Military Wives The Musical at York Theatre Royal – review

This version of Military Wives has had a long journey to reach the York Theatre Royal stage: Debbie Isitt has drawn on Gareth Malone’s documentary series and the 2019 film to create her own stage version. Is it worth it? Certainly: the cast establish their characters vividly, effortlessly switching singing styles, and the near-final scene at the Royal Albert Hall is beautifully judged and a guaranteed tear-jerker.

However, there are the odd doubts. Despite the combined resources of York, Cheltenham Everyman Theatre and Buxton Opera House, there is a sense that this could have done with more money being thrown at it. Accompaniment is by keyboard (ingenious use of underscoring and sympathetic throughout, but it definitely cuts down the impact of climaxes) and the set is made up of what appear to be cardboard boxes cleverly employed, though there is a staircase. Katie Lias’ costumes, on the other hand, are lavish and well chosen – some smart changes, too.

Perhaps the biggest problem is the shortage of soldiers. The opening chorus depicts individual soldiers emerging from the line going to Afghanistan to say their goodbyes, but this is something of an illusion. In fact, the cast is limited to twelve: seven choir members, their leader (from outside the army), the camp welfare officer and three soldiers. The choir leader has to double up as a female soldier, a storyline left undeveloped.

Despite this, Isitt has produced a workmanlike script which plays on sentiments of patriotism without ramming them down the audience’s throat. In fact, the message that emerges most strongly is the need for togetherness: in the final fun medley, “We Are Family” predominates – and the play is above all about how people, who seldom spoke to each other, become each other’s support system.

Initially, the colonel’s wife Susannah (Caroline Sheen) has the idea of forming a choir, but somehow Olive (Bobbie Little) seems to have a similar plan. Susannah has asked Dave the Welfare Officer (Stewart Wright) to find an assistant, but the arrival of Olive produces comic confrontations. These three are all excellent (Wright being probably the only character to remain comic all night), as are the choir members: the heavily pregnant, the confused mother of (is it?) four, the foul-mouthed hater of choirs, etc. As director, Isitt’s policy of encouraging actors to “own” their characters bears fruit splendidly here.

In act one, all the difficulties are speedily resolved and the choir goes on tour. Act two focuses more on individual problems, with a tragedy in Afghanistan revealing the togetherness of the choir (and briefly placing Olive as the outsider) and an unlikely personal revelation providing an unnecessary intrusion. Then, the last 20 minutes or so are at the Royal Albert Hall and nothing can obscure the message.

Military Wives cleverly breaks up songs for snatches of dialogue, segues from one to another, and reintroduces them again and again – arranger George Dyer, one suspects, has been busy. There is so much to enjoy and respect here, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark.