The hardships of surviving under Nazi occupation faced by the Channel Islanders during the Second World War are brought vividly to life in Giuliano Crispini’s Lotty’s War, based on real diary accounts of the invasion found in a Guernsey library.

The play combines the occupation’s three main elements into a deadly love triangle. The Germans and their initially oppressive but doomed rule are personified by General Rolf, who commandeers islander Lotty’s house.

Lotty’s friend Ben, played by Adam Gillen, represents the islanders who hated their occupiers and resisted them at every turn, and Lotty herself , portrayed by Olivia Hallinan, is one of the many people who began to make the best of the situation by living and working alongside the Germans.

The play’s evocative set - Lotty’s kitchen and living area - takes us immediately back to the 1940s, and an old radio, banned during the occupation, is used to great effect for atmosphere and as a plot device.

The war takes a visible toll on the three characters, who change dramatically as the story unfolds. Lotty is initially cold towards her unwelcome house guest, but eventually warms to him, while Ben transforms from a spineless young boy terrified of the Germans into a defiant man.

General Rolf, expertly played by Mark Letheren, slowly reveals his own weaknesses as the Nazi’s wartime efforts begin to crumble, and the inevitable climax still comes as shock enough to remind of the horrors faced by soldier and civilian alike.

The small cast provided three powerful performances that prompted the question: how would I cope in the same situation?

Catch Lotty's War at Richmond Theatre before it closes on October 25. Visit atgtickets.com for more information.