IT’S difficult marrying different styles of drama, still more so when you’re dealing with a key moment in working-class history.

And while Strike a Light — the new musical dealing with the 1888 matchwomen’ strike in London’s East End — is largely a success, it does need some tightening up.

The marriage of music hall and drama certainly works and the persona of Burlington Bertie makes an ideal host, although (s)he perhaps features too prominently. More dramatisation of the strike’s progress and victory, rather than Bertie’s throwaway comments, would help.

The adapted lyrics and new songs work well, with great vocal work from Cait Lennox as Kathleen, Katie Power as Mary and Ros McCue’s Bertie.

And the subversion of My Fair Lady’s Wouldn’t it Be Lovely hits the mark, as does Gavin Livingstone for his musical direction and multi-instrumental talents.

The ingenious use of video projection and the decision to focus on matchwomen Kathleen and Mary’s personal histories help to ensure that the production doesn’t slide into didacticism.

It’s a a good night out but what the show, written by Fatima Uygun — who also directs — Colin Poole and Jim Monaghan needs is a dramatic focus on how the matchwomen went about winning the strike.

We really need more than “they went on strike, it was great and then a politician came and told the bosses to fix it.” The lead-up to the key action and the amount of time spent on fat-cat caricatures of Bryant and May could do with some judicious trimming.

Even so, this is an innovative and entertaining treatment of an important and under-represented strike. But the devil’s in the detail — and, please, bring the interval forward!

Runs until May 23, box office: brownpapertickets.com

Review by Chris Bartter