IF ever there was a time to re-visit the story of the women machinists fighting for equality with the men at Ford Motor Company, this is it.
With workers in a variety of sectors having recently walked out over disputes relating to pay and working conditions, the themes of the hit musical Made In Dagenham have felt incredibly topical of late.
Inspired by a true story and based on the 2010 hit movie, Made in Dagenham is a musical comedy about friendship, love and the importance of fighting for what is right. Brought to life at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre by Woking’s leading musical theatre company, WAOS Musical Theatre, the show depicts how ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they stand together.
Made in Dagenham is set in 1968 Essex where, like millions of other working women, each morning Rita O’Grady is just trying to get her husband out of bed, get the kids off to school and get to work at the factory on time. Life, however, is about to change forever when it’s announced that the women in the stitching room of Ford’s Dagenham car plant will have their pay grade dropped to “unskilled”.
Quickly drawing on a strength she never knew she had, Rita leads her friends in a battle against the might of Ford and the lacklustre attention of the male-dominated trade union that is supposed to protect them. As the girls’ inspiring journey gets bigger than anyone could have imagined, the pressure is too much for some. Can Rita keep up the fight and the happy home she’s worked so hard for?
The cast of WAOS MT say they cannot wait to perform this unforgettable show. Lucy Morris, who plays the principal role of Rita, said: “For me it’s the journey that every character goes on from start to finish and the importance of the show not just back then and what it meant to everybody but its meaning now as well. I think it’s particularly important at the moment.”
Another cast member, Lindsey McBratney, loves the show’s feminist themes. “It’s all about female empowerment and thinking about the historical side of it,” she said. “These women did fight for equal pay and while there still is a wage gap in some jobs there is more equality thanks to these women.”
Director Amanda Carey-McDermott has built something of a reputation – previously with directing partner Beth Flitton – for delivering comedy stories with female empowerment at their centre, with recent successes with 9 to 5 and the sell-out production of Legally Blonde in 2021.
She said: “This show holds a special place for me, not just as an important story in the fight for female equality, but also personally, as my own grandfather worked at the Ford plant for 30 years and at the time of the strike.
“It’s a privilege to be working with an amazingly talented cast and to bring this funny, moving and ultimately inspiring story to the Rhoda stage.”
Made in Dagenham is a vibrant, powerful, and undeniably relevant show depicts events that led to the Equal Pay Act 1970. It has charismatic characters, catchy songs and memorable quotes.