Shadow Factory
Autumn 1940. The Battle of Britain rages.
Southampton is home to our only hope of victory: the Spitfire. But, in one of many devastating raids on the town, the Luftwaffe destroy the Woolston Supermarine Spitfire factory. The Government requisitions local businesses to use as shadow factories – but meets resistance. Fred Dimmock won’t give up his family laundry for anyone.
As the Dimmocks, and other families, struggle to keep control of their lives and livelihoods, a story of chaos, courage and community spirit emerges.
Telling the remarkable story of how a city triumphed over adversity, Howard Brenton's play The Shadow Factory opened Southampton’s brand-new theatre, NST City, in 2018, directed by Nuffield Southampton Theatres’ Director Samuel Hodges.
Howard Brenton’s plays include The Romans in Britain, Never So Good, Anne Boleyn, Drawing the Line, Doctor Scroggy’s War and Lawrence After Arabia. He was also a lead writer on the BBC drama series Spooks.