Review: Somewhere in England


Eastern Angles always tackles subjects that are a little bit ‘near the knuckle’ and Somewhere in England is one of those productions.

Telling the story of the lives of Black GI’s and the segregation they were subjected too during the Second World War, Somewhere in England gives us a real insight to what these men faced every day.

During the war years thousands of American GIs were posted to England, the black Gi’s were told if they signed up they would fight as equals with their white counterparts, however in reality this couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Georgia-and-Nate-Kiss-300x200At first the black soldiers were welcomed by the British public, however the Women’s Voluntary Service discouraged girls from mixing with the black GI’s and soon rumours were rife and they face prejudice on this side of the pond too.

Beautifully written by Polly Wiseman, Somewhere in England is a moving story full of twists and turns. Viv is a land girl from London and as she gets to grips with country life she meets Joe and American GI. They fall in love, however the road is rocky for the young couple, and when Viv falls pregnant their lives are changed forever.

A strong cast brings the action to life in a moving and believable way. Somewhere in England is one of those pieces of theatre that leaves you thinking about how folks really treated other folks and just how far we have come.

A must see, Somewhere in England is at the Sir John Mills Theatre, Ipswich until Saturday 30th April. The production will then be on tour in the area until June, so there is plenty of time to see this amazing production.

To book tickets visit www.easternangles.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01473 211498

— Wendy Cook, Ipswich24 Magazine –