Review: Moving and Memorable ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914 by Mustard Seed Theatre

So I'm watching a Paul McCartney DVD, which is a collection of videos he released over the years, and I start to queue up the one for the song "Pipes of Peace", and I notice immediately that the short film is based on the Christmas Truce of 1914. I don't recall any history classes I had in school ever mentioning this moment in time, and that's why I think it's so important that people see Mustard Seed Theatre's production of ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914. They need to know that even in the midst of the gruesome and grueling trench fighting that was emblematic of the first World War, there was this one day where the soldiers from both sides laid down their arms and celebrated the holiday. In fact, after seeing it twice before, I wanted to make sure that my wife and son were exposed to this beautiful and touching show. It's a moving piece that you simply must see!

Originally conceived as a broadcast on Minnesota Public Radio, this show intersperses informative and sometimes deeply affecting bits of dialog (credited to members of the military from both sides of the battle) with gorgeous harmonies performed a cappella by the actors who portray the various soldiers of different nationalities. Traditional carols intermingle with folk tunes and war oriented songs from the period. To see these men who were fighting one of the most brutal wars in history (chemical warfare, in the form of mustard gas, was employed by the German forces during 1916), is truly unforgettable. It's also important to note that an influx of German immigrants into Britain prior to the fighting meant that some of the men were taking on an enemy who had previously been their local barber or butcher, etc.

The cast, which was slightly different the second time around, features a number of actors making their Mustard Seed debut for this third production. All of them are top notch, and the sound they produce is joyful and haunting, sometimes at the same time. Charlie Barron, Will Bonfiglio, Paul Cereghino, Tyler Cheatem, Steve Isom, Greg Lhamon, Gerry Love, Ben Nordstrom, Tim Schall, Luke Steingruby, and Kelvin Urday all do absolutely splendid work. A special nod of appreciation should also go out to dialect coach Richard Lewis who helped the actors to create the various accents of the different troop members they portray, whether Scottish, British, French, Welsh, Irish, or German.

Deanna Jent does splendid work guiding this cast through this brief (about 65 minutes), but powerful show. She's aided greatly by Joe Schoen's impeccable music direction, which utilizes some beautiful arrangements that take full advantage of the actors' considerable vocal talents. Kyra Bishop's set design seems to get more defined with each go around, and Jane Sullivan's costume designs are spot on for the era. Hard to believe this happened over 100 years ago. Michael Sullivan's lighting acts to lend atmosphere and mood to the proceedings as well.

If you haven't seen ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914, then you need to get down to the black box theatre at Fontbonne University and check it out. If you have seen it before, you should definitely see it again, and be sure to bring along someone with you who hasn't. It's an instance of civility during wartime that will probably, and sadly, never be repeated. This terrific show continues through December 20, 2015, and I highly recommend it.

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