Social, Humber Street Hull – 23rd October 2025
Reviewed by Dawn Bennett
5*****
Grimm, written by Evangeline Henderson, is set in Grimsby during the second Cod War in the first and only disco in Grimsby Town. It’s the 17th January 1973 and the men are back from sea with their wages burning a hole in their pockets. The “three-day millionaires” only have three days to spend the cash before they go back to sea and as deep sea fishing is a very dangerous and hard job the men intend to spend every penny they can on drink and a good time.
Living in Hull, another fishing city, I have heard about the three-day millionaires, trawlermen who would spend lots on their few days home on going out, smart clothes and socialising. Also, the Cod Wars were Iceland and the United Kingdom fighting for fishing rights in the North Atlantic. The territorial rights banned fishing within twelve nautical miles of Iceland expanding to two hundred nautical miles which, to put it simply, decimated the fishing industry.
Set in the disco it is where we meet all the characters, Esther (Sophie Clay) runs a tight bar, taking no rubbish from anyone, particularly her husband Paddy (Marc Graham). Also working with her is her cousin Ivy (Evangeline Henderson), who is really happy that she’s just got into Manchester University to study English Literature. Her boyfriend Jim (Jake Cooke) has been on his first trip to sea and is full of stories and cash to burn. Roger (Chris Finn) really doesn’t want to go home and see his wife, so he doesn’t! Alan (Adam Perrott) is the voice of reason, trying to keep the men on the straight and narrow and hoping to pass his skippers exam. You really do find out that the woman are the strong ones, keeping jobs, the home, children and life in general together while the men are at sea.
The fabulous cast made it very easy to be invested in the characters’ lives, they are very likeable and have hidden depths and secrets that slowly unfold over the production. You find out what really happened on the fishing trip and how short life really is.
This a production that people need to see. All the characters are very believable; the show is funny one minute and tugs at your heartstrings the next. The acting is superb. Grimm really deserves to have a sell out run … just fabulous!