MALVERN Theatres are on a war footing - even the box office belles have been made to don uniform.

At the centre of this mist of nostalgia for the Home Front is Imogen Stubbs' We Happy Few.

Familiar as I am with the schoolgirl yarns of Angela Brazil, I felt a glow of recognition in the Forum Theatre on Monday.

We Happy Few is billed as a tribute to the intrepid group of women who, to boost morale, toured Shakespeare (mostly) the length and breadth of this Sceptred Isle in the war years.

No pub, village hall, schoolroom was safe from them.

We Happy Few is really "Gables School Goes To War". Here are our old friends: striding purposefully about, resolute but vulnerable, the Head Girl; Silly Milly; best of all, as always, the Naughtiest Girl In The School. There are spats and crushes, even two Funny Foreigners. All bonded and banded together in The Cause. Stirring stuff, St Crispian's Day and all; but all a bit solemn and overblown. And at three hours, well over-long.

'Once more into the breech', OK. Once more into the bar, I'm afraid, for me. Here, the elegant Anna Paola is playing elegant cocktail piano. Blue Moon, Stormy Weather. Hits of the Blitz. Bliss.

We Happy Few plays at Malvern's Forum Theatre until Saturday.

Henry Ford