A scene from ‘Arabian Nights’, featuring Lieutenant E. Knight as Mrs Hummingtop’, 1918 (b/w photo)

A scene from ‘Arabian Nights’, featuring Lieutenant E. Knight as Mrs Hummingtonp’, 1918. Photograph, World War One, Western Front (1914-1918), 1918. ‘Arabian Nights’ was one of several productions held by the XVI Corps military theatre company between February and April 1918. Others included ‘Chiselling’, ‘The New Boy’ and ‘The burglar and judge’. Sometimes concerts and plays featured professional artists, but more often included serving soldiers. Some talented soldiers were lucky enough to be released from their units to work full-time in official military concert parties formed by the Army to entertain its men. Other concerts however were ad hoc affairs that belonged to Britain’s rich amateur dramatics and music hall traditions. Usually a divisional or corps concert troupe drew its men from different regiments.