World War 1 Theatre

Rediscovering First World War plays for 21st century audiences.

Scope and context

The Staging World War I project aims to change our understanding of World War I.

It takes issue with the version of cultural history where it is poets like Rupert Brooke, Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Owen and Jessie Pope who are presented to school and university students as the key literary figures for understanding the conflict.

If theatre is cut out of the picture it is impossible to gain an accurate sense of World War I culture. 

The project uses live performances to re-introduce audiences to a missing dimension of life on the Home Front as our ancestors experienced it.

These are the plays, sketches and revues shown in theatres, variety theatres and music halls both in and outside of London.

What do we offer?

• Productions of newly-discovered First World War dramas - unseen since their original war-time productions
• GCSE World War I workshops for 'O' and 'A' level
• Public lectures for local historical societies and community groups 

Events

In June 2011 as part of the Remembering World War I symposium organised by the University of Hertfordshire Heritage Hub, we showcased two plays with Twisted Events Theatre Company:  

• Edmund Goulding God Save the King (1914)
• Berte Thomas For My Country (1917)

In July 2011 further staged readings were given at London’s Drill Hall:

• Frederick Londsdale, The Pacifist (1915)
• Sewell Collins, The Quitter (1917)

God Save the King

Future events

We are currently working on two new productions:

• John Brandon The Pacifist (1918) with Twisted Events Theatre Company
• Herbert Tremaine The Handmaidens of Death (1919)