Made In Dagenham- The Musical

Made in Dagenham is based on the 2010 film of the same name and inspired by the true events of the 1968 sewing-machinists strike at the Ford factory in Dagenham, Essex, when management downgraded their status to that of an unskilled worker, which in turn led to changes in legislation and the creation of the Equal Pay Act. The show explores themes of gender equality, politics, and the history of the time.

The static set was on two levels, the railing on the top level did block the view of the actors when they were sat down and at times looked a little tight for space. But this did enable the pace to remain up. I would say that sometimes when the actors came on for the next scene whilst the action in the previous scene was still going it was a little distracting. I liked the use of the Juliet balcony, which worked really well in “I’m Sorry, I Love You” Also having the TUC conference speech played out right down stage centre worked well, making the audience feel part of the action. I found in the 2nd act the scenes were less defined with minimal dressing/props which meant it wasn’t clear where the action was taking place. The lighting design was effective, and the sound was overall balanced well, although I couldn’t hear the dialogue on the projections at the start of the show. The choreography was pitched at the right level for the cast. Costumes/Hair and Makeup were well thought through and in keeping of the time.

The cast was led by Rita - there is a lot of difficulty in this role, getting the balance between housewife/mother and machinist turned campaigner, you managed this well. Husband Eddie - I loved your vocals, especially in “The Letter”, a highlight for me. Don’t be afraid to start slightly softer, it gives more impact then when you really let go. Rita was well supported by the enthusiastic performances of Beryl, Sandra, Cass and Clare . I loved this gentler interpretation of Clare; it contrasted well with the other girls. “Wossaname” another highlight.  Connie and Monty were sensitively portrayed, “Connie’s Song” was delivered with passion. Barbara Castle and Harold Wilson both got the best out of their comedy lines. Mr and Mrs Hopkins gave a nice contrast to the factory staff. Mr Tooley was suitably unpleasant. A special mention for the young actors playing Sharon and Graham, a lovely performance, well done. The Ensemble all worked hard with lots of energy supporting the principal cast very well. One note for everyone, there were lots of moments throughout the show where the action was facing the back, and although we could hear ok thanks to the radio mic’s we lost a lot of facial expressions, this was especially noticeable in The Bernie Inn, we lost all of Rita’s reaction to Connie’s dialogue and song.

I would like to congratulate the programme designer, I loved the format of a newspaper, a great idea.

The finale “Stand Up” quite rightly got everyone up on their feet in solidarity. Congratulations to the Cast, Crew and Creative Team for a very enjoyable evening.

PLEASE NOTE:

Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what he sees at the performance in question.  The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance, and it is inevitable that his assessment will be effected by that knowledge.

The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in particular the performance viewed.  It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed.  Any criticisms expressed may not have been valid at other performances, and are only made to encourage higher standards in Amateur Theatre.

It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer will prove helpful in improving future productions.

 

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