New Musical OUR LITTLE HOUR to Tour the UK as Part of a Campaign

Our Little Hour — the critically acclaimed musical based on the life of the late, great Walter Tull that has been commissioned by Show Racism the Red Card — will be touring England throughout February and March this year.

It is coming to The Atkinson Theatre Southport on February 25 as part of a national campaign to address a century-old injustice that has denied Britain’s first “Black British” Army Officer the award of the Military Cross for which he was recommended during the First World War. 

Hailed “utterly compelling” and “an intensely moving new musical drama”, Our Little Hour tells the inspirational story of Walter Tull — who became the first black footballer to play at the highest level of the domestic game  in the UK before achieving another historic breakthrough as the first man of his heritage to be commissioned as an officer in the British Army. His appointment in 1917 came despite an official ruling made just three years before that all British Army officers should be of “pure European descent”. 

Leon Newman who plays Walter Tull in this critically acclaimed new musical believes that “while Our Little Hour is an artistic celebration of Walter Tull’s life, it is also part of an active mission to persuade the British Government to honour the award of the Military Cross for which Walter was recommended following his courage and leadership during a mission which took place on January 1st 1918 when he led a party of 26 men as part of a raid across the Piave River in Northern Italy.”

The job of Walter Tull’s party was to shield the rest of the battalion involved in the raid and provide cover as they crossed multiple streams and advanced on enemy lines. The raid was a complete success and Walter returned with all 26 of his men safe and unharmed. As a consequence he received a citation for “gallantry and coolness” under fire from Major-General Sydney Lawford, Commander of the 41st Division of the British Army.

For some reason the award has never been made and playwright Dougie Blaxland who has placed Walter Tull’s role in the raid across the Piave River at the very centre of the drama argues that “the failure to honour Walter Tull with the award he so clearly deserved is made all the more disgraceful by the fact that he was killed just three months later fighting in Northern France.”

Director, Amanda Horlock, described Our Little Hour as “a celebration of the life  of an extraordinary man whose pioneering spirit continues to inspire the campaign for  justice and equality. This production honours the memory of one of  the most significant figures in British sporting and military history.”  

Combining a power packed drama with hauntingly original music, Our Little Hour Paul Kearns, Director of Operations at Show Racism the Red Card, believes that the  production “tells a really important story which will help to reinforce the work that we  are doing to combat racism by engaging new audiences in a celebration  of Walter Tull’s pioneering contribution to British society.”  

To date more than 3000 people have signed up in support of the campaign but in the words of Dougie Blaxland “we have still have a long way to go to reach the 10,000 signatures needed for a formal response from the Government but we hope audiences will be moved to support us when they have heard the great man’s extraordinary story”.

More details about the campaign to honour Walter Tull can be found here.

Our Little Hour UK Tour: Dates and Venues

Greenwich Theatre London
February 3 - 7
https://greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/ourlittlehour/

Mercury Theatre Colchester
February 10
https://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/whats-on/

The Core Corby
February 11 - 12
https://thecorecorby.com/

Salford Arts Salford
February 13
https://www.salfordartstheatre.com/Whats-on

The Swan Theatre Worcester
February 14
https://worcestertheatres.co.uk/swan-theatre

Barnfield Theatre Exeter
February 17 - 18
https://exeternorthcott.co.uk/events/our-little-hour/

Hope Street Theatre Liverpool
February 19 - 21
https://hopestreettheatre.com/

The Stahl Theatre Oundle Northamptonshire
February 24
https://stahltheatre.savoysystems.co.uk/StahlTheatre.dll/

The Atkinson Theatre Southport
February 25
https://theatkinson.co.uk/events/our-little-hour/

The Blackfriars Theatre Boston
February 26
https://m.blackfriarsartscentre.co.uk/mobile_whatson.php

The MAC Theatre Birmingham
February 27 - 28
https://macbirmingham.co.uk/

Alnwick Playhouse
March 4
https://alnwickplayhouse.co.uk/event/our-little-hour/

Alphabetti Theatre Newcastle
March 5 - 7
https://www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk/ourlittlehour

The Redgrave Theatre Bristol
March 10
https://redgravetheatre.com/

The Lighthouse Theatre Poole
March 11
https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/our-little-hour/

Dorchester Arts
March 12
https://www.dorchesterarts.org.uk/whats-on/

Yvonne Arnaud Guildford
March 13 - 14
https://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/

Beam Theatre Herford
March 17 - 18
https://beamhertford.co.uk/

The Courtyard Theatre Leeds
March 20 -21
https://www.leedsplayhouse.org.uk/