Richard Beans’s play focuses on seven men working the night shift in a bread factory in Hull in the early 1970s.

This was the era of the 3 day week, the closure of local bakeries for centralisation and the decline of the fishing industry.

It was his first play to be performed professionally and reflects the time he worked in such a factory.

During the rest periods and smoke breaks the men chat and play childish games on each other.

Gradually their stories evolve and their hopes and fears rise to the surface under the tension caused by the possibility of the plant being closed down.

Sadly, unlike the dough in the ovens, the play is painfully slow to rise.

The first act is full of longueurs and only starts to come to life after the interval.

The writing is not helped by being over stuffed with expletives that soon become tedious.

But there are fine performances from the actors led by Matthew Kelly as Walter, an old man who has worked at the factory for 45 years.

He is a man of few words and most of them are monosyllables. Kelly scores through his body and facial expressions.

Two Stars.