Yvonne Arnaud – until 28th March 2026
Reviewed by Heather Chalkley
4****
Writer and actor Katherine Senior perfectly captures the mood of the 2nd world war, with a good ol’ British stiff upper lip, the excitement of serving for your country and the absolute fear of what you are willingly walking into. Love and falling in love is heightened, living in the moment, not knowing how many of them you will have. Senior spotlights the crucial role played by the Air Transport Auxiliary and the Spitfire Girls in keeping war planes in the sky.
Of course, behind all that bravado is the human heart. Senior (Bett) delivers a skilled performance, as the older sister who is more like a mother, carrying the responsibility for her sister’s safety. Fast forward to New Year 1960, haunted by the past, she finds herself living alone in a crowd, reliving the joy and the pain.
Hannah Morrison (Dotty) is a believable younger sister daughter, determined to break free, to have an adventure, to do her bit for the war effort. Ignorant of the pain and worry she is causing, the excitement of Blue Skies and falling in love is all encompassing.
Jack Hulland gives a true performance of a dad trying to keep a grip, with no wife, 2 daughters and a farm to run. In keeping with the time, his emotions are expressed through anger and an attempt to maintain control. No doubt he reminds many audience members of their own fathers. Hulland (dad) delivers an impactful soliloquy that reveals what is really in his heart.
The ensemble brings the era to life with a bitter sweet love story, strong commanding officer and comrades that are more than friends from all around the UK.
The stage is cleverly set round a hexagonal platform, allowing entrance and exit from different directions. The lighting creates the tone and spotlights the poignant moments, if a little dark at times. The sound of 40’s music played from a reel to reel tape machine takes you right back to that time.
Spitfire Girls celebrates one of the important parts women played in the war effort and highlights how undervalued they were at the time. Today we can pay them tribute.