“. . . A heady mix of intrigue, passion and sexual politics, Heresy of Love is an ambitious play, and this Bristol Old Vic Theatre School production, ably directed by Jenny Stephens, certainly does it justice. . . . This is a wordy play with a number of weighty themes, but in this production it seldom seems too heavily freighted with ideas. The cast give each character a distinct individuality, and there are many shifts in mood. . . This is a thoroughly enjoyable production of a powerful play. Thoroughly recommended. “

It is a formidable task to create a play suitable for a family audience that nevertheless conveys something of the realities of life and death in the trenches of the First World War. Director Toby Hulse has responded to this challenge by devising a production inspired by Michael Foreman’s beautifully illustrated novella War Game, the winner of the 1993 Nestle Children’s Book Prize. This features the Christmas Day truce of 1914, when soldiers from both sides sang carols, exchanged gifts and played an impromptu game of football.