Oh What a Lovely War: characters

Character Overview

“Oh What a Lovely War” does not follow the traditional approach to characterisation. Rather than creating individual, fully-rounded characters, the actors play a number of roles, often symbolising a group or type.

The play is primarily an ensemble piece where actors often switch roles, contributing to the sense of chaos and showing the interchangeability of the characters, particularly the soldiers.
This transposition of roles reflects on the idea of loss of identity and individuality in war. It also heightens the sense of confusion and disorientation, elements intrinsic to the experience of war.

The generals are the only consistent characters through the play. This uniformity underlines their isolation from the reality of the battlefield and their lack of understanding of the soldiers’ experiences.
These characters are overdrawn and portrayed as inept and detached, highlighting the satirical nature of the piece and criticising the incompetence and indifference of military leadership during World War I.

The soldiers are depicted as nameless masses. The lack of individualisation underpins their status as disposable commodities, further highlighting the horrors and futility of war.
The soldiers often express their fear and reality through songs that counterpoint the harsh reality of the situation with an upbeat tempo and cheerful lyrics, an important element of the play’s irony and satirical commentary.

Women are depicted in various roles – from war-time nurses to women in the recruitment offices – mirroring the diverse roles women were forced to adopt during the war.
Their representation is marked by powerlessness and disillusionment, reflecting the themes of exploitation and the impact of war beyond the battlefield. Women also function as a reminder of the domestic sphere, the ‘normal life’ that has been left behind, and the costs of war on a personal and societal level.