Poppies

This new musical from young company Music Box Theatre has the air of an adaptation of a book that might have been written several decades ago. Its 1914-set tale of a group of friends in a folk band separated by the first world war has an old-fashioned charm and sincerity.

While William, Thomas and plucky Leonard head off to fight in France, Elsie, Ada and her sister May enlist as nurses in the Voluntary Aid Detachment. Writer Laura Kaye Thomson weaves in some historical context with a light touch, while hitting the familiar war-play beats of tragedy, reconciliation and enduring friendship.

George Bancroft-Livingston's unfussy production has a rose-tinted hue, pleasant and endearing even though it lacks grit. The original score is lovely, with beautiful harmonies and swelling chords, and the instrument-playing ensemble (while some more natural actors than others) commit themselves to an upbeat Britishness that keeps everything moving smartly along.

If you're looking for a show that sheds new light on the gritty reality of war, this isn't it. It's steeped in a nostalgia and respectful reverence for a bygone Britain that bypasses irony. But its uplifting tone is disarming, tapping into a vein of kindness that often feels in short supply in Edinburgh at this time of year.

It's also great to see a new company forging its own path, creating work rather than just falling back on established hits or Broadway favourites. Amid a welter of jukebox musicals, this deserves to be recognised and applauded.