THEATRE-GOERS at Petersfield Festival Hall will get the chance to have an ‘immersive theatrical experience’ – including pre-show dining – as part of Petersfield Theatre Group’s upcoming production of the exhilarating musical Made in Dagenham.

The show, based on the 2010 film of the same name, tells the story of the fight by the women of Ford’s Dagenham plant to gain equal pay.

Their 1968 strike brought the car giant to a standstill and paved the way for the introduction of the 1970 Equal Pay Act.

Although the story has a serious message about inequality at its core, the show is full of energy, fun and laughs, with some great characters and big show-stopping numbers.

And the fun is reinforced by the chance to try the full-on 1968 experience.

Theatre-goers will be welcomed into an authentic 1960s workers’ social club, with music of the era to get them in the mood, and there’s even live cabaret after the show.

There will also be themed drinks at the bar, along with cocktails created in tribute to some of the show’s characters.

They can book pre-show dining, with a menu covering ‘60s culinary favourites – prawn cocktail, coq au vin and Black Forest gateau – but, unlike 1968, there will also be vegan and special diet versions available.

Robert Ingram, who is running the bar and restaurant at the show, said: “We want to create a truly authentic experience for our audiences, giving them a taste of 1968 life, as well as adding to the fun of the musical.”

The immersive experience is becoming a regular feature of PTG shows.

When the group performed Chicago back in 2019, the bar and foyer of the Festival Hall were transformed into a 1920s Chicago speakeasy, complete with cocktails and music of the era.

Director of Made in Dagenham John-Paul McCrohon said: “This is a great story told in a really fun, accessible way.

“It’s fresh and irreverent, with some really comic scenes and some very modern resonances.

“It’s entertaining, it makes you think while making you laugh, and it also has a fantastic score.

“Quite simply, I think it’s one of the best British musicals of recent years.”

Performances of Made in Dagenham run from May 18 to May 21, and include a matinée performance on the Saturday.

Tickets for the show cost £16 for adults, £11 for children.

Tickets for the dining ‘experience’ are £15 a head, with £5 payable upfront, £10 on the night.

Show tickets and dinner reservations are available online via the PTG ticket office website at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ptg

Or they can bought at One Tree Books in Lavant Street, Bambino Baby in the town centre, or from the Festival Hall booking office in the Town Hall.