This is the true story of Clarice Cliff, a British pottery artist in the 1920's who beat the odds by rising from humble beginnings in the North of England in an industry dominated by men, to establish her own brand of ceramics to appeal to women that is still sold today.
Phoebe Dynevor is well cast as Clarice as is Matthew Goode as the upper class factory owner and David Morrissey as her boss. I had no idea who Clarice Cliff was and had no interest in the subject matter but it is such a well made drama that I found myself getting more and more absorbed into the story thanks to Claire McCathy's competent direction and swift pacing. You find yourself rooting for Clarice and balk at the blatant sexism that went on in those days and the courage Clarice faced to overcome the prevailing attitudes.
It reminded me of Made in Dagenham (2010) which was another true story about women in the Ford car plant making a stand against sexual discrimination in the work place. The Colour Room is more than that, it's about believing in yourself and never giving up on your dreams and if you have a passion for something you will find a way to overcome obstacles that stand in your way.
