Made in Dagenham

Made in Dagenham

St Pauls Musical Theatre Company

16/10/24

"Made in Dagenham" is a musical that tells the inspiring true story of the 1968 Ford sewing machinists' strike for equal pay in Dagenham, Essex. Bringing this vibrant and spirited piece to life is a challenge for any theatre group. St Pauls Musical Theatre Company took on the challenge for this production, it was ambitious and clearly a labour of love.

The cast was enthusiastic and committed, with several standout performances. The lead actress portraying Rita O’Grady (Helen Robert) unfortunately had lost her voice, and was dubbed by three very talented singers  Becky Harton, Joanna Barker, Kathy Jorden-Wright on the opening night I attended. Rita carried much of the show’s emotional weight, her transformation encouraged by her friend and colleague Connie (Marie Williams) from a reluctant leader to an empowered activist were the heart of the production. Supporting characters, particularly the women in the factory, Sandra (Olivia Morrell) Clare (Emily Loughead) Beryl (Becky Harton) Cass (Annie Green) Jo (Eva Morrell) brought energy and humour to the stage, adding warmth to the story's more serious moments. The Dagenham male workers against equal pay Chubby Chuff/Astro (Jacob McElvogue) Sid (Callum Makin) Stan (Georgie Morrell) Barry (Luke Rowe) Bill (Daniel Harris) were reluctant to support their female colleagues. Monty (Peter Joyner) Union Convenor supports the women as does Rita’s husband Eddie (Tony Lacey). The pressure gets to the O’Grady family, with problems at the school the teacher Mr Buckton speaks with Eddie (Craig Manning) who takes his son Graham (Thomas Graves) and daughter Sharon (Harriet Youd) to family leaving a letter for Rita. The women vote to strike, encouraging the Liverpool factory to join them. (Wonderful ensemble number ‘Everybody Out’). The Factory boss Mr Hopkins (Brian Dodd) informs his long-suffering wife Lisa (Joanna Barker) of the trouble with the striking women, and the possible repercussions. Ford American H.Q. helicopter in their American Operation head of staff Mr Tooley (Richard Dodd) to put an end to this nonsense.  Boy did we know he had arrived, Act 2’s opening number ‘This is America’ blew us all away, the lyrics were hysterical, great performance by the talented Stetson wearing Richard Dodd, and his aides Caleb William- Hunt and Jacob Mcelvogue, plus the full male ensemble, not to forget the Cheerleaders plus pom poms, what an opening number a highlight of the show for me.

Dagenham management Mr Hopkins (Brian Dodd) Gregory Hubble (Matthew Smith) Ron Macer (Ian Jones) has meetings with The Prime Minister Harold Wilson (the irrepressible Barry Prescott) able supported by his aides Sue Rannard and Caleb Williams-Hunt. Making an impressive contribution is the employment minister (Barbara Castle) splendidly played by (Kathy Jordan Wright) Loved ‘Ideal World’.

Brenda Davies’s direction was solid in terms of storytelling, deciding to keep the staging simple allowing free movement and space for this substantial cast. Costumes were appropriate for the era, well done wardrobe (Helen Roberts) helping to ground the story in its 1960s setting. The use of lighting by Clinton Ball was also commendable, particularly in highlighting emotional shifts and directing focus during solo numbers. The choreographer Sue Rannard kept it simple to be performed confidently by the entire cast, which is essential in amateur productions, the Cortina Launch was a delightful over the top scene. Well done, Sue.

Technical issues unfortunately affected the opening night performance I attended, with microphones cutting in and out meaning performers often being drowned out by Sian James and the orchestra. A comprehensive tech rehearsal and ‘sound check’ is essential in a production with numerous scene changes, as with this production, twenty-six in all. I was delighted to hear from a colleague that the issues were resolved when he attended later in the run.

There is a great deal of talent in this well-loved society. The ensemble numbers were strong, with the cast harmonizing well, thank you, Carolyn, Alfred,Judith, Sue, Jessica, Sheila, Katie, Jean, Julie, Nigel, Willo. Numbers like ‘Everybody Out’ this rousing anthem of solidarity was one of the highlights of the production. ‘Stand Up’ as the show's climactic number was performed with passion and intensity showcasing the cast’s collective talent and commitment. Congratulations to all concerned.

St Pauls production of ‘Made in Dagenham’ was a heartfelt rendition of a powerful story, a celebration of ordinary people standing up for what is right, you are to be commended on your support for what is a challenging musical

Thank you for inviting me, it was a very entertaining evening in amateur theatre. Looking forward to your next production.

 

Joanne Rymer

NODA

District 4

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