It's so unusual these days that I go and see a show having very little knowledge of what it's about - being a musical theatre nerd I'm pretty much word perfect on all the songs before I even enter the theatre - so being able to see the newest addition to the West End, Made In Dagenham, from a completely fresh perspective was super exciting!
The show follows the story of Rita O'Grady and the workers at the Ford factory in Dagenham who rise up to fight for equal pay for women. It's an inspiring story which makes for a fun night out, especially since the cast are very talented. A particular stand out for me was Sophie Isaacs who plays Sandra; her voice was outstanding and she performed the role excellently. Gemma Arterton was also great as Rita O'Grady; a pleasant surprise as sometimes when seeing a famous face in a show you are left disappointed.
Made In Dagenham has a mixed score - some songs were really great while others lacked interest and made me wish they would be over sooner! I really liked 'Everybody Out' - a fun song at the end of act one which really reminded me of 'Seize the Day' from Newsies. Unfortunately it was somewhat outnumbered by a few other more average songs. I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to cut a few songs, as I did think the show seemed a bit long in places and I did find myself wanting them to get to the more exciting moments of the show quicker.
Overall, I'd say this show was good, but not amazing. I'm not in any great hurry to go back and see it again, nor will I be singing the songs for months to come, but if you're looking for a fun night out at the theatre then you can't really go wrong with this. It’s had a decent run, but I didn’t really see it becoming one of those classic shows that never closes. I was also super happy with my seat - I got a £25 stalls ticket (which was right at the back) but could see all the stage with no trouble. I also got to move forwards about three rows due to the huge number of free seats in front of me, which always puts me in a good mood (a bit sad, I know!).
[3/5]
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