Quality Street

The Viaduct, Halifax

Nestle factory workers have brought a touch of authenticity to Northern Broadsides’ production of JM Barrie’s comedy-drama Quality Street.

Its artistic director Laurie Sansom brought four retired employees on board to help with what is his first show for the Dean Clough-based theatre company.

Barbara Link, Lisolette Peel, Brenda Gladwin and Joanne Woodhead all worked at Nestle, formerly RowntreeMacIntosh which, among other chocolates, produces ‘the everyone’s someone’s favourite’ brightly-wrapped treat.

The quartet watched the play in rehearsal and commented on each act. They also told the company of actors and crew of their experiences and jobs within the Halifax factory.

“It was excellent, a really good experience,” said Barbara Link, who retired last year just shy of 50 years at Nestle.

“We saw it all come together. The way they have worked in the factory and the colours associated with Quality Street is marvellous,” said Mrs Link, who lives with her husband Peter in Elland.

Mrs Link’s parents worked at the factory and she met her husband through the woman who was to become her mother-in-law because she worked at what was Rowntree MacIntosh too.

Being involved with the development of the play was closure on her career.

“When I retired I felt empty. It is hard to get your head round retirement. This filled in a slot for me and now I can move on,” she said.

For Brenda Gladwin, who worked at the factory for 30 year, the experience was fantastic.

She did a number of jobs at the factory – starting with putting the nuts on top of Walnut Whips – and working in a place called ‘the nuthouse’.

She finished her time there as a forklift truck driver.

“Everyone involved in the play was really nice and friendly. It was a really good laugh,” said Mrs Gladwin.

“I had to describe the jobs I had done and they filmed me as though as I was working so they could recreate the hand movements,” she said.

Quality Street is at Northern Broadsides’ base, The Viaduct until Saturday, February 22 and then tours.