THEATRE 
REVIEWS
Blonde Bombshells of 1943
West Yorkshire Playhouse
Leeds
ENGLAND
A bobby dazzler
This was how war torn Britain came to life to sparkle and glitter. Mix with this nostalgia and you get a brilliant night at the theatre. That's what the audience of the West Yorkshire Playhouse experienced when they went to see “Blonde Bombshells of 1943”. The writing of Alan Plater encapsulated the time and drew everyone present into the nostalgia.
Set in the north of England, a girl’s dance band, reminiscent of Ivy Benson’s, met to engage new members amid designer Michael Vale’s set, a ring of rubble overlooked by two members of the band grown old in today’s world. The glitter was supplied, amid the desolation, by lighting designer Nick Richings who highlighted how the population enjoyed themselves when the opportunity arose. Costume designer Stephen Snell caught the mood of the time and supplied the look of what could be made on clothing coupons if glamour were needed. Add a little of the make-up of the time and you get the complete look. All this is played against a background of authentic music brought to life by musical director Howard Gay assisted by Ruth Alexander.
Blonde Bombshells of 1943
The plot is simple and is why everything works so well. The band needed to recruit new members in order to fulfil its engagements, which included a radio broadcast from Hull. The people who turn up for the audition are a mix that could only be found in a playwright’s mind. The mix works marvellously, with a young school girl, a nun, yes a nun, a woman soldier and a man. All these actors have to be able to play a musical instrument well enough to convince and they do it with outstanding professionalism, with a trumpet player who could hold her own in any modern top flight dance band — we still have them you know. More of the plot; well the nostalgia is supplied by two members looking back as the band performs, with them entwined in some of the musical numbers. Simple really, but the direction by Roxana Silbert makes it work with the superb script that she has to work from.
Singers sing
Now what of those people bringing this all to life. The leader of the band is Betty, on sax and drums, played by Elizabeth March, next we have Scottish piano player May (Ruth Alexander), double base player Grace (Barbara Hockaday), Vera who plays the trumpet superbly, played by Sarah Groarke. Arriving on the scene next are the young girl Liz who plays the clarinet, sax and sings, the army girl Miranda with the high class accent, who plays the sax and sings (Victoria Moseley), then the nun Lily arrives, who plays ukeleli, modern electric guitar and sings, played by Claire Storey and last is army service evader Pat, who plays drums and sings (Ralph Gassman). All these are overseen by narrator Liz, now grey haired and called Elizabeth, played by Dilys Laye, who still sings, and Pat, now Patrick, with white hair, is played by John Woodvine, who sings in a pleasant baritone. A list of talented people who give their all to give enjoyment to the audience. The intrigues of the plot are left for you to find out.
This was a great evening at the theatre and was shown by the prolonged applause from the audience who wanted more of this quality nostalgia. Do not miss this show even if you have to go to London to see it. Someone in the capital must be trying to book a theatre so that those unfortunate enough to miss the Northern delights may experience them. Enjoy. © BA
“Blonde Bombshells of 1943” is in Leeds on the 24th April, 2004 to the 22th May, 2004.
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