Review: Spitfire Girls at Theatre by the Lake

“…warm and uplifting…”

Spitfire Girls by Katherine Senior, Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

By Ken Powell

Sometimes, you read a book, see a movie or, perhaps, go to the theatre, without having a clue what the story is about. Is it drama? A romance? Comedy? You read or watch simply to enjoy the plot as it evolves, with no preconceptions about style, genre or climax. That was the case for me when seeing this Tilted Wig production at Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake last night. It turns out it’s a little bit of everything.

Written by Katherine Senior who also played the part of Bett (a role she shares with Rosalind Steele), the story is based on the true stories of the girls of the ATA – the Air Transport Auxiliary – who bravely flew planes around the country to get them to where they needed to be. These women – often belittled or verbally abused for trying to be part of ‘a man’s world’ – would have to deal with difficult planes, dodge barrage balloons, avoid getting shot by friendly fire and, more than anything, deal with Britain’s unpredictable weather. Flying hundreds of thousands of miles during World War Two, these ladies allowed the fighter pilots to spend more time on the front line, winning the war.

Bett and her sister, Dot (played by Laura Matthews) join the ATA at the same time, much to the ire of their father. We follow their exploits in love and war, all remembered by the pair many years later, on the eve of 1960. This is a story of indomitable female spirit, of defying conventions and of the cost of loyalty. Most of all, it is the story of sibling love.

While all five players are excellent, the two sisters are clearly the key characters and of the two, Laura Matthews’ performance as Dot shines the brightest. Dot is a fun, can-do girl who can handle anything almost to the point of recklessness. She draws everyone into her world, including her older, more serious sister. You can’t help but love her and admire her zest for life. Laura Matthews’ performance is entirely convincing – you’d want to meet this girl in real life.

It should almost go without saying that there’s definitely tearjerking moments, but there’s also times of great joy with certain characters bringing delightful comic relief. Jack Hulland plays Frank, the friendly pub drunk, who is completely inept and always trying to persuade Bett to serve him another drink. Samuel Tracey plays Jimmy, the boy who helps the ladies at the ATA (firmly on the ground) but who constantly gets himself in a muddle as he deals with a new world where women stand equal with men. Kirsty Cox plays another ATA girl who is brash and thinks nothing of ‘swiping’ items she takes an interest in.

Overall, this is a warm and uplifting piece of theatre. Superbly performed, with characters rooted in reality, Spitfire Girls is a wonderful nostalgic trip into the past that reminds us of the genuine wartime spirit Britain was capable of showing. We may have memories that haunt us but it is possible to let them go. Katherine Senior’s writing is on point every second of the play. giving us an almost flawless production. I’m sure the rest of the tour will fly high. Blue skies, ladies, blue skies.

Spitfire Girls plays at Theatre by the Lake until Saturday 29 March. Tickets are available here.

Ken Powell is chief editor for Northern Arts Review and is also a bestselling author and writer for various publications around the world. A former school teacher, he continues to write educational books along with fiction and travelogues. You can find all his books and various websites here including his popular TEDx talk about the Global Village. He lives with his family in a wonderfully isolated village in West Cumbria where he enjoys drinking tea, chatting with the birds and winding up his dog. You can support his work (or just buy him a coffee) here.