Project

Great War Theatre is a collaborative research project in which academics and members of the public are working together to uncover the history of theatre and performance during the First World War. By doing this we aim to open up and generate new insights into the Great War and British theatre history.

Since the project began in 2016 over 230 volunteers from across the UK have been trained as volunteer researchers on the project. Together the team has identified 2,981 plays licensed during the Great War. Using online newspapers, genealogy websites and local archives, to date (December 2020) the team has identified performances of these plays by 5,148 playwrights, performers and producers, at 1,816 theatres. Research is ongoing and new findings are added each week.

None of this research would have been possible without the generous support of the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Gateways to the First World War, and the University of Kent.

To find out more about the project, and the team behind it, click on one of the images below.