Birmingham Hippodrome is to stage the premiere of The Chocolate Soldiers inspired by the experiences of young soldiers from Birmingham during World War I.
Presented in promenade, The Chocolate Soldiers will take audiences on a journey that explores how the war might have been experienced by lads from Birmingham.
Audiences will move through the Hippodrome foyer to different spaces and places including the car park on Thorp Street, the site of the Drill Hall used by young recruits of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment before they left for the trenches.
Performed by a cast of 20 young men of similar ages to the recruits of 100 years ago, The Chocolate Soldiers aims to “respectfully shine a small light on all those sons, brothers, uncles, fathers, lovers, workmates and friends across Europe who fought in WWI”.
The Hippodrome has worked with Birmingham company Women and Theatre as well as the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum (Royal Warwickshire) on the project.
The Chocolate Soldiers has brought together young men from Elmhurst School of Dance, Moseley School, Queensbridge School and the local community.
The title is taken from a poem written by a Birmingham soldier which appeared in the Birmingham Post in 1916.
Janice Connolly, artistic director of Women and Theatre, said, “It’s been a great privilege to work with a young, energetic cast as full of life, ambition, ideas and love as their counterparts in 1914.”
Liz Leck, creative learning manager for the Hippodrome, said, “Janice Connolly has been an incredible inspiration for the students, so I really hope people will come and join us for what will be a special event.”
The Chocolate Soldiers will be performed at 2 and 4PM on Sunday 30 March. Tickets, which cost £5, are available from the box office on 0844 338 5000 or at the Birmingham Hippodrome web site.
There will also be an exhibition of the project at the RRF museum in Warwick in April and a digital archive will be produced.