Made in Dagenham – reviews of 'crowd-pleasing' Brit musical
Catchy stage version of female factory worker film has salty humour and quirky, big-hearted charm
What you need to know
A new musical of Made in Dagenham has opened at the Adelphi Theatre, London. Rupert Goold directs the stage show, based on a true story and the hit 2010 film. It features a book by Richard Bean (One Man, Two Guvnors) and music by David Arnold (Hot Fuzz, and Sherlock).
Set in 1968, it stars Gemma Arterton as Rita, wife, mother and factory worker at Ford’s Dagenham car plant, who is outraged when she discovers that the pay grade for female workers will be dropped to ‘unskilled’. Rita leads her friends in a battle for fair pay against the Ford management and a corrupt union, but finds that her family life suffers in the process. Runs until 28 March.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What the critics like
The creators of Made in Dagenham have transformed a hugely popular feel-good movie into "a big-budget, even more crowd-pleasing, British musical", says Paul Taylor in The Independent. This show – with its slick, catchy tunes, droll, mischievous lyrics and positively gag-infested book – infectiously demonstrates that it’s a saga well worth making a song and dance about.
"This is a deeply, unapologetically British musical with a quirky, big-hearted charm," says Henry Hitchings in the Evening Standard. Fizzing with salty humour it's robustly likeable, mixing passionate populism with bursts of big-budget flamboyance.
It’s witty, fun, inventive and "distinctly English", says Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail. This colourful, amiable production with a feel-good approach to a long-won battle for fairness will win plenty of friends for an evening’s easy entertainment.
What they don't like
There are things to enjoy in this stage show, but it "suffers from its caricatures, relentless jokiness and a functional score", says Michael Billington in The Guardian. It strikes a feminist posture, but lacks genuine passion.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The de-extinction process to bring woolly mammoths back to life
Under the Radar Biotechnology start-up's stem cell research brings possibility of genetically engineered species a step closer
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Today's political cartoons - March 17, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - history repeating, the Pope's white flag, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Derelict homes, Welsh mines, and vinyl
Podcast What can we do about abandoned property? Are old mines still doing us harm? And what do LP sales tell us about the economy?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Entangled Pasts: Art, Colonialism and Change review – an 'ambitious' and 'well meaning' exhibition
The Week Recommends The exhibition examines works of the African diaspora and historic links to colonialism
By The Week UK Published
-
The Hills of California review: 'ambitious, substantial and intriguing' play
The Week Recommends Jez Butterworth's 'ambitions are as large as ever', but does the play compare to his previous works?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Cute review: an 'unsettling' yet 'highly seductive' exhibition
The Week Recommends The concept of cuteness is explored in full force at this Somerset House show
By The Week UK Published
-
Plaza Suite: Sarah Jessica Parker is 'terrific entertainment'
The Week Recommends Sex and the City star plays against type in London's hottest ticket at the Savoy Theatre
By The Week Staff Published
-
Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay review: luxury service with a welcoming mood
The Week Recommends Beautiful wine and food only enhanced by impeccable service
By Neil Davey Published
-
Pauline Boty: A Portrait exhibition review
The Week Recommends The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see the work of a "largely forgotten" British artist up close.
By The Week UK Published
-
Manon review: Royal Ballet raises the bar with superb cast
The Week Recommends 'Thrilling, grown-up entertainment' for ballet lovers
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Chaucer Here and Now' at the Bodleian Libraries
The Week Recommends The influence of the so-called 'father of English literature' is tracked throughout the centuries in this 'small but special' exhibition
By The Week UK Published