Photo Flash: Spitfire Veterans Meet Cast Of THE SHADOW FACTORY

Nine Spitfire veterans from Southampton and Portsmouth came face to face with members of the cast from Nuffield Southampton Theatres critically acclaimed play The Shadow Factory at a special after show meeting held on the stage.

Check out the photo below!

The veterans had worked building Spitfire parts during the Second World War or had witnessed the bombing of the Supermarine Spitfire Factory at Woolston in September 1940.

Samuel Hodges, Director of The Shadow Factory and Nuffield Southampton Theatres said, "It was very special to see these veterans, both men and women, come onto the set to meet the cast. One of them, a Lancaster Bomber, was quick to tell me that it was the Lancasters, and not the Spitfires, that he held a flame for. Another, 94 year old Ray Penny, worked in the Woolston factory as a boy and remembers Len Gooch, who is portrayed in our play, all too well. But the best moment came as we posed, shoulder to shoulder, for a group photograph. One of the group started to sing "White Cliffs of Dover" and then all of a sudden, the entire group were singing, full pelt, every word off by heart, the memories clearly flooding back. It was one of those rare life moments"

The Shadow Factory written by one of Britain's greatest living playwrights, Howard Brenton, tells the true story from the Second World War of a Southampton family who after bombing raids destroyed the Woolston Spitfire factory, were tasked with building parts for Spitfires in their laundry business.

First-hand accounts can also be heard in an accompanying Shadow Factory Exhibition which features the visually stunning set of The Shadow Factory designed by 59 Productions, the award winning design team behind the London 2012 Opening Ceremony. This exhibition is FREE and is running at NST City throughout the day from 4 February to the 1 March.

The play has a stella cast which includes Denise Black (Denise Osbourne in Coronation Street, Joanie Wright in Emmerdale and Hazel Tyler in Queer as Folk), Bethan Cullinane, Joe Tracini (Dennis Savage in Hollyoaks) and Michael Fenton Stevens (The Crown, Benidorm, New Tricks) joining returning cast members David Birrell,Catherine Cusack and Shala Nyx alongside a 25 community company made up of Southampton residents..

Tickets are available online at nstheatres.co.uk or from the box office 023 80671771