The pupils and staff of Queen Katherine School, Kendal, are to be congratulated on their stunning performance of “Kendal Pals”.

The play, written to commemorate the centenary of the start of the First World War, by drama teacher Jonathan Linaker (who also co -directed it with Jarrod Collings) and head of Music Rob Shillito, with historical material provided by Cllr Paul Bramham, began with the speeches made to commemorate the unveiling of the war memorial in Kendal.

But the principal part of the play was to tell us the real stories of real people from Kendal and Milnthorpe, and in particular those of three individuals and their families. Those three individuals/families were seen to be - and should be seen to be - typical of every family in the latter half of 1914: our grandparents and great grandparents.

These tragic - and heroic - stories were told with touches of humour and they were further highlighted by a masterful use of song and music. And it was good to see the participation of staff as well as pupils.

But there was a master touch, referencing that this was a production written and performed by a school, and that was the depiction of the lead up to war as a playground spat and bullying.

It was a must see thing and all who took part in creating and performing it are to be applauded and commended.

I began my using the word “stunning” and later spoke of a “master touch” but both words have to be combined to describe the finale when, totally unexpectedly, one of the soldiers stepped up and adopted the pose of the soldier on our war memorial.

By that one act we were forced to recognise that behind the stone and bronze of the war memorial - of all war memorials - are stories of individuals and their families, such as those told in the play.

But the play also reminded us that while such memorials commemorate - quite rightly, those that made the ultimate sacrifice - others survived, some physically wounded and many others never speaking of what they had seen or done. It is for them, and their successors in other wars, that the Royal British Legion works so tirelessly.

But what of the future of the play, because surely it must have a future and I have suggested to QKS and to Jonathan Linaker that if it sees no other performance it must be repeated on the centenary of the unveiling of the war memorial in Kendal. It has to be: Kendalians must be allowed to see the play again.

Tom Clare

Mayor of Kendal