Arms and the Man

Rumpus Theatre Company in association with
The Sarah Thorne Theatre - Broadstairs
presents the scintillating light comedy
Arms and the Man
(or The Chocolate Cream Soldier)
by George Bernard Shaw

Beautiful young Bulgarian Raina has heroic ideals, betrothed as she is to Major Sergius Saranoff. Her fiancé is away, fighting alongside her father, Major Petkoff, in the war against Serbia… but when escaping Serbian Captain Bluntschli climbs into her bedroom through the balcony window, she finds herself hiding him behind the curtains in spite of herself.

Does he have ammunition in his pockets? No… he has chocolate creams, like any other jobbing soldier. And when she catches Sergius flirting with her maid Louka, Raina finds her grand notions of love and war slipping away from her, as true love and honesty take their place.

The Eleventh Hour was "delightful… charming" (British Theatre Guide) and received a "big thumbs up" (audience Facebook review) while The 39 Steps was "slick, upbeat… full of humour" (British Theatre Guide). Sherlock Holmes – The Scandal of The Scarlet Woman was "pure delight" (Matlock Mercury ) and "never takes itself too seriously… you can almost smell the faded decadence" (Eastbourne Herald) and Raffles had "all the hallmarks of a classic" (The Reviews Hub).

A real audience-pleaser, Arms and the Man is a sparkling comedy that has more than a little to say about the state of the world today!

This production is dedicated to the memory of Michael Friend, leading Bernard Shaw producer and enthusiast.