Hannah: The Soldier Diaries – ‘The Missing Pages’ – Review – Scarborough Spa
By Elizabeth Stanforth-Sharpe, June 2025
In the summer of 2012, when the world’s eyes were on an Olympic village in London and streets and communities across the United Kingdom were planning their street parties and celebrations for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, British troops in Afghanistan were focused, after a 20-year presence there, on transitioning security responsibilities to Afghan forces as part of a broader plan for the withdrawal of all NATO combat operations by the end of 2014 and the securing of a peace strategy. In constant danger, nearly 500 of our soldiers never returned home and many more were permanently maimed by IEDs.
Against this backdrop, Hannah (Zoe Wright), a young hairdresser from Scarborough, falls in love with Jack (Stephen Alexander), a Lance Corporal in the British army, who is called away to be deployed in Helmand. Hannah, pregnant and heartbroken, spends time with Jack’s parents ( Darren Johnson and Karen Wallis) in Harrogate, where she encounters Jack’s identical twin brother Alex (also played by Stephen Alexander), who is also in the army, but is UK based, training the troops. As the drama unfolds, will Hannah find solace in Alex’s arms whilst Jack is unavailable, and will Jack return safely from the war?
“Comedic balance”
A simple black box stage with the use of projections and props propels the audience seamlessly through the scenes of a hairdressing salon, Hannah’s flat, a funfair, a seaside prom, a beach, Harrogate railway station, a nightclub, a wedding, and John and Mary’s sitting room, each one inhabited effortlessly by the two main leads who are on stage for all but a few moments of the entire show. The story is told exclusively from Hannah’s perspective (it is, after all, based on her diary entries); a task Zoe Wright accomplishes with excellent vocals and judicious use of breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience directly.
A comedic balance was provided by Hannah’s favourite salon customer, Mrs M (Linda Newport), a middle-aged cougar desperate for a new relationship.
The remainder of the ensemble were made up of alumni of Scarborough’s Hatton Performing Arts College, beautifully choreographed by Julie Hatton, providing energy and enthusiasm to a plethora of smaller roles.
“Social disparity”
There was a minor audience participation in a song named ‘Funk It’, which appealed to younger people there, but despite some excellent lyrics and even more excellent singers, on the night I was there the sound deck was throwing over-amplified screeches and wobbles which didn’t allow any true representation of the musical numbers to come through. It wasn’t the fault of the performers, who carried on valiantly, but it meant that there was no opportunity to engage fully with the musical elements. It’s one of the anomalies of live, creative theatre that is frustrating when it happens, but the whole cast, despite their youth and inexperience, dealt with it amazingly and full credit needs to go to them.
In common with other Red Jelly productions there were lots of local references, a gentle commentary on the social disparity between Scarbough and ‘posh’ Harrogate, and the characteristics of generational military families, but all bound up with the understanding that human kindness and care can surpass all barriers.
Red Jelly is quickly establishing itself as a talented producing theatre in the region and let’s hope there is more to come soon.
