Privates on Parade

Synopsis

Malaya 1948 and the British Army is fighting communism. One of its secret weapons is the bawdy humour and musical revue of the Song and Dance Unit South East Asia - better known as SADUSEA. Join Captain Terri Dennis as he attempts to create a sparkling show, despite being landed with a bunch of wet behind the ears recruits who can’t tell a tap step from a tea cup. Under the increasingly deranged eye of a Sergeant Major convinced that Christianity can overcome Communism, can new boy Steven Flowers keep his nerve, and lose his virginity, before the final curtain? Based on playwright Nichols’ own experiences entertaining the troops during his national service with Kenneth Williams and Stanley Baxter, Privates On Parade is a portrait of a forgotten struggle and an affectionate musical tribute to the British Army entertainment corps. Expect strong language, song, dance and comedy.

Our Review:

22 September 2008

In this West Yorkshire Playhouse/Birmingham Repertory Theatre production Privates on Parade, now just over 30 years old, proves as entertaining and relevant as ever. Peter Nichols’ wit and acute observation obviously have much to do with this, but there are other reasons, too. In 1977 the action was already deliberately dated, even nostalgic, and Sarah Travis’ inventive musical direction, using versatile actor/instrumentalists, brings extra freshness to this production.

Privates on Parade is set in Malaya during the 1948 emergency. S.A.D.U.S.E.A. (the Song and Dance Unit, South East Asia) brings a new meaning to army camp and much of the fun derives from young Private Steven Flowers’ attempts to understand the group dynamic and from the unit’s performances of pastiches of Carmen Miranda, Marlene Dietrich and so on. More serious themes of romance, rites of passage, gun-running, corruption and terrorist attacks are seamlessly integ...

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