“Hannah: The Soldier Diaries” blends love, music and a gripping story

Welcome to our final episode of Citywide Bytes for the 2024 season. We’re taking a break to recharge and come back in 2025 and believe me, we have a lot planned.

Capping off this season I am very excited to be talking about the musical audiobook “Hannah: The Soldier Diaries” and joining me is the story’s creator — theater writer, producer and author Steve Wallis.

Here’s a look at the plot:

When the gorgeous Hannah meets Lance Corporal Jack Webb in summer 2012, she is quickly smitten. However, Hannah has to decide quickly whether to embark on a whirlwind affair or walk away, as the couple only has four weeks together before Jack has to return to the army to fight in the Afghan War. Hannah follows her heart and spends the most amazing four weeks of her life with Jack before he has to leave. Then, over two months later, Jack is missing, and Hannah — who is three months’ pregnant — is beside herself with worry. Out of nowhere, a face she knows only too well appears at her door. Are all Hannah's worries over? Or is this the beginning of the end for Hannah and Jack?

Steve and I go into the origins of the project and how his own grandparents’ relationship amidst World War II inspired the story. Steve talks about the main characters, Hannah and Jack, how they were created and how they grow over the course of the story. We also talk about the stage version that’s been done and learn some big news about a new project!

Zoe Wright provided the narration, voices and singing and we learn how she and Steve met and the collaboration process as they brought this story to life. “Hannah” has a second part dropping in December and we talk a bit [just a bit!] about the cliffhanger ending and what lies in store.