Birmingham Rep | Written by Katherine Senior | Directed by Sean Aydon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s New Year’s Eve, 1959, and the rain is hammering against the windows of The Spitfire pub. Inside, two women reunite after years apart—once comrades in the skies, now bound by memories that never quite landed. What unfolds is Spitfire Girls, a heartfelt and finely staged tribute to the real-life heroines of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) who defied expectations during WWII.
Inspired by true stories, Katherine Senior’s script warmly celebrates the courage, camaraderie, and quiet resilience of the women who took to the skies when the world told them not to. It’s funny, moving, and quietly revolutionary—shining a well-deserved spotlight on an often-overlooked chapter of wartime history. I attended the Birmingham Rep Theatre to watch this production.
Staging & Atmosphere
The production makes strong use of its space: a hexagon-shaped stage keeps things dynamic and intimate, while realistic 1940s costumes and clever projection work help bring the past to life. The lighting design is particularly effective, subtly guiding our emotional journey without overwhelming it. Even the programme embraces the theme, thoughtfully styled in period fashion.
Characters & Performance
Laura Matthews is utterly magnetic as Dotty—the younger sister full of charm, mischief, and emotional depth. She flits from flirtatious to fierce to fragile in moments, making Dotty feel wholly human. Her relationship with the more grounded and wary Bett, played with stoic presence by Senior herself, forms the emotional core of the play. Bett, the protective older sibling, may come across as stern and less sympathetic, but her concern is deeply felt—even if at times I struggled to fully connect with her character’s emotional arc.
The supporting cast adds layers of realism, especially Jack Hulland, who delivers a poignant performance as the sisters’ war-weary father, quietly battling to keep his world—and farm—together.
Themes & Impact
At its heart, Spitfire Girls is more than just a war story. It’s a celebration of women’s strength and a reminder that history was shaped not just by generals and soldiers, but by everyday pioneers who flew under the radar—literally. The mention of the ATA being one of the first British organisations to offer equal pay in 1943 lands with particular weight.
This production is proud in its pro-feminist stance without being didactic. It doesn’t just show us what these women did—it reminds us why their stories still matter.
Final Notes
While the sound design worked well overall—particularly in its transition from scene to radio—it could use a slight volume boost in places. A minor technical quibble in an otherwise well-tuned performance.
This is an uplifting and important piece of theatre, beautifully crafted and sincerely told. With only a few dates left at the Birmingham Rep, I’d recommend grabbing a ticket while you can.
Chocks away—this one’s a flyer.
