Michael Billington of "The Guardian" noted that the original novel had helped offset overly heroic images of the American soldier, but in the wake of Abu Ghraib, the view of the military was already mixed, "why now, and what does music add to the story?" Simon Edge of the "Daily Express" deemed the show "a commendably ambitious work that makes a refreshing addition to the West End menu." Paul Taylor of "The Independent" suggested, "For all the show's many defects, though, you come away impressed by its seriousness of purpose".