Oh What a Lovely War: genre

Genre - Overview

“Oh What a Lovely War” is classified as a Musical Theatre, utilising satire to comment on the severity and senseless nature of war.
The play is also an example of a Historical Drama as it portrays events from World War I.

The play employs satire as a primary tool of revelation and critique.
It masterfully uses comedy and humour to shed light on the horrendous realities of war.
The ironic contrast between the cheerful songs and the gruesome reality of warfare serves as an effective satiric technique.

The musical numbers in the play serve more than just an entertainment purpose; they have symbolic and thematic importance.
The songs, often based on real war-time tunes, are used to ironically highlight the brutal and pointless nature of war.
Comedic relief is often provided by the musical segments, balancing the tragic aspects of the play.

“Oh What a Lovely War” is rooted in real historical events, specifically World War I.
It uses characters, such as Sir Douglas Haig and General Sir Henry Wilson, to represent real historical figures and their actions.
The play also uses projection screens to display facts and figures about the war, grounding the narrative in reality and providing a factual backbone to the shock and horror of wartime.
Despite being a piece of fiction, “Oh What a Lovely War” has a clear aim to educate its audience about the cruelties and follies of war.