On 5 December 1916 37 women were killed in an explosion at a munitions factory at Barnbow in Leeds. A unknown number of the surviving women were left severely disfigured and maimed.
Not one word was published about this tragedy due to censorship until decades later.
Now Barnbow Canaries brings this story to light and pays tribute to not only the women who died but to all those who worked in the dangerous field of munitions.
The work was hazardous as filling shells with TNT exposed the women to lethal poisoning – they were dicing with death and they knew it but were placated by the high rates of pay they received.
Over the last year or so we have been force fed a diet of war plays some good, some bad,but this one hits hard, especially in Leeds as its based on fact.
It rang home truths for me as I can remember my Gran recalling girls in her area who worked at Barnbow and the health problems they suffered – she was a dressmaker so worked making uniforms at a much lower rate – but never-the-less was one of the women who gave their all, worked long hours and made-do-and-mended on the Home Front.
Alice Nutter has captured the spirit of the times in this gripping play which has humour, passion, tenderness as well as harshness sewn expertly into it. Director Kate Wasserberg,s production is a brilliant one and injects humour and pace into what could quite easily become a sombre offering. I particularly loved the silent film opening that brought the expectation of enjoyment to the audience – this was not going to be another same-as-same-as war epic.
The mood changes are brilliant with all credit going to Dyffan Jones’s ingeniously embedded creative music and sound that gives so much to the production. My seat almost rattled at the clanging factory noises and the explosion was so cleverly managed you really felt like running to the exits
But top marks must once again go to the brilliant technical staff of West Yorkshire Playhouse and designer Mark Bailey whose sets seamlessly glide in and out expertly manoeuvred by playhouse staff and the cast.
It would be hard to single out any member of the cast as each one had developed such a perfect characterization that was true to the times.
Barnbow Canaries is an intimate piece of theatre that will make sure that these women’s memories is taken to a higher level and made known outside the area. Every night of the run in the poignant finale there’s a tribute to each one of them by name as a yellow balloons are released to these women, whose families received only baskets of fruit as compensation for the women giving their lives. It’s a finale that brings tears to the eyes even with the sudden change of mood into the girls chirpy anthem there’s an uncanny disbelief and sadness as the audience leave the theatre.
But just one plea to playwrights writing about old Leeds there were other working class and poor areas apart from Hunslet which gets an overkill in so many plays – think Burmantofts, Harehills, Sheepscar, Meanwood, York Road and Beckett Street all heavily populated where many of these workers came from.
Barnbow Canaries is a piece of Leeds’s living social history and a must see for anyone who resides in the city. Runs until 9th July at West Yorkshire Playhouse.