Military Wives - The Musical

Debbie Isitt

York Theatre Royal, with Everyman, Cheltenham and Buxton Opera House

York Theatre Royal

September 12-27, 2025; 2 hrs 20 mins; age advisory 12 and over

L-R: Emma Crossley, Rachael Wooding, Ashleigh Gray, Kayla Carter, Jessica Daley, Sydney Isitt-Ager and Caroline Sheen. All pics: Danny With a Camera

Writer and director Debbie Isitt – creator of the Nativity! stage and film franchise – goes to war in her latest project, Military Wives - The Musical, based on and inspired by the film Military Wives, the BBC documentary relating how Gareth Malone helped to form the Military Wives choirs, as well as her personal interaction with the wives.

This is closer to a jukebox show than an original stage musical. No new songs have been written for the production. Instead familiar pop songs and power ballads have been inserted into the action.

There’s nothing particularly subtle about the characterisations. Choosing to focus on eight women means they are little more than cliches – the pregnant one, the always pregnant one, the shy one, the one with a fear that something dreadful is going to happen, and so on. But Isitt doesn’t miss a trick in manipulating the feelings of the audience.

Bobbie Little is the outsider brought in to bring military wives together in a choir, while their men go off to fight in Afghanistan. The idea is that singing will give them friendship, companionship and a sense of community while their loved ones are away.

Of course there are problems along the way, with only Stewart Wright’s Dave, the welfare officer, around to provide a few comic interludes.

The show ends with a concert, as the Military Wives Choir perform at the Royal Albert Hall, providing a suitably uplifting finale for the show and a chance for the audience to join in.

Wednesday’s audience was on its feet at the end, not to leave the theatre but to cheer the excellent cast. If we’re going to name names – and we really should because there’s some outstanding vocal work – then step forward Kayla Carter, Emma Crossley, Jessica Daley, Ashleigh Gray, Sydney Isitt-Ager, Bobbie Little,

Caroline Sheen and Rachel Wooding.

More info and tickets here