"Ladies and Gentleman, join our band of "Merry Roosters" as we take you on a Music Hall Extravaganza! And tonight, we present for you, the ever-popular War Games!"

 

This year will mark one hundred years since the beginning of World War I - The “war to end all wars”.

Over that time, the human race has failed to change radically enough to see anything near an end to the violence and catastrophe that war inevitably brings. Put simply, nothing has changed.

In light of this, Renegade Theatre, in association with The Trades Hall Literary Institute, are mounting a production of ‘Oh What a Lovely War’, the legendary anti-war musical play first created by Joan Littlewood and the Theatre Workshop in 1963.

The production will take place in The New Ballroom of the Trades Hall Building in Melbourne, a site of historic significance, where the anti-conscription movement assembled during World War I.

The company hopes to bring together members of the activist community with the theatre community to voice our ongoing disgust at our own and other imperialist governments responsible for the ongoing involvement of nations in wars such as the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions, as well as other conflicts around the world.

The show is one that is held close to the hearts of many around the left, including the director, Ben Fuller, who recreated the play with fellow students and staff while studying Musical Theatre at WAAPA in 1998. Ben had been looking for an opportunity to stage the show again since then. Trades Hall Building Caretaker and activist Jacob Grech, who had spoken to Ben numerous times over the past few years about the idea, arranged for the production to be endorsed by the Trades Hall Council as part of the 100th anniversary of this terrible event.

 

PERFORMANCE DATES

 

Thursday 24th July 7:30pm

Friday 25th July 7:30pm

Saturday 26th July 7:30pm

Sunday 27th July 2pm

Monday 28th July 7:30pm (100th anniversary WWI)

Friday 1st August 7:30pm

Saturday 2nd August 7:30pm

Sunday 3rd  August 2pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to learn more about Oh What a Lovely War.