The Female Force: A Stirring Story of Women Police Constables.
Wide-eyed and eager to please, WPC Iris Armstrong (Hannah Baker) prepares for her first day on the beat. This historical production tells the story of pioneering women in the police force.
Once only permitted to join as volunteers, concerned solely for the affairs of women and children, female officers were finally allowed to sign up for the police federation in 1948. But, being granted a uniform and a badge certainly didn’t afford these women anywhere close to equal treatment, jurisdiction, or pay.
We watch as WPCs Iris and Ruby support each other on the not-so-mean streets of a quaint market town, and - perhaps the bigger challenge - when facing their male counterparts back at the station. The show takes responsibility for sharing the under-told history of women police constables - who were demarcated separately from men, as “WPCs”, until as late as 1999!
A Force to be Reckoned With is chock-full of playful songs, clever lyrics, and a seriously impressive range of instruments. The four-strong cast maintain a lively pace throughout and supersede any passing distractions - such is the talent of touring outdoor performers!
Scattered with comic moments (including the ingenious use of an off-stage kazoo), the audience can’t help but smile throughout - though the show remains far from a comedy. The central female police officers tackle institutional sexism, traumatic backstories, and frustration at their limited powers to enact their duty.
Rachel Hammond’s character, Ruby, takes a very different approach to policing than the straight-edged Iris. She’s playful, boisterous, and charmingly maternal. Whilst Baker’s officer is prim, proper, and delightfully dorky. The two girls in blue form a classic double-act pairing.
Midway through, the show takes an unexpected turn towards TV soap drama storylines. From caricatures designed to represent an archetype, we delve into specific character development. Harvey Badger’s wholesome portrayal of the sergeant is muddied into a more problematic characterisation. And the WPCs lose their conviction, worn down by the system. Energetic brass-band tunes give way to longing, slow serenades and shift the mood entirely. Unfortunately, these subplots feel a little rushed when the show is attempting to tell a 150-year history in just 90 minutes!
Hannah Baker and Rachel Hammond as WPCs Iris and Ruby.
However, this smattering of tangential scenes and storylines certainly strives to expand the primarily educational show into a broader narrative arc. Thereamong, Eddie Ahrens’ recurring characterisation as an eccentric clairvoyant stands at odds to the rough policeman he plays elsewhere. First appearing to be nothing more than a playful caricature, this secondary character becomes a clever nod to the kinship between WPCs and other societal outsiders. Embracing the power of camp clairvoyance, the show’s conclusion returns to its educational roots, summarising the future of female policing - and the journey still to come.
A Force to be Reckoned With takes on the challenging position of showcasing the story of female police officers, played in the modern-day context of a problematic police force. But this production stands firmly as a celebration of the strides made by pioneering women over the past 150 years. The toe-tapping show is overwhelmingly positive, a-political, and family friendly.
Mikron Theatre Company will be touring the length and breadth of the UK with A Force to be Reckoned With this summer. For dates, venues, and ticket information, visit the Mikron Theatre website.
Read our take on Mikron’s last round of musical theatre here: Raising Agents Review.
Photo credit: Robling Photography
