A gentle, uplifting wartime love story told through letters, filled with humour, heart, and hope. A beautifully staged reminder that even in dark times, human connection still shines.Rating
Excellent
“Yesterday… we learned how to take a bath in our helmet liners.” It’s not the most obvious opening to a courtship, but Captain Jacob S Ludwig, better known as Jack (Preston Nyman), isn’t living an ordinary life. Stationed with the US Army in 1942, Jack begins a three‑year letter exchange with Louise after their parents attempt to set them up. They’ve never met, yet through their letters we watch a relationship blossom — full of humour, warmth, and a surprising amount of hope for a world at war.
Written by award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig, the real-life son of Louise and Jack, the play feels incredibly intimate and personal. There’s a clear sense that these aren’t just characters on a stage, but people he knew and loved, and that affection radiates through the writing. Despite the wartime backdrop, the tone remains light on its feet. The script balances comedy and poignancy with ease, supported by a gentle underscore (Jamie Lu) of 1940s tunes that adds warmth without ever overwhelming the action. Act I ends just as the long‑awaited meeting is about to happen, only for Jack to be pulled away on duty. It’s a moment that earns a genuine groan from the audience, a testament to how invested we’ve become in their story.
In this two‑person cast, both Nyman and Feiler are superb, but it’s Eva Feiler as Louise who delivers the standout performance. She is effortlessly engaging — energetic, carefree, and endlessly likeable. Her buoyant presence keeps the piece hopeful, and it’s easy to see why Jack falls for her through words alone. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was truly what Ludwig’s mother was like — and if so, what a wonderful woman she must have been.
Staged in traverse, with the audience seated on two sides facing one another, designer Robert Innes Hopkins has created something simple yet striking. Hundreds of letters suspended from the ceiling form a delicate canopy above the action, a constant visual reminder of the physical distance between Jack and Louise and the fragile thread connecting them across states and continents.
What ultimately makes the production so affecting is the knowledge that it’s all true. Jack and Louise really did meet this way, really did fall in love through letters, and went on to spend nearly fifty years together. That truth gives the play an added glow — a reminder that even in the bleakest moments of history, connection and love persist.
Written by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Simon Reade
Designed by Robert Innes Hopkins
Lighting by Richard Williamson
Sound Design by Jamie Lu
Dear Jack, Dear Louise plays at Arcola Theatre until Saturday 2 May.
