What Did the Critics Think of Made in Dagenham?

Now the musical has officially debuted on the West End stage, this week on the Simon Morris blog I ask what the critics thought of Made in Dagenham.

The Real Story of the Ford Sewing Machinists’ Strike of 1968

I’ve been waiting with baited breath for the release of Made in Dagenham. As I pointed out in a recent blog post, I held high hopes for it. The story is compelling and the score looked promising. In other words, it looked like a West End smash just waiting in the wings.

The musical, an adaption of a 2010 film of the same name, chronicles the real story of the Ford sewing machinists’ strike of 1968, when workers protested in hopes of securing equal pay. It stars accomplished actress Gemma Arterton in the lead role of Rita O’Grady; an ordinary woman turned into a leader by extraordinary events.

A Deeply, Unapologetically, British Musical

Made in Dagenham debuted at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End on the 5^th November. The reviews are in, and as ever there seems to be somewhat of a mix.

There was plenty to like about the show. Paul Taylor at the Independent labelled it "a big-budget, even more crowd-pleasing, British musical," whilst the Evening Standard’s Henry Hitchings called it “a deeply, unapologetically British musical with a quirky, big-hearted charm." It was generally praised for its mischievous lyrics, amiable production, gag-infested book and feel-good vibe.

Sanitised in the West End

Yet these positives left some critics feeling as though the production lacked the substance that a musical about the struggle for women’s rights in the 60’s needs to make it resonate.

The Guardian’s Michael Billington suggested that despite the show boasting some positive elements, it "suffers from its caricatures, relentless jokiness and a functional score." In other words, he’s saying that it makes a good stab at representing feminism, but lacks passion and ultimately, substance. This is something echoed by the Morning Star, which said the show was “sanitised” in the West End.

A Thrilling Night’s Entertainment in the West End.

Ultimately, it seems as though the critics are saying that Made in Dagenham is hardly going to make Germaine Greer’s must see list anytime soon. Nevertheless, it’s a fun, big-budget affair that should provide a thrilling night’s entertainment in the West End.

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Five Best Musical Theatre Dance Numbers

I celebrate the sheer spectacle actors are capable of putting on in a production this week on the Simon Morris blog, by sharing what I believe are the five best musical theatre dance numbers of all time.

Dance, the Physical Expression of Emotion

For the true musical theatre enthusiast, there is no one element that defines the love they share for the medium. The successful show is able to combine consummate acting, thought provoking dialogue, rousing musical tunes and jaw-dropping dance numbers to create a masterpiece.

Dance – the physical expression of emotion – works in musical theatre, because it accentuates and underscores the songs leaving the characters lips, providing us with more clarity into who said characters really are. As such, the medium has become known for the plethora of inspiring dance numbers it has spawned over the years.

These Five Dance Heavy Numbers Stood Head and Shoulders Above the Rest

Some of these numbers stand head and shoulders above their competitors, as true examples of what a production can really do, when it takes full advantage of its ability to incorporate the art of dance. The following five mastered the craft…

1)      Cellblock Tango: The people who created Chicago picked the perfect name for this number. A tango is a daring dance which takes you to the edge, which is where these merry murderesses are, as they chronicle their stories of how they came to the cellblock. As such, the song’s infamous tango routines are not only spellbinding to watch, but fit seamlessly into the narrative.

2)      Buenos Aires:  When you’re a young girl moving to the Big City, you’re full of life and energy; something conveyed by the high-energy, frenetic dance routines of Evita’s ‘Buenos Aires.’ As Eva glides across the floor with a number of men, the dance underscores the words, to help the audience really understand just what this girl has planned for her time in the Big Apple.

3)      Electricity: A show that centred on one boy’s dream of becoming a professional dancer, it makes sense that a number from Billy Elliot would make this list. The number I have chosen is ‘Electricity,’ and I have chosen it, because that’s exactly what it is. When Billy lets go and shows us what he do, with a number of intricate, awe inspiring dance moves, it really is electric.

4)      Time Warp: The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a musical dedicated to exploring the weirder side of life, and nothing quite expresses this like the infamously wacky dance routine in the show’s signature hit, ‘Time Warp.’ Honestly, it’s infectious, and often has people standing up in their seats to match the actions of the actors on stage, as they bust out the ‘Time Warp!’

5)      One: This number typifies the genre. From the show A Chorus Line, a musical about the public and private lives of dancers, ‘One’ is the ultimate stage dance number. With a group of dancers, all identically dressed in gold costumes, performing the same steps in sync with pin point precision (including a never ending stream of hard-to-execute shoulder high chorus line kicks) ‘One’ is a masterpiece.

So Many to Choose From

The great thing about this is, that I honestly had to narrow down the list from a lot, to five. I had to neglect other dance numbers I love, such as ‘Anything Goes,’ ‘Hard Knock Life’ and ‘Santa Fe.’ There’s just so many to choose from, showing just what the musical theatre genre is capable of, when it chooses to incorporate the art of dance!

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A Bend it Like Beckham Musical is Happening!

Fans of the cult female football film will be amazed to hear on the Simon Morris blog this week, that a Bend it Like a Beckham musical is finally happening!

Bend it Like Beckham, a Cult Classic

As a young Simon Morris, musical theatre wasn’t my only interest. I was also a big film buff, and no film charmed me quite like Bend it Like Beckham; no wonder it’s a cult classic.

For those who haven’t seen it, here’s the run down. It’s about a girl living in a traditional Sikh family who yearns to play football professionally, like her idol, David Beckham. After she joins an amateur women’s team, she battles to make her dream a reality, whilst simultaneously falling in love.

What Do We Know About the Bend it Like Beckham Musical?

Yes, it may be cheesy, but it’s addictive, which is why I’m not really that surprised to hear that Bend it Like Beckham will be adapted to the West End stage. Even better, it’ll be written and directed by the same woman made the original 2002 film; Gurinder Chadha.

That’s one of the few things we know about the project at the moment; details are somewhat thin on the ground. We do also know, however, that with previews starting on 15^th May 2015, it will open properly on the 24^th June 2015 at the Phoenix Theatre.

A Totally New Kind of Musical

Chadha took the time to comment on the project. She said that "developing Bend It Like Beckham for the stage has been the most enjoyable creative process of my career so far."

She went on to say that "it was always my intention to build on the film and to present its themes and storylines to live audiences in an exciting new dynamic way. I believe we are presenting a totally new kind of musical - part West End, part London Punjabi, but whole-heartedly British."

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience

So we may not know much, but what we’ve heard from Chadha makes me really excited for a Bend it Like Beckham musical in the West End. It’s sure to be a one-in-a-lifetime experience!

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