Made in Dagenham

I confess now I had never seen this show or the film upon which it is based, although sadly I’m old enough to recall the real-life events in 1968. Bombed in the West End, but becoming increasingly popular with Amateur groups throughout the land (Elaine Page’s Radio2 spot usually advertises at least one a week), I was keen to find out why. So I came to the Trinity Arts Theatre curious but without any preconceived ideas or expectations, and what a delightful show it turned out to be! Some great music, a lot of humour and a real-life story behind it.

The set was a simple but clever design of a scaffold gantry stage left, replicating the factory floor and working offices with the, now familiar and effective Marianettes trick of folding flats to stage right, replicating various rooms from Rita’s kitchen to Government offices for Harold Wilson and Barbara Castle. Props and furniture (and there was often a lot of it) were all brought on by the cast. The band being positioned to the rear of the stage and finally, I’m glad to say, in their own separated pit.

The 8-piece band led by Musical Director Rob Brand which unusually included three reed players was its usual top notch quality upon which I can heap nothing but praise. An excellent job well done by Faye Deane, Paul Rayboult, Rebecca Hughes, Thomas Rowe, Adi Chase, Tom Chaplin and Dan Wilde.

My apologies for coming along on the first night, but it really was my only available slot and its never good to review a show on opening night. Technicians only get one bite at a rehearsal and often need the first night’s performance to bed everything in and this show was a case in point. I’m also told they ran out of time to complete the technical rehearsal. So, my sympathies to Simon Barker on the sound desk who had a bit of a nightmare with mics that didn’t come on or came on late, or were clearly faulty and balance between the ladies and the gents singing voices was clearly out of kilter and subsequently we did struggle to hear the lyrics particularly from the male chorus. I’m sure it will be a different story as the run progresses.

On the other hand and probably not requiring the same level of rehearsal time as the sound, each scene being static lighting, the set was well lit by Mary-Beth Sewell and didn’t register on my radar, which is always a good thing as one only notices when things aren’t right.

Costumes and hairstyles (mainly down to the cast themselves) were a time travel back to my youth, great to see Mary Quant alive and well, black and white checks, mini skirts, beehive hairstyles, etc, etc, all very well coordinated and the cast had obviously put in a lot of time on the research. Even the kids were spot on with the right length of short trousers and design of dresses and ‘pullovers’ as mother always used to call them.

Director Martin Grover says in his notes he is ‘…working with a cast with years of experience behind them’ and that probably sums it up pretty well, as this was indeed a collective class act of a cast. I spotted several chorus members I’d previously seen in leading roles adding considerable weight to the production. And leading the pack was the ever brilliant Leanne Lyndsey White as ‘Rita O’Grady,’ who just seems to get better and better with each role. The range of expressions, the control she now has of her singing range. She slides into each role with effortless ease. Although of course we all know how much work goes into being that good!

My standout role of this show was Leigh Smith as ‘Eddie O’Grady’ with a fantastic piece of emotional acting. He just nailed the part of the working class, unsophisticated macho man, struggling with the male dominated attitude of his upbringing and goading from his workmates, whilst being proud of the new-found role of his wife at the very beginning of the feminist revolution. His rendition of ‘The Letter’ was hairs on the back of the neck time!

Nicola Carter as ‘Connie,’ the ‘career’ supervisor added both the spark to ignite the strike and the pathos as she gave Rita advise whilst lying dying in hospital. A lovely measured performance. Rachel Allen  (Sandra), Emily Bennett (Claire), Coylah Willock (Beryl) and Kate Brewster (Cass) added the big, the bold and the brass with fruity language to match. Their comedic timing was particularly sublime.

Talking of comedy, I don’t suppose I’ll ever think of Harold Wilson in the same light again; the vision of pipe, Gannex raincoat and underpants as portrayed by the excellent Charles Mills is forever etched on my mind! Not quite sure if such an image is that welcome...?

Other performances by the ladies’ worthy of mention must include Rosie Layton as very recognisable Barbara Castle, and Tara Hutchings  as Lisa Hopkins, who shared Rita’s vision of feminine equality whilst working behind her husband’s back. And good support from Rosie Loft as Rachel and Danni Keeper as Tracey. You can’t have a play set in Essex without a Tracey!

On the male side, a lovely forlorn performance by Mark Haines as ‘Monty,’ the male supervisor in love with Connie who was stuck in the corrupt, male dominated, union world as it gradually dawns on him that world is slowly but surely changing.

Kevin Long made the transformation from arrogant to out of his depth boss of Ford UK, ‘Jeremy Hopkins’ brilliantly as he quickly lost control of the whole situation, whilst the even more arrogant gun totting Stetson wearing Jake Dudley as US boss ‘Mr Tooley’ was even bigger and brasher than the girls in the machine shop. His rendition of ‘This is America’ was one of the highlights.

Frazer McDonald, only credited as ‘Barry’ the young toolmaker actually demonstrated far more of his versatility, giving us several cameo roles from factory floor worker to US bodyguard.

Lewis Snell, a man I know from a different Place to have natural comic timing who just happens to be blessed with a great singing voice as well, was well worth a watch as ‘Bill’ and ‘Cortina Man,’ as indeed was Andrew Akhurst as ‘Stan,’ ‘Hubble’ and ‘Buckton.’ and Mark Burnapp as ‘Sid’ and  ‘Macer.’

Good to see Vijay Puri-Whitmore taking to the boards again after a nearly four years absence, albeit in a couple of cameo roles as the ‘MC’ and appropriately the ‘Chairman.’

And finally, last but by no means least the two children Daisy Loft and Nathanial Chatterley as ‘Sharon’ and ‘Graham.’ These two were confidence personified and were a delight to watch.

To my mind, what makes a modern show rise above the ordinary in this day and age is the quality of the choreography and in this regard Tara Hutchins did this show proud with some lovely clever moves and a well drilled cast.

Martin Grover can be ‘well proud’ of this production and it was certainty very well directed with great pace and vibrancy and some excellent well staged pieces. A wonderful lovely touch at the end when ‘Sharon’ took her bow in a Doctors’ coat signifying how far women’s rights have progressed since 1968.

I just wish I’d seen it a couple of nights later when it will undoubtedly have ironed out some the technical hitches and clunky scene changes.

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