanics Burnley
March 11 2008
Carnegie Hall Dunfermline
March 12 2008
Sands Centre Carlisle
March 13 2008
Gaiety Ayr
March 15 2008
Queen's Hall Edinburgh
March 18 2008
Music Hall Aberdeen
March 20 2008
Theatre Royal St Helens
March 26 2008
Artrix Bromsgrove
March 31 2008
Winding Wheel Chesterfield
April 1 2008
Winter Garden Eastbourne
April 2 2008
Pavilion Worthing
April 3 2008
Broadway Barking
April 4 2008
Millfield Arts Centre London
April 7 2008
Towngate Basildon
April 8 2008
Town Hall Birmingham
April 9 2008
Hexagon Reading
April 10 2008
Buccleuch Centre Langholm
April 13 2008
City Hall Hull
April 14 2008
De Montfort Hall Leicester
April 15 2008
Pier Pavilion South Shields
April 16 2008
Theatre Royal Margate
April 17 2008
Gordon Craig Stevenage
April 18 2008
Royal and Derngate, Royal Northampton
April 20 2008
Spa Pavilion Felixstowe
April 21 2008
Fairfield Halls, Ashcroft Croydon
April 23 2008
Woodville Halls Gravesend
April 24 2008
Lyceum Crewe
April 25 2008
Music Hall Shrewsbury
April 29 2008
Queen's Barnstaple
April 30 2008
Town Hall Loughborough
May 1 2008
Prince of Wales Cannock
May 6 2008
Albert Halls Bolton
May 7 2008
Civic Chelmsford
May 8 2008
Corn Exchange Exeter
May 11 2008
Theatre Royal Nottingham
May 12 2008
Alban Arena St Albans
May 13 2008
Grove Dunstable
May 14 2008
Playhouse Harlow
May 15 2008
Civic Rotherham
May 19 2008
Garrick Lichfield
May 20 2008
Concert Hall Dudley
May 21 2008
Central Chatham
May 22 2008
Marina Lowestoft
May 25 2008
Broadway Peterborough
May 26 2008
Wyvern Swindon
May 27 2008
Assembly Rooms Derby
May 29 2008
Dorking Halls Dorking
May 30 2008
Cliffs Pavilion Southend-on-Sea
June 1 2008
Beck Hayes
June 2 2008
Orchard Dartford
June 3 2008
Camberley Theatre Camberley
June 4, 4 2008
Hazlitt Arts Centre Maidstone
June 5 2008
Civic Chelmsford
June 6 2008
Playhouse Weston Super Mare
June 8 2008
White Rock Hastings
June 9 2008
Ferneham Hall Fareham
June 11 2008
Palace Newark
June 12 2008
Pavilion Rhyl
June 13 2008
Charter Preston
June 15 2008
Theatre Royal Norwich
June 16 2008
Plaza Stockport
June 17 2008
Civic Hall Bedworth
June 18 2008
City Hall Newcastle-upon-Tyne
June 22 2008
Guildhall Arts Centre Grantham
June 23 2008
Oakengates Telford
June 24 2008
Palace Mansfield
June 25 2008
Assembly Rooms Tamworth
June 26 2008
Everyman Cheltenham
June 27 2008
Embassy Skegness
July 2 2008
Customs House South Shields
July 16 2008
Guildhall Southampton
August 20 2008
Pavilion Glasgow
March 10 2009
Buccleuch Centre Langholm
March 11 2009
Brunton Musselburgh
March 12 2009
Arts Centre Aberdeen
March 13 2009
Theatre Royal Dumfries
March 15 2009
Webster Arbroath
March 16 2009
Carnegie Hall Dunfermline
March 19 2009
Blackfriars Arts Centre Boston
March 20 2009
De Montfort Hall Leicester
March 23 2009
Pyramid and Parr Hall Warrington
March 24 2009
Royal and Derngate, Derngate Northampton
March 25 2009
Phoenix Blyth
March 30 2009
Grand Lancaster
March 31 2009
Winter Garden Eastbourne
April 1 2009
Pavilion Worthing
April 2 2009
Swan High Wycombe
April 3 2009
Town Hall Birmingham
April 6 2009
Grand Wolverhampton
April 7- 9 2009
Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone
April 14 2009
Pavilion Bath
April 15 2009
Theatre Royal Margate
April 16 2009
Wyvern Swindon
April 20 2009
New Hull
April 21 2009
Public Halls Harpenden
April 22 2009
Theatre Royal Nottingham
April 23 2009
Lyceum Crewe
April 24 2009
Pavilion Cromer
April 27 2009
Spa Pavilion Felixstowe
April 28 2009
Severn Shrewsbury
April 29 2009
Town Hall Loughborough
April 30 2009
Playhouse Weston Super Mare
May 3 2009
Gordon Craig Stevenage
May 5 2009
Towngate Basildon
May 6 2009
Princess Torquay
May 11 2009
Regent Centre Christchurch
May 12 2009
Pier Bournemouth
May 13 2009
Kenton Henley-on-Thames
May 14 2009
White Rock Hastings
May 15 2009
King's Portsmouth
May 18 2009
Beck Hayes
May 19 2009
Grove Dunstable
May 22 2009
Garrick Lichfield
