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Life at The Little Theatre: Firm friendships formed in the Land Army

The latest news from Southport's Little Theatre

Georgina Highcock

InYourArea Community, Georgina Highcock

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Life at The Little Theatre: Firm friendships formed in the Land Army

HERE WE GO: The cast of Lilies on the Land in action

By Jennifer Corcoran and Andrew Sloman

Lilies on the Land opens with four women, going about their day to day lives. They are stopped in their tracks by an announcement on the wireless.  

The date is Sunday 24th January, 1965 and the new is that Winston Churchill has died. Our fearless four then find themselves recalling the famous “We shall fight on the beaches” speech and they reminisce about what led each of them to sign up to the Women’s Land Army.

Peggy (Lisa Tatler) was a cockney teenager, who was surprised to have to go to Oxford Street for her interview and face a barrage of questions – she did have experience of hop picking but not necessarily of livestock! She chose the Land Army because she was too squeamish for hospital work and her mother wouldn’t have her working for the NAAFI.

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LOOKING GREAT: Three cast members getting into character

Vera (Marilyn Fletcher Hill) was a college graduate working in a bank when she signed up, drawn in by the breeches, and not a bit perturbed by the opinions of her boss, or her stepmother who suggested her war efforts would make their lives harder and waste her education.

Margie (Jen Corcoran) was a young woman living and working in the North East of England who hoped to be stationed down South, growing fruit and vegetables and being hostel billeted to work alongside other women for the company. Alas, these hopes were dashed when she received her posting!

Poppy (Wendy Cox) reluctantly swapped her Veronica Lake hair do and fancy clothes for the Land Army uniform, determined to muck in rather than having Admirals and their wives pull the appropriate strings to secure her a place in the WRNS. As the play develops, we follow the women on their journeys as they learn to drive tractors, milk cows, make the most of sharing their space with mice and farm hands, and later interact with prisoners of war also put to work.

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Amongst the tears, toil and uncertainty there was also character development, courtship and firm friendships forged. Paul Wilkinson has directed the perfect blend of physical theatre, movement and music to bring this slice of history to life.

To book tickets, visit the Little Theatre Southport website - or call/visit our box office on 01704 530521/01704 530460. Our trained volunteers are happy to assist between 11am and 1pm, or from 6pm on show nights. For more information about Southport Dramatic Club, visit our website. For updates, competitions and more follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The Little Theatre is at Hoghton Street, Southport, Merseyside.

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