Spitfire Girls | Theatr Clwyd

Spitfire Girls, which is written by Katherine Senior and presented by Tilted Wigs Production Company, follows two sisters who signed up and became pilots in the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), telling the often overlooked story of the resilience and incredible bravery of women who rose to the occasion to be vital civilian war effort during World War II.

The story takes place on New Year's Eve in 1959, when two estranged sisters find themselves sat in The Spitfire Pub, looking back on their time in the ATA. Based on the true stories, Senior's script allows a glimpse into the sisters' training and experiences through the use of flashbacks. Whilst we learn about why the sisters are determined to enlist, and their experiences and the emotional impact these experiences had, the dialogue between the sisters in particular feels pretty surface level. There is a missed trick here, however, to discuss the hardships that the sisters' faced in a time where they were not treated equally as men.

Seán Aydon's direction allows for a smooth transition between the then present day and flashbacks into their time in the ATA - there is a naturalistic flow which allows for the dialogue and performances to be at the forefront. Aided by movement director, Stephen Moynihan, there are lovely moments of movement which are metaphorical, allowing the audience to imagine the sisters and their euphoria during their first flight.

Hannah Morrison and Katriona Brown compliment each other perfectly as sisters Dot and Bett, showcasing a sibling bond that is tested but unbreakable. Morrison, who experiences her heartbreak of the war when her pilot fiancée is struck down and ultimately killed, gives an emotionally charged performance throughout. Brown, is equally compelling as Bett, a headstrong and determined young girl. Supporting performances from Jack Hulland as their father, Kirsty Cox as their commanding officer, and Paul Brown are all effective in bringing layers to the sister's lives.

Sarah Beaton's simplistic set design allows the story and performance to unfold naturally. A hexagon shaped raised platform with RAF markings serves its purpose as several locations - the ATA base camp, The Spitfire Pub, and an office but to name a few, with limited props moved around the stage by the cast. Video design by Tyler Forward and lighting design by Peter Small is effective in representing the tense atmosphere of war, as well as representing the freeing experience of being up in the skies. Eamonn O'Dwyer's composition and sound design creates a subtle atmosphere of war looming in the background, without it being overwhelming and allowing the simplicity of the play to be at the forefront.

Ultimately, Spitfire Girls is an inspirational story of true bravery and incredible resilience, and is brought to the stage with striking performances from the cast. There is a lot of heart in Senior's writing which is portrayed on stage, giving spotlight to those forgotten in World War II, however, one wishes that there was a stronger element of this explored throughout the play.

★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Mark Senior