Who Wears the Trousers?

By Simon Bolton

The Secret Garden at the Castle Bookshop, Ludlow

August 2026

A roaring trip back to the age of Ed Walters & Sons Ludlow Trouser Factory which brought work, wealth and vibrancy to the town. This was a joyous musical play in which four cast members played multiple roles, swapping and changing instantly with wigs, handbags and costume pieces, including all four playing the terrifying machine room girls. And a pair of specially made two-person trousers (which were really made) captured the love affair between Carol and Den. The history of the factory and its colourful characters were played in word and songs including Pace Working which acted out the trouser-making process, Call Me Mrs in which the formidable Gladys Walters left the audience in no doubt who’s in charge, and Bungalow Love in which Carol sang of her longing for a stable life with Den but in her bungalow with her mortgage! M. Pantaloon kept things moving and introduced the star of the show’s finale, Pip the terrier.

“Spellbinding”
“Brilliant fun!!….well done everybody…and a great tribute to Trousers everywhere.”