Pack up your troubles with WWI musical tribute

Wellington Repertory Theatre
www.wellingtonrepertory.org.nz
Wellington

Pack up your troubles with WWI musical tribute

Wellington Repertory Theatre will be leading the way with Anzac commemorations in the capital in April with a musical tribute to the World War I era called Soldiers’ Songs.

In the month marking the centenary of the Gallipoli landings, the pathos and pageantry of World War I will be recreated with a poignant one-act play followed by a pub sing along featuring some of the most stirring and popular wartime songs.

Musical Director Sam Rorke has chosen more than 20 popular songs from the era such as “Oh! It’s a Lovely War,” “Pack Up Your Troubles” and Good-bye-ee” that will resound from the Newtown Community Cultural Centre from April 15 -18 - with performances including a Saturday matinee.

The musical tribute part of the show titled From the Trenches with Love, featuring 100 year-old letters sent by the soldiers to loved ones, will be preceded by the powerful one-act play Soldier’s Song, written by New Zealand playwright Campbell Smith about the unjust execution without trial of a soldier serving in the British infantry.

The play also includes excerpts from some of the most popular songs sung by soldiers in the trenches from 1914-1918.

The performances coincide with the start of a week of World War One tributes in Wellington including exhibitions and parades, all culminating in the official opening of Pukeahu National War Memorial Park.

Show director Rose Hudson says Soldiers’ Songs is an apt and extremely entertaining way to honour the memory of those who sacrificed so much in the Great War.

“This show will have the audience singing along and at times quietly weeping as we commemorate the war that would end all wars, The Great War.”

Soldiers’ Songs is being staged nightly at 7.30pm from Wednesday April 15 to Saturday April 18 at the Newtown Community and Cultural Centre, corner Rintoul and Colombo Sts, Newtown. There is also a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.

Tickets $20 waged, $15 unwaged and for groups of 10 or more, $10 children

bookings@wellingtonrepertory.org,nz or phone 04 479 3393

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