The Nottingham Playhouse brings The Churchill, Bromley, All Quiet on the Western Front - a touching portrayal of life in the trenches, the friendships forged, childhoods lost and the human cost of war.

The drama, based on the novel by First World War veteran Erich Maria Remarque, is as humorous as it is tragic. A versatile set and explosive sound effects recreate the trenches as you follow the journey of a group of friends from idealistic boyhood to weary manhood as they fight a doomed war.

Eastenders’ James Alexandrou stars as poetry-writing, butterfly-collecting schoolboy Baumer who has had to leave his previous life behind and harden himself to his new reality.

His narration of trench life is humorous, dramatic, and, at times, heart-wrenching as he guides the audience through his emotions both in battle and on leave.

Veteran soldier Kat (David Cardy) is spot on as a man-about-town who mentors the boys through trench-life and keeps their spirits up and their bellies full.

The cast of eight actors take on multiple roles but still manage to draw you into the characters, their personal stories and their future dreams which grow ever more remote as the war drags on.

Humour is used to great effect to contrast accutely with moments of inevitable tragedy throughout the story and present the power of the human spirit in the worst of circumstances. As the curtain closes you are left with a deep sense of loss for the generation that, in Remarque’s words, was destroyed by war. The humour of the friends is gone. Only tragedy and despair remain.

All Quiet on the Western Front, The Churchill, Bromley until Nov 8. Box office 0870 060 6620