Pottery drama podcast gets Tribeca Festival debut

Gladstone Girls is centred on the lives of female pottery workers in the 1970s

A comedy drama podcast about female pottery workers in Stoke-on-Trent in the 1970s is set to be played at the Tribeca Festival in New York.

Called Gladstone Girls, it is written by and features Oscar winner Rachel Shenton, whose family worked in the pottery industry.

It is based on a true story, when a group of workers went on a peaceful protest to protect a factory tradition that their new boss wanted to end.

"I can't believe our story set in the lithographing room at Gladstone factory is now going to have its moment in New York in front of a room full of industry heavyweights," said Ms Shenton.

The six-part series tells us the story of the women wanting to protect "Curl Friday" where they got their hair done at work in readiness to go out on the town.

Their new manager threatened to dock their pay if they wore hair rollers at the factory.

"It sort of perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Stoke and the people of Stoke, stand up for what you believe in, do it right," said Ms Shenton.

The podcast was recorded in Stoke-on-Trent, supported by a business owner from the city, and largely features a local cast.

"There are so many more stories to tell about pottery workers," said Ms Shenton, who won an Oscar for best live action short in 2018 with The Silent Child.

Submitting Gladstone Girls to the Tribeca Festival and getting the podcast selected was "a bit of a dream," she said.

The actor, who is currently filming All Creatures Great and Small, said she had "begged" the show's producers for some time off so she could be at the festival to talk about it.

The Tribeca Festival celebrates stories and storytelling and runs from 5 to 16 June.