THE spirit of the Second World War was celebrated in great style by the Pickering Musical Society – the cast, musicians and the production team – with an entertaining variety of musical numbers and sketches, solos, duets and ensemble singing and very well choreographed military-style movement and musical dance.

Another impressive feature of what has become an annual fixture in Pickering’s 1940s weekend was the lively contributions by the youth section of the society, not least in their confident leading of the community singing in the first-half of the show as they raced the audience to the tongue-twisting finale of “Sister Susie’s Sewing Shirts for Sailors”.

The opening songs were a smooth sequence of nostalgia with an emphasis on the camaraderie of the Home Front and of the troops.

Particularly impressive was the singing and staging of the song, Letter From The Front Line, sung by the ladies chorus in authentic period costumes, a babe in arms, a pushchair; and the convincing scene of London in the blitz with the dome of St Paul’s lit up by the flashing lights of an air raid.

The ladies chorus also created humour in the Love at the Naafi Cafe sketch and in a Mum’s Army version of Who Do You Think You Are Kidding Mr Hitler.

Contrasting seriousness was provided by the men, especially in the impressive Underneath the Arches sung by Matthew Russell and Stephen Temple.

They also added military precision and matey humour; and there were affecting, romantic solos from Jess Hebron and Linda Tester and an amusing monologue, Brahn Boots from Marcus Burnside.

In the second half of the show, the capacity audience enjoyed a glamorous sequence of Irving Berlin numbers recreating the music hall and cinema hits of the 1940s and presented in the foyer of a Ritzy Hotel complete with smart bell boy, and with singers and dancers in attractive, period costumes.

The traditional finale of patriotic songs inspired the audience to singing and flag-waving and to the very welcome encore-singing of We’ll Meet Again.

And no doubt we will, in October 2015, when the society plans another night of nostalgic music and good humour in Carry On England.

Review by Trevor Boag