2025 Cry Havoc

"Cry Havoc" by Allan R. Kenward is a play exploring the experience of women volunteers in an American military field hospital on the Bataan Peninsula during World War II. The play focuses on a group of civilian nurses, including a Southern belle, a waitress, and a stripper, as they navigate a desperate and ultimately hopeless situation. Their experiences, struggles, and the revelation of human nature under fire are the core themes of the play.

The play, written prior to the historical Bataan Death March in 1943, paints a fierce picture of the darker side of war and the grim drama of doomed women. Cry Havoc takes the audience on a journey through the lives of 13 volunteer nurses working to survive and help others on the Bataan Peninsula in World War II.

The play explores themes of war, human resilience, and the impact of conflict on individuals and society. It examines the challenges of surviving in a war zone, the clash of personalities under pressure, and the revelation of human nature in extreme circumstances.