Viva’s production of ‘Made in Dagenham ‘at The Brook on Friday (29) certainly lived up to Viva’s high reputation and the added excitement that this show was being prepared for the Edinburgh Fringe certainly enhanced the drama of the true story of how women were finally granted equal pay.

My favourite characters were Rita (played by Kerry Hibbet), Eddie (Ben Clark), Monty (David Tickner), Clare (Hannah Schumann), Mr Hopkins (Josh Schumann) and Tooley (Dan Lane). Of course all the characters were very well presented, the singing was highly commendable and the stage movement lively and entertaining.

Rita was highly credible as a young factory worker forced to become centre stage in the fight for equal pay by the women. Her husband Eddie was a real heart throb and his transition through the difficulties he had to face as his wife became more important in the outside world of politics, was smooth and easy to identify with. Monty was the epitome of the long suffering boss of the workers, piggy in the middle between them and the management and in contrast to the posh out-of-touch senior manager Mr Hopkins, while the brash Americanism of Tooley was deliciously unmistakeable. Clare’s problem with finding the right words and the worker characteristics of Beryl (Sarah Shorney) and Sandra (Nadia Saif) were delightful. Other vital characters included Harold Wilson and Mr Hubble (Frank Crosby), Barbara Castle (Jenny Surridge), Cass (Tracey Summers), Sid (Joe Turner), Barry/Cortina (Jack Wright), Stan (Chris Bonini), Mrs Hopkins (Donna Kitching) and Mr Buckton and Mr Macer (Geoff Fisher).

The ensembles made the almost non-stop colourful tableaux of the production come alive, the acting, singing and movements of the participants a vital and integral part of the drama.

Once again, director and producer, Daniel Schumann, his crew and all those who contributed to the production are to be congratulated for a splendid evening and wonderful show.

I look forward to hearing of their success at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Viva will be putting on a production of ‘The Lady in the Van’ in November this year and ‘Legally Blond’ in March next year.

For more information contact: www.viva-group.org.uk