Hush, Hush! – Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield

Writer/Lyricist: Lucie Raine

Director: Elvi Piper

Composer: Greg Last

It is surely down to astute planning, not coincidence, that the first night of Mikron Theatre’s second play of the season fell on the day after the 80th anniversary celebrations of VE Day. The play celebrated the work of Bletchley Park which Churchill estimated shortened the war by three years and ends up, triumphant, on the first VE Day.

Though performed in the traditional Mikron style, it is far more serious in tone than their forays into such things as ice cream, youth hostelling and fish and chips, though memory also serves up such gems as the Suffragettes and last year’s splendid Jennie Lee. For those who have never seen Mikron’s brilliantly quirky productions in their 53 years of existence, they consist of six months touring two specially commissioned plays, performed by four talented actor/musicians, with half a dozen original songs.

The unique feature is that the company tours within range of its Marsden base for a little while, then takes to the waterways of England in the narrowboat “Tyseley”, stopping off at canalside pubs, allotments, arts centres, village halls and the occasional theatre to put on one or another of their two productions. Celia Perkins, having spent 52 years at it, designs in typical Mikron style, a small easily assembled set and representative costumes for the many character changes.

Playing in a theatre, the set (a backboard with assorted props and pull-out bits) looked a little bit lost, but a sell-out audience of (apparently) largely Mikronites was quite capable of imagining it in a field or beer garden. Typically the cast each take one main part, workers in the same Bletchley hut, then expand into various parts: British, German and American. The four are well chosen. The Captain in charge (James McLean) and the honourable (“not Lady!”) flirt (Georgina Liley) represent the upper classes who appear not to take the whole thing seriously. Rob Took is the man obsessed to a ridiculous degree with security and Catherine Warnock the postmaster’s daughter who just wants to be a nurse.

Between them they can cover many of the causes of conflict among the Bletchley workers. All parts are played with a hint of caricature, but, as the play progresses, we learn details that add depth. The audience can hardly be expected to crack the Enigma code, so a sense of urgency and reactions of soldiers in action replace that. The slightly barmy recruitment programme emerges in setting a very difficult crossword in the Telegraph and inviting the successful contestants to Bletchley Park. Contacting Covent Garden because opera singers sing in Italian and German seems a cool idea!

The songs are an integral part of any Mikron production, Do Their Mothers Miss Them Too? making a particular impact: the tone of the production is patriotic, but finds sympathy for the ordinary German soldier. Greg Last’s melodies are endlessly appealing, though a touch repetitive, and the cast excel on trombone, accordion, guitar and ukulele. A special word for Catherine Warnock, not only outstanding on flute, clarinet and piccolo, but switching instruments so rapidly that at one time she has three around her neck.

Elvi Piper’s direction is brisk and smart, never poking fun at the wrong targets, but setting up some acute sound effects, cast members summoning up air raid sirens, rain, aircraft, etc., with their instruments or props – and the use of props to impersonate messages, etc., is charmingly ingenious.

Reviewed on 9th May 2025. Touring until October 2025.