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This musical about the post office scandal blends community, resilience, and music to spotlight wrongful convictions.Summary
Rating
Good
The UK Post Office scandal saw the wrongful prosecution of over 700 sub-postmasters between 2000 and 2014, rooted in faults within the Horizon IT system. This Fujitsu-developed software falsely flagged accounting discrepancies as losses, which led the Post Office to accuse sub-postmasters of theft or fraud. Ignoring sub-postmasters’ complaints and evidence of software errors, the Post Office held them financially accountable, resulting in criminal convictions, imprisonment, and, in many cases, financial ruin. This crisis, one of the largest miscarriages of justice in British history, has led to hundreds of overturned convictions, although many affected sub-postmasters are yet to receive formal confirmation or compensation.
The ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office portrays this injustice, while this new musical Make Good, co-created by Jeanie O’Hare and composer Jim Fortune, also sheds light on these stories with a unique blend of severity, humour, and hope. Ed Gaughan, who plays multiple roles and performs in the band, opens the show with a reflection on the unlikely transformation of such a bleak story into a “toe-tapping” musical. Gaughan balances gravitas with light-hearted moments, although some comedic elements, like the customer service exchanges with Horizon’s call center, miss the mark by undercutting the severity of the sub-postmasters’ desperation for assistance.
The characters draw directly from real-life sub-postmasters’ experiences, each showcasing a different aspect of the scandal’s human toll. Victoria Brazier shines as Elsie, a sub-postmaster who tragically passed away before her conviction could be quashed. Charlotte Delima delivers a moving portrayal of Indira, who endures the destruction of her reputation and marriage due to the accusations. Samuel Gosrani’s Mohandas offers a powerful representation of resilience, adamantly asserting his innocence even as he loses support from his own family.
Community plays a central theme in Make Good. Audiences are encouraged to join in on certain refrains, and the production incorporates a local choir at each venue to enhance the show’s sense of solidarity. Here we have Herne Hill’s Raise The Roof choir, who not only sing but also read statements from former sub-postmasters, adding a layer of authenticity and shared strength. Pentabus, the theatre company behind Make Good, is known for fostering community connections, and this production aligns well with that mission. However, it’s a minor letdown that the choir does not receive a formal mention in the closing remarks, though their contribution is acknowledged on the company’s website.
Fortune’s musical score is a highlight of the production, expertly adapted for small, touring venues. The multi-talented band members, including Gaughan and Rowan Elliott, shift seamlessly between various instruments. Màth Roberts impressively plays both the accordion and keyboard at one point. A particularly memorable moment is when Elliott, using his violin, recreates the sound of an Indian sarangi during a scene that depicts Mohanas’s family history with the Post Office, evoking a sense of cultural depth and pride. Fortune’s compositions offer cast members a chance to shine individually and as an ensemble, employing simple yet powerful harmonies that resonate with the narrative’s emotional weight.
The musical brings also manages to bring unique elements to light, including subtle suggestions that racism may have influenced disparities in support received by different sub-postmasters. It also highlights, albeit briefly, the exact technical coding flaw at the heart of Horizon’s failures. While engaging and thought-provoking, Make Good could benefit from trimming some scenes and songs in the first act to improve pacing without losing the narrative’s impact.
This production combines serious social commentary with moments of levity and musicality, paying tribute to the resilience of those wronged by the Post Office and celebrating the strength of community in the face of systemic failure.
Book by: Jeanie O’Hare
Music & Lyrics by: Jim Fortune
Additional Music by: Maimuna Memon
Additional Material by: Ed Gaughan
Directed by: Elle While
Design by: Carla Goodman
Choreography and Movement Direction by: Neil Bettles
Lighting Design by: Jenny Roxburgh
Sound Design by: Dan Balfour
Musical Direction by: Zac Gvi
Produced by: Pentabus and New Perspectives
Make Good has completed its run at Omnibus Theatre. It continues on tour throughout the UK until 1 December. Further details, including tour locations and dates, can be found here.
