Merseyside's most historic workers strike brought to life on stage by the city's oldest theatre group

One of Liverpool’s oldest musical theatre societies is stepping up the scale of its next production as it retells one of Merseyside’s most historic workers strikes from the 1960’s.

Bentley Musical Theatre group is bringing the hugely popular Made in Dagenham the Musical to Liverpool next month which is based on the Ford Dagenham and Halewood 1968 strikes.

The production is a major landmark for the theatre group as it takes on its first modern 21st-century musical production in the society’s 112-year history.

Made in Dagenham will see the group take to a new home at the Capstone Theatre inside Liverpool Hope University and will be the largest production that has been set in the venue.

The musical itself centres on the female workers in the Ford Dagenham plant who walk out on strike when they are evaluated as ‘unskilled’ and launch a fight for equal pay.

Despite the hard-hitting themes, the musical at heart is a hilarious farcical production and features lots of 1960’s nostalgia alongside powerful, punching modern music.

The society’s director, Michael Pearson, said the production, which is taking place from April 20 until April 23, will be an evening full of ‘big laughs, big costumes and even bigger musical numbers’.

Th cast of Made in Dagenham

He said:

“The production is set to be a major event for The Bentley in its very proud history in Merseyside as only two world wars and Covid have interrupted our determination to present an annual show.

“Our last production of Fiddler on the Roof was a major success with each performance selling out and we’re hoping for the same this time around.

“The Capstone Theatre has told us the production will be the largest musical productions it has ever staged at the venue so the production will be no small feat.”

The musical version, with music by Bond-theme composer David Arnold and lyrics by Richard Thomas (“Jerry Springer the Opera”), is an incredibly exuberant piece featuring lots

of 60’s-style rock and roll numbers that are guaranteed to get audiences dancing in the aisles and clapping and cheering along.

There’s also lots of humour as well. In the lead roles are Taylor Anne Henwood as strike-leader Rita O’Grady while Elliot Tutt plays husband Eddie and they are supported by a large cast, which includes a brilliant troupe of young dancers.