This week has not only been musically enjoyable, but emotional and a real eye opener. It has been an absolute honour to be asked to play a Keys part for ‘Made In Dagenham’.
On the opening night, I really wasn’t sold, but by the last show, I am more than sold. If I get the opportunity to be part of this show again in the future, I will jump at it. I know I say that a lot about shows I’ve done, but let me just say why I feel this one was different.
I have felt a lot of emotions with musicals before, but with this one, it really touched me. The storyline behind this show as a lot of you will know is about women getting equal pay. First off, I think as I’m only 30, I didn’t ever really realised just how bad it was back then. I have seen debates and real life evidence of how women are treated as lower than men, and that has always sickened me. It never even crossed my mind that women are lower than men. I feel it’s so sad that not everyone shares this view.
Before this week, I had never heard of Made In Dagenham. But this week, as I’ve sat in the wings doing my job, and only being able to listen to the show (not even all of it, as I couldn’t always hear the lyrics over a 9 piece orchestra), I’ve not even watched the show and yet I could picture it with every word. I couldn’t see the audience, and yet I could feel them standing up to the speech about women’s rights at the end. It was the longest show I’ve ever done, and I don’t think I’ve known an audience to react like the audience did this week at 10:45pm at night. It was not just a roaring applause for the cast, but a roar for the story. In at least 3 musical numbers and the final scenes every night, I have had goosebumps while playing and listening.
I don’t think I can say anymore, other than the biggest congratulations and thank you to HEOS for a week I will remember for a long time. God Bless You All! X
Lee Dewsnap 