Made in Dagenham

Crewe Amateur Musicals Society made a welcome return to the Crewe Lyceum stage with their production of ‘Made in Dagenham’. This production was directed by Rhianne Stubbs, making her directorial debut. The large static set worked well, giving the impression of the interior of the factory. Other locations were created relatively quickly with additional furniture, such as the sewing machines and the hospital bed. This was all that was needed to create recognisable locations. The pace between scenes was generally slick, allowing the momentum of the production to be kept up. There were some moments where the pace dropped during scene changes, where big set pieces (such as the car) were being moved. There were strong moments throughout. There was a tight-knit family bond with the O’Grady family – you really believed their family unit. The staging of the conference was especially powerful, with the women stood on the stairs as Rita was delivering her speech, and the male characters sat with their backs to the audience. The costumes were good throughout and helped transport the audience to the late sixties. The factory uniforms for both male and female were good, giving a cohesive feeling to the workers.

Adam Whitehead was the musical director for this production. Adam led the band well throughout. The vocals from the cast were very good, especially in the big ensemble numbers. The harmonies in these were particularly strong.

As well as directing, Rhianne Stubbs was also the choreographer for ‘Made in Dagenham’. The choreography suited the production and the time period. It was performed well by the cast, who were well drilled in it. A particular highlight was ‘This is America’, which was a strong opener to the second act.

Technical elements were strong throughout. The sound balance between the band and cast was great. The lighting design was very good throughout as well. The colours used in different moments were great, especially in ‘This is America’, with red, white and blue being used – great touch.

Natasha Griffiths played Rita O’Grady. This was a convincing performance from Natasha. She was strong, yet there was vulnerability in Natasha’s performance, especially during ‘The Letter’. Natasha worked very well with the rest of the cast, creating believable bonds with them. Natasha’s vocals were very strong throughout as well.

Sean Clark-Wilkinson played Eddie O’Grady. This was a very good performance from Sean, as he battled the masculine world of the 1960s and supporting his wife. Sean was able to get the struggle across well, and his vocals during ‘The Letter’ were fantastic. The acting through song was particularly strong and Sean had the audience in the palm of his hand.

Lisa Humphries gave an emotional performance as Connie Riley. There was a lovely sincerity to Lisa’s performance, giving Connie a quiet strength. The friendship between Rita and Connie was totally believable, making Connie’s death that more impactful. This was a well-considered performance.

Danielle Smith (Sandra Beaumont), Jennie Dale (Clare), Rosie Griffith (Beryl), Lorna Lloyd (Cass), and Gemma O’Donnell (Rachel) made a cohesive unit as the factory workers and Rita’s friends. They had some great one-liners and really added to the comedy, especially Rosie, who delivered her jokes with great comic timing, and had the audience in hysterics.

Natalie Kent delivered a strong performance as Barbara Castle. She totally inhabited the character, delivering a believable character. Her vocals in ‘Ideal World’ were great, and she was able to deliver the comedy well. This was a standout supporting performance.

Robert Earl was great in the cameo role of Harold Wilson. Although a small role, Robert certainly made an impact, delivering great comedic moments throughout. This was an enjoyable performance.

Victoria Hammond did well as Lisa Hopkins, providing a contrast to the factory workers. The initial friendship between Lisa and Rita was good, and it was great watching it blossom, thanks to Victoria’s performance.

Ian Wilkinson played Monty, one of the union leaders. This was a good performance from Ian, and the sincerity in his performance following Connie’s death was believable.

Nick Horsley was suitably business focussed as the American, Tooley. As mentioned previously, ‘This is America’ was a strong number, which Nick led well.

It was great having children involved with the production, giving a sense of realism to the production. They all appeared confident and assured in what they were doing. Well done!

The ensemble worked hard throughout, many taking on cameo roles throughout. They were focussed on the story, and greatly added to the scenes. The ensemble vocals were strong and a delight to listen to.

Overall, this was a good production. There were good performances, good comedy moments, and a production that was full of heart.

A big thank you to everyone at Crewe Amateur Musicals Society for their kind invite and their hospitality.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.