Propaganda Swing Marches into Nottingham
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre will present the UK premiere of playwright Peter Arnott’s jazz-inspired WII drama, Propaganda Swing, from 13 to 27 September.
The story follows how Nazi Propaganda Ministry official, Karl ‘Charly’ Schwedler, managed to justify performing with his jazz orchestra in spite of working within the anti-American and especially racist society of 1930s Germany.
The Nazis viewed jazz as decadent and impure yet by reworking popular jazz standards with pro-Nazi lyrics, Schwedler had his music approved, even publically funded, and was then able to continue playing the music he and his orchestra loved and capitalise upon ally and enemy nations’ love for jazz radio. Writer, Arnott, states “it was exactly that paradox that struck me as incredible and I knew that within that paradox lay the origins of a fascinating human drama”.
The show will feature a live and on-stage swing band and eight actor-musicians including Chris Andrew Mellon, Clara Darcy, Callum Coates, Miranda Wilford, Paul Lincoln, Tomm Coles, Bradley Clarkson and Jonny Bower. After a two-week run at the Belgrade (13-27 September) the show will move and continue at the Nottingham Playhouse (2-18 October).
– Tom Wright
For more info go to www.belgrade.co.uk or www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk