Woman On Fire - Play - Harris - 6pm - 18/10/18

Aug, 30 2018

~The Suffragette movement happened a good century ago but that doesn’t mean female empowerment is less significant. In the late 1970’s the first female Prime Minister made male heads turn in government. In 1996 -2000 we saw pop music dominate the charts with what was  simply classed as ‘girl power’ yet it gave their fans, mostly young girls the confidence in themselves and their ability to achieve.

So the suffragette was a highly significant mark in the history of women. It marked a clear and decisive change in politics and as time passed it gave a voice for young people in a digital age.

The Suffragette movement though was more about placards than play stations and in a new and innovative way Preston is marking the suffragette movement with a play on a specific woman from that era.

Woman on Fire tells the story of Edith Rigby, one of the key women in getting women the vote 100 years ago. Certain Curtain Theatre are performing as part of the Vote 100: Born a Rebel event in the Harris Museum and Art Gallery.

Director Claire Moore, who plays Rigby, had previously struggled to find a venue to perform Woman on Fire in. She took the show to Edinburgh in 2017, with support and funding from Blog Preston, and received good reviews.

Clare expressed these words of joy about the impending performance and what Edith represented in Preston, Lancashire,

‘After touring the UK spreading the word about Edith – we are really pleased to be finally performing in ours and Edith’s home town. We hope to have more performances in the future, if we can secure support and suitable venues. Edith is a fascinating character and an inspiration to us all – she saw injustice and fought to change things for the better – she persisted against derision and ridicule and imprisonment – that kind of tenacious spirit is one we hope to light in our audiences.”

The event is from 5.30pm to 8pm at the Harris and is hosted by Cinema For All. Woman on Fire is being performed at 6pm on Thursday 18 October. Tickets are £7 as standard, £5 for concessions and a children’s workshop is free and available via eventbrite.co.uk

1918 - 2018 - A century marking women being given the fight to vote, supported  by activism and sheer determination from Rigby.

Woman on Fire
6pm Thursday 18 October 2018
Harris Museum and Art Gallery.

^Alex Ashworth.