Inverness Musical Theatre set to put women’s equality into the spotlight with Made in Dagenham show

Highlanders are in for a treat this week, as Inverness Musical Theatre is set to take to the stage with its rendition of Made in Dagenham.

Taking place at Eden Court, the show will be running from Wednesday 27 to Saturday 30. Based on the acclaimed 2010 film of the same name, ‘Made in Dagenham’ dramatises the inspiring events of the 1968 sewing machinists’ strike at the Ford factory in Dagenham, Essex – events which heavily influenced the drafting of the Equal Pay Act of 1970.

We caught up with chairman of Inverness Musical Theatre, Matthias Kremer, and show director, Tierney McLeod ahead of opening night to hear about the action-packed show.

Q Why have you chosen Made in Dagenham?

Tierney: “It’s been chosen as it is such a prominent staple in history in the movement for equality for woman - a conversation which still very, very relevant to be having.

“The fact that the pay gap between males and females increased to 7.7 per cent last year is nuts!! So, we hope this performance will be a fire starter in this conversation.”

Matthias: “We chose Made in Dagenham for several reasons. Most significantly, it’s an incredibly important story to tell, and still very relevant today, with themes of prejudice and equality at the forefront of today’s society.

“Secondly, the music is fantastic! There’s not a song in the show that I don’t listen to with a huge smile on my face. And thirdly, we wanted to produce a show that really fits our company. Our cast is made up of 75 per cent women, and we wanted to put on a show that really celebrates this fact and makes the most of our strong female company!”

Q What can people expect from the performance?

Tierney: “Well, it’s very much a rollercoaster of a show. You can go from side-splitting humour from our factory girls to find yourself swept up in songs and shedding a tear from the work they put in to make it so moving. Also, for a few hours you get to find yourself finding out about this little nugget of history that hits close to home.”

Matthias: “Expect, laughter, tears and joy from this show! It’s a very warm story centred around a struggling family, with a real heart that’s very relatable for people in the audience.

“It’s uproariously funny – look out for our very own Beryl – with some strong language and hilarious humour. In the end though, it tells a beautiful story of standing up for what is right and commemorates a pivotal moment in our history.”

Q How have rehearsals gone?

Tierney: “It’s been good. It’s a very ‘roll your sleeves up’ and chip in where you can to get all the cogs functioning! We are very lucky that everyone is so warm and welcoming and make it enjoyable to do as it takes up a lot of spare time.”

Matthias: “Rehearsals for the show have been brilliant. As a cast member and member of the committee, it’s been a really enjoyable process as the show is incredibly funny, while also being rewarding by allowing us to tell this incredible story.

“The whole cast gets on fantastically, and there is a lovely atmosphere of friendship, respect and collaboration during our rehearsals. Everyone is having a brilliant time and I know that people have made new friends for life!”

Q How many people are involved in Inverness Musical Theatre?

Matthias: “It takes a huge number of people to make a show like this happen. As we’re all volunteers, we’re enormously grateful to all of the people who give their time and energy to making this show a reality.

“We have a cast of 47 people, with a production team of 8, an orchestra of 11, a backstage crew of 10, a costume team of three and a props team of three, plus chaperones, parents, friends of IMT and more. Including non-performing members, the company currently has 75 members.”

Q Do you know how many tickets have sold so far?

Matthias: “We don’t know the exact number, but it’s almost 2,000 – the stalls are almost sold out for each show! We can’t wait to show this production to so many people, and there is no better venue for a show like this in the Highlands than the stunning Empire Theatre in Eden Court.”

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