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Review by Jim Farr (NODA)
"I always find it a pleasure to attend Dereham’s productions and was delighted to be asked along again to review their main musical for 2010. I have been longing to see a production of the Matchgirls ever since I first heard it on CD. I was intrigued to see how this production would come alive on stage and for that matter how Dereham would manage in their temporary home. With their usual flair they provided a little extra beforehand by way of a display of antique matches from the Bryant and May factory and photographs of the real life heroines of the original strike. On stage the performance from the Dereham ladies was upbeat and energetic and whilst the male cast gave good account of themselves the shortage of men was rather noticeable. The dance routines were well conceived and executed by the ladies, all resplendent in neat tidy costumes; perhaps a shade too clean given the conditions. Musically this production was backed by a lively six piece orchestra under the direction of Andy Lofthouse. Sets looked very effective and although scene changes were a little cumbersome on opening night, my spies tell me these improved during the run as the team got use to their new surroundings. Good use was made of the stage, with both set design and movement. Having seen the show I can’t help thinking the authors sold the Matchgirls short with a rather sugary treatment of the subject, which failed to reflect the real suffering and hardships of the girls. Of the leading ladies, we were treated to an emotional performance from Danielle Warne as Kate; who found herself torn between the chance of a new life abroad and loyalty to her work colleagues. A feisty, crusading performance from Jude Oularé as the social reformer, Annie Besant and a very tender, motherly performance from Ruth Hannent as Mrs Purkiss. Two super cameo roles; one from Jayne Andrews (Jessie), I particularly liked the spats between her and Danielle Warne, the other from Lavinia Pirret (Old Min), a real scene stealer – with excellent make-up to match the role. Despite looking a little tense with his solo numbers Kevin Reeve as Joe, leader of the Dockers, produced a good performance and was ably assisted by his work mate Martyn Rolfe (Perce). There was also a fine performance from Nick Bird, who managed to keep his Irish accent throughout the production, playing the role of George Bernard Shaw. Vocally the show sounded good most of the time, especially the ladies’ chorus numbers, but for my money, the best was kept to last with the rendition of “Waiting”. In addition to being an entertainment, this experience was an education and I left with feelings of admiration and respect for the original Matchgirls. If it were not for this musical I suspect their contribution to social reform and working conditions would be all but forgotten. Sugary it may have been, but a sweet reminder to us all of those gallant ladies and campaigner who took up their cause. I’m so pleased to have seen it."
June 2017
Diary Dates
Fusion
14th - 15th July 2017
Dereham Memorial Hall
Beauty and the Beast
27th December 2017 - 1st January 2018
Dereham Memorial Hall