Cicely Hamilton’s celebration of great women for International Women’s Day
Director: Illona Linthwaite
Musical Director: Amy Barton
Cast: With Beth Eyre, Louise Kissane, Justin Butcher and more to be announced…
Writer: Cicely Hamilton
A Pageant of Great Women, written by Cicely Hamilton, (1910) was one of the most successful plays of the British women’s suffrage movement. The play laid the foundations for the legal arguments for the vote by creating a court setting in which ‘Woman’ and ‘Prejudice’ presented the case for and against women’s enfranchisement before ‘Justice’. This dramatization of the political arguments for legislative change was a landmark in empowering female political activists to create their own court at a time when women were excluded from the legal profession.
Written at a time of heightened intensity in the suffrage campaign, the play rehearsed the principal arguments on the topic of women’s enfranchisement and gave women practice in public speaking and debate. The spectacular dramatization of these arguments raised awareness on the question of womens’ rights.
By gathering ‘Great Women’ in history – from many regions of the world – on stage – as evidence that women deserved the vote – the play had a visually stunning impact as well as a didactic function. This version, directed by British theatre practitioner, Illona Linthwaite, with the addition of female singers, directed by Amy Barton, – once again creates opportunities for women to perform in the roles of these ‘Great Women’. It reminds us of the essential need to raise awareness among our fellow citizens of the ongoing struggle many women face, throughout the world, to have (and maintain) equal rights with men.
8 March, 6:30pm
All Saints’ Anglican Church,
Via Solferino 17,
20121 Milano
J. Productions 