This musical was developed by Joan Littlewood and her Theatre Workshop in 1963, and is a satire on World War One.

The idea was brought to her by Gerry Raffles after he heard a BBC radio musical called The Long, Long Trail, written and produced by Charles Chiltern in memory of his father, which used facts and statistics juxtaposed with reminiscences and songs of the time as an ironic critique on the irony of war.

In Littlewood’s production she refused the use of full uniforms, so instead the cast performed in Pierrot costumes, to provide further ironic contrast to the military hats they wore.

Sardines Review

https://www.sardinesmagazine.co.uk/review/oh-what-a-lovely-war-2/