May 26 2009
Albert Halls Bolton
May 28 2009
Theatre Royal Norwich
June 1 2009
Floral Pavilion New Brighton
June 2 2009
Southport Theatre Southport
June 3 2009
Forum Billingham
June 4 2009
Palace Southend-on-Sea
June 8 2009
Ferneham Hall Fareham
June 17 2009
Empire Consett
June 19-20 2009
Orchard Dartford
June 30 2009
Town Hall Birmingham
March 1 2010
Garrick Lichfield
March 2 2010
Buccleuch Centre Langholm
March 3 2010
Coronation Hall Ulverston
March 4 2010
Venue Cymru Llandudno
March 5 2010
Pyramid and Parr Hall Warrington
March 8 2010
Webster Arbroath
March 9 2010
Carnegie Hall Dunfermline
March 10 2010
Pavilion Glasgow
March 11 2010
DG One Leisure Complex Dumfries
March 12 2010
Princes Hall Aldershot
March 15 2010
Elgiva Chesham
March 16 2010
Coliseum Aberdare
March 17 2010
Spa Pavilion Felixstowe
March 18 2010
Lowther Pavilion Lytham St Annes
March 21 2010
Perth Theatre Perth
March 23 2010
Albert Halls Stirling
March 24 2010
Brunton Musselburgh
March 25 2010
Palace Kilmarnock
March 26 2010
Phoenix Blyth
March 29 2010
Royal and Derngate, Derngate Northampton
April 7 2010
Royal and Derngate, Royal Northampton
April 7 2010
Theatre Royal Nottingham
April 8 2010
City Hall Hull
April 13 2010
De Montfort Hall Leicester
April 14 2010
Winter Garden Eastbourne
April 15 2010
Lyceum Crewe
April 16 2010
King's Edinburgh
April 18 2010
Prince of Wales Cannock
April 19 2010
Gordon Craig Stevenage
April 20 2010
Everyman Cheltenham
April 21, 21 2010
Wyvern Swindon
April 22 2010
Pavilion Bournemouth
April 23 2010
White Rock Hastings
April 26 2010
Majestic Retford
April 27 2010
Severn Shrewsbury
April 28 2010
Grand Wolverhampton
April 29-30 2010
Hazlitt Arts Centre Maidstone
May 4 2010
Gatehouse Stafford
May 5 2010
Customs House South Shields
May 6 2010
Platform Morecambe
May 7 2010
Theatre Royal Margate
May 8 2010
Princess Hunstanton
May 9 2010
Regent Centre Christchurch
May 11 2010
Queen's Barnstaple
May 12 2010
Kenton Henley-on-Thames
May 13 2010
Pavilion Cromer
May 14 2010
Playhouse Weston Super Mare
May 16 2010
Octagon Yeovil
May 17 2010
Grove Dunstable
May 18 2010
Palace Redditch
May 19 2010
Central Chatham
May 20 2010
King's Portsmouth
May 24 2010
Pavilion Worthing
May 25 2010
Broadway London
May 26 2010
Wyllyotts Potters Bar
May 27 2010
Civic Chelmsford
May 29 2010
Theatre Royal Norwich
May 30 2010
Orchard Dartford
June 4 2010
Royal Spa Centre Leamington Spa
June 6 2010
Floral Pavilion New Brighton
June 8 2010
Albert Halls Bolton
June 9 2010
Civic Rotherham
June 10 2010
Swan High Wycombe
June 11 2010
City Hall Newcastle-upon-Tyne
June 13 2010
Grand Swansea
June 15 2010
Assembly Rooms Derby
June 16 2010
Ferneham Hall Fareham
June 17 2010
Theatre Royal Lincoln
June 21 2010
Embassy Skegness
June 23 2010
Gunton Hall Lowestoft
June 26 2010
Town Hall Loughborough
June 30 2010
King's Edinburgh
March 6 2011
Brunton Musselburgh
March 14 2011
Gracie Fields Rochdale
March 20 2011
Playhouse Whitley Bay
March 22 2011
Pyramid and Parr Hall Warrington
March 25 2011
Garrick Lichfield
March 29 2011
Sands Centre Carlisle
April 3 2011
Royal and Derngate, Derngate Northampton
April 13 2011
Everyman Cheltenham
April 20 2011
Grove Dunstable
May 4 2011
Ferneham Hall Fareham
May 10 2011
Alban Arena St Albans
May 17 2011
Landmark Ilfracombe
May 23 2011
Pavilion Worthing
May 25 2011
Woodville Halls Gravesend
May 26 2011
Albert Halls Bolton
June 2 2011
Sands Centre Carlisle
June 5 2011
New Hull
June 21 2011
Princes Clacton-on-Sea
June 28 2011
Forum Billingham
September 13 2011
Congress Eastbourne
October 2 2011
Forum Billingham
March 25
Garrick Lichfield
March 27
City Varieties Leeds
May 2
Royal and Derngate, Derngate Northampton
May 6
Core at Corby Cube Corby
May 11
Cliffs Pavilion Southend-on-Sea
May 14
Pavilion Cromer
May 16
Wyvern Swindon
May 29
Assembly Rooms Derby
June 20
Plaza Stockport
June 21
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