Our Little Hour: the musical based on the life of Walter Tull

Our Little Hour which runs at The Ustinov Studio Bath until October 19th and tours the UK throughout Black History Month, is an intensely moving new musical drama which tells the little known story of Walter Tull - one of the most significant figures in Black British History.

With opening and closing scenes set in the Arras Cemetery where Tull’s memorial stone can be found to this day, Our Little Hour takes us on a deeply emotional journey from Walter Tull’s childhood struggles with racism in late Victorian Britain to his tragic death in 1918 at the Second Battle of the Somme, at the age of 29.

At the heart of Blaxland’s powerfully poetic script is an exploration of Tull’s exceptional courage and resilience. The grandson of a Barbadian slave, orphaned at just eight years old and separated from his beloved siblings, he nonetheless rose to prominence against all odds. The first black footballer to play at the highest level of the domestic game in the UK, he went on to achieve another historic breakthrough as the first man of his heritage to be commissioned as an Officer in the British Army.

A cast of just three actors command the stage with assurance and precison throughout this fast-paced musical drama.Whilst Leon Newman is utterly convincing in his portrayal of Walter Tull’s indomitable strength and dignity, Susie Broadbent and Neil Reidman display an astonishing range of accents and physical flexibility as they switch roles with seamless, and precisely choreographed transitions of character.

The emotional intensity of the drama is further enhanced by the quality of Chris Anthony’s beautiful music. Sung in pitch perfect three part harmony, the 16 or so original songs are integral to the unfolding narrative and to establishing the period and locations in this exceptional piece of theatre.

Show Racism the Red Card is to be congratulated on commissioning this hard-hitting musical drama as a means of widening participation in their admirable cause, and I very much hope that audiences will rise to the challenge offered by the cast at the end of the play - and sign the petition as part of the campaign for Walter Tull to be receive a posthumous award of the Military Cross for which he was recommended.

The tour of Our Little Hour continues until November 2nd and can be seen at The Greenwich Theatre London on 22nd & 23rd October, New Theatre Portsmouth 24th October, Derby Theatre 26th October, South Street Arts Reading 29th October, Theatre Royal Wakefield 30th October, Royal & Derngate Northampton 31st October to 2nd November.