Cheshire based singing trio The Harmonettes are back in action with a fresh new show called Dorothy’s War.

And action is what Janys Chambers’ new play is all about - although it has all happened offstage on the battlefields of the First World War.

Inspired by the memoir Sapper Dorothy, the show focuses on a 1919 village Pageant for Peace, led by the enthusiastic lady of the manor Esme Walter (Georgina Locke).

Less keen on the idea is schoolteacher Annie Miller (Jessica Samuel) whose beau Joe is missing in action.

An unexpected visitor turns up in the form of journalist Dorothy Lawrence (Keddy Sutton), who, disguised as a soldier, saw action on the Western Front and forged an unlikely and unlucky relationship with the young Joe.

Suspicious at first, Miss Miller is distraught that her sweetheart is writing to another woman but all comes clear as Dorothy declares her only ambition was to prove how a woman could report on war as well as any man.

With a backdrop of conflict, this show was never going to be the uplifting, swinging, light hearted stuff we saw in their previous show The Harmonettes Go Into Orbit, and I must confess to missing it. The trio works best as just that, but Dorothy’s War lent itself more to solo work and duets which were beautifully sung (but not in three parts!).

Keddy is a newcomer to the trio but is well known in Scouse comedy circles as one half of Caz ‘n’ Britney, who saw success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year.

A consummate comedy actress, the role of the gauche Dorothy didn’t really give her much scope for laughs, although her bike riding antics might help land a role in the next series of Call the Midwife.

But forgive me - this is no tragedy. There are laughs galore and the twee Englishness of village hall pageantry is fun for all to see.

There were a few first night mishaps and fluffed lines which hampered the flow of the show at Whitby Hall in Ellesmere Port but these were soon forgotten with the first few notes of an old favourite wartime song.

Dorothy’s War continues at venues in Lancashire before returning to Chester on Sunday, March 29:

Performance schedule

  • Sunday, March 29 Upton Village Hall Upton-by-Chester CH2 1HT. 7.30pm 01244 380068 / 01244 379568
  • Thursday, April 9 Lock Keeper Bar Canal Side Chester CH1 3LH. 7.30pm. 07958 208947
  • Friday, April 10 (Arts Alive) Cawley Hall Herefordshire HR6 0DS. 7.30pm 01568 615836
  • Saturday, April 11 (Arts Alive) Welshampton Parish Hall Shropshire SY12 0PH. 7.30pm. 01948 710586
  • Sunday, April 12 (Arts Alive) Aymestrey Parish Hall Herefordshire HR6 9SR. 7.30pm. 01568 709251 / 770367 / 709031
  • Thursday, April 16 Worleston Village Hall Nantwich CW5 6DN. 7.30pm. 01270 611465/ Worlestonvillagehall.com
  • Friday April 17 Goodwill Hall Faddiley Near Nantwich CW5 8HY. 7.30pm. 01270 524441
  • Saturday, April 18 Kelsall Community Centre Tarporley CW6 0SB. 8pm. 01829 751031
  • Sunday, April 19 (Spot On) Samlesbury Memorial Hall Preston PR5 0UY. 8pm. 01772 877248