Made in Dagenham

“Made in Dagenham” is a terrific show, but also a challenging one to stage, as the action moves rapidly between a wide variety of settings.  In this case the style of the presentation was further influenced by the unusual nature of the performance space, with a sweep of wide steps in front of the stage, and additional areas to utilise stage left and stage right.  The Sainsbury Singers enhanced this space by adding a raised gallery at the back of the stage, which meant that there was always interest in the use of levels, the company was able to present some striking tableaux, and the action cracked on at a good pace.

“Made in Dagenham” is essentially an ensemble piece, and the harmony singing was particularly impressive.  The boys sang the title song with real gusto, while the girls brought out the camaraderie of the workplace in “This Is What We Want” and “Wossname”.  The factory setting was brought to life with plenty of realistic sewing machines, while “Pay Day” provided an opportunity for the company to demonstrate several of the dance crazes of the period. 

The most complex numbers are “Everybody Out”, “Storm Clouds” and “Stand Up”, and these had obviously been thought through very carefully.  The trip to Liverpool to persuade the workers there to join the strike was well staged; and some of the short vignettes, notably those involving Tooley, Wilson and Castle in “Storm Clouds”, had been subtly re-imagined (for example, making use of telephones) to enable the number to flow without huge amounts of scene shifting.

“Made in Dagenham” tells the story of an important episode in our modern history, and it remains relevant, as Barbara Castle notes in her final speech, because the struggle for equality continues.  The Sainsbury Singers not only brought the musical to life in an impressive and entertaining way, but genuinely engaged and challenged their audience.

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