Oh What a Lovely War, written by Joan Littlewood and beautifully directed by Robert Richmond, is one of those rare and wonderful evenings of theatre that is so exciting you almost have to see it to believe it.

And what's especially lovely is you can see it right now at Longstreet Theater, where theatre-in-the-round and the elevator stage are showcased to their best advantage.

Theatre South Carolina's second show in the 2007-08 season is a mega hit that will be hard to top. In fact, after Richmond's fabulous As You Like It last spring, I wondered if he could strike gold again. He has delivered platinum!

The large ensemble cast is well rehearsed and superbly choreographed by Cindy Flach, and, oh, those voices. They are marvelous. The show on the surface is a bawdy, burlesque musical review of World War 1, and as such, it is delightful.  But it is oh, so much more.

It tells the story of war, in general, and the Great War, in particular, from the everyday soldiers' point of view. The battling countries (England, France, Russia and Germany are represented in the early days of the war); out of touch military and politicians; profiteers; the tremendous costs in death and ruined lives; brief moments of humanity; and the endless waste are brought home to roost some 90 years later.  The more things change...and so the parable and the parallel continue.

Everyone involved with this production should feel extremely proud. Musical directors Beth Meers and Jeanine Marsh deserve special credit for an excellent job and for not going over the voices. Flach and movement coach Sarah Barker manage the large cast amazingly well, and vocal coach Erica Tobolski did a good job with spoken German and French, as well as English accents.

Scenic, lighting, and costume design, by Carl Hamilton, Robert Eubanks, and Corinne Robinson, respectively, were all noteworthy. The only minor problem was some muffled lines with the wireless mikes, but this was not severe enough to affect the show, and the cast is outstanding. And once again, Richmond is sensational.

Don't lose the "War." Anyone interested in theatre or just a great evening of entertainment shouldn't miss this one! Oh What a Lovely War is playing at Longstreet Theatre through Nov. 18; call 7-2551 for reservations--today, because this should be a sellout.

11/07