Programme Notes  Our Fiftieth Production was The Accrington Pals, set during the Great War of 1914-18. The prior transmission of BBC1’s The Trench which recreated, as best it could, the experiences of the Hull Pals and the hardships they endured while fighting for King and Country, meant that this conflict was fresh in the public mind. Accrington was the smallest town in England to raise its own Pals Battalion - eager young volunteers swept along on a wave of patriotic fervour, only to die like cattle on the first day of the Somme. Unimpressed by the official casualty lists from that debacle, the townswomen surrounded the mayor of Accrington's house and demanded the truth: 584 dead or wounded out of nearly 700 men.
This is the background used by playwright Peter Whelan to tell the fictional story of Tom Hackford, who light-heartedly marches off to the Western Front, only to find his idealism shattered by the realities of war. The play also examines the trials of the women left behind, who struggle to come to terms with their new life. All this may sound horribly bleak and depressing, but the play is written with warmth, humour and compassion. The First World War will soon pass from living memory - the last Australian survivor of Gallipoli was given a state funeral earlier this year - but hopefully this play and programmes such as The Trench will ensure the bravery and suffering of these men will not be forgotten.

Quote, Unquote  It was the most moving piece of work that I have ever seen (amateur or professional). The scene in the trench where the men were sent over the top was horrific and showed what a senseless waste of life it was Helen
I felt particularly proud to have been part of this one when friends from another drama group brought along a friend, who is a professional actor, and all three told us how impressed they’d been at the standard of the performances. Compliments always make easy and pleasant listening, but this kind of praise from someone "in the biz" makes it all the more meaningful Ailsa
I loved playing Sarah - straight talking, salt of the earth type; even my singing made a reappearance! Our best ever production Sharon
This was the highlight of my experience with the Chameleon's. It was a marvellously dramatic play, well performed, directed and supported. No-one who wasn't there can know the true horror of the trenches but I think that some idea of the emotion was evoked by this production Jonathan
Spuds and plums and rats and lice and blood and muck and tears and Britannia singing to the troops. A memorable production Janet
Immensely moving. Ralph was my favourite part ever Andy
Who could forget Andy's rear end!? Jenny
I'm not really a child beater! Val

"From Terrace To Trench": The Critics Rave  "This was, possibly, the best Chameleon production I have ever seen", enthused the drama critic of the Hull Advertiser, "filled with pathos and moving to a heart-breaking conclusion. The performances were universally excellent. As the womenfolk, Ailsa Oliver, Janet Bartle, Sharon Burton, Mandy Timmins and Val Howell created an amazing atmosphere of friendship as they joked, sobbed and teased each other, creating a real sense of community within grinding poverty.
As the doomed menfolk, Ed Dixon, Terry Fisher, Andy Hodgson and Jonathan Preston looked brilliant in their uniforms, and their final scene in the trenches, juxtaposed with Janet's patriotic song, was moving in the extreme. Jack Rumkee shone as Val's put-upon son, continuously on the wrong end of a beating. The close to capacity audiences came away moved and touched having been involved in a truly remarkable theatrical experience".

The Audience Won't Notice  May's market stall was built out of old fruit and veg crates, so after two hours under the stage lights they positively reeked of rotting cabbage. Even strategically placed air fresheners failed to completely clear the pong. The onions went off pretty rapidly, too.

Director's Commentary  I normally cast a (too?) critical eye over the plays that I direct but on this occasion I have to agree with the comments of the cast and crew. This was a play that engaged the cast and audience from the start - Terry said he heard someone in the audience crying when he read his letter from the trenches - and we didn't have any enforced cast changes to cope with, either.
It would be invidious to single out any of the cast but I’m going to do it anyway. May, Eva and Tom could so easily have become simply walking points of view but Ailsa, Janet and Ed avoided that pitfall and created real and credible characters. But the human heart and soul of the play was Sarah and Bertha. These were the finest performances that Sharon and Mandy have ever given. You could easily believe that they had grown up in the same street and known each other all their lives. Their grief and anger at the loss of their loved ones was unbearable. Kudos to Andy for having the balls (ahem!) to do the nude scene David