The Last Bantam

A short but excellently delivered show about the Bantam regiment, a first World War regiment for those between 5ft and 5ft 3in who were normally considered too short for the standard army. Michael Hughes plays the last fighting bantam, an Irishman who joined the army to fight after the government promised home rule should sufficient men from Ireland (then part of Britain) sign up. In the end, the most fascinating part of the story is the interaction of the army and the British Government with the Dublin uprising of 1916, as such, this show succeeds on several levels and has left me determined to become better informed about the period. Excellent.