Review – Made in Dagenham, Adelphi Theatre

The signs were so enormously encouraging.

A new (very) British musical with a crack team behind it. Music by James Bond film composer David Arnold, lyrics by Richard Thomas (Jerry Springer: the Opera), a book by Richard Bean (One Man, Two Governors) and helmed by Rupert Goold, AD at the Almeida who also delivered in spades (and axes) with the musical version of American Psycho.

On the downside Made in Dagenham is yet another film-to-stage adaptation.

Review – Shoes, Sadler’s Wells

Here’s a tantalising insight into Phil’s idiosyncratic life:

When he returned from seeing the “song and dance revue” Shoes at Sadler’s Wells his newly-arrived house guest waved a copy of Beryl Reid‘s blithely titled autobiography So Much Love in his face, reminding him of her famous remark that she needed to find the right shoes in order to discover a character.

Now, if you ever meet a Whinger you need only look below their well-turned ankles to realise that footwear is not such a pressing concern to either of them. Andrew is rarely out of his housecoat and fluffy mules. Phil has rarely been seen in anything other than flats since the 1970s put paid to his pelvis and his chances of giving birth.