Tag Archives: suffragettes

Turning Tides: First in the Fight – upcoming performance at Victoria Baths

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Turning Tides Flyer

We’re busy gearing up for ‘Turning Tides: First in the Fight’ – an innovative promenade performance devised by young women and inspired by true stories of women’s fight for the vote, over 100 years ago…

This performance is the latest phase in the ‘Her Hidden Histories’ project, which we have been running in partnership with small heritage venues across Manchester since the beginning of last year. Earlier phases saw young women from Wythenshawe devise and perform ‘In the Driving Seat’ at the Museum of Transport (June 2017), telling stories of the first women to work in the transport industry and young women from Gorton devise and perform ‘Top of the Bill’ at the Greater Manchester Police Museum (July 2017), looking at pioneering women in policing. Now both groups – from Newall Green High School and Cedar Mount Academy – are coming together to pool their knowledge, skills and ideas and turn their focus to the battle for women’s suffrage.

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In this phase of the project, the groups have visited and taken inspiration from the collections at the People’s History Museum, the Pankhurst Centre and the Working Class Movement Library. They have taken part in music workshops, being supported to write their own rousing and anthemic songs by singer-songwriter and long time enJOY arts collaborator Claire Mooney. They have also taken part in dance sessions where Ruth Jones and Trixi Bold have helped them to choreograph some wonderful movement sequences.

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The performances of ‘Turning Tides: First in the Fight’ will take place on Thursday 31st May at 7pm and Friday 1st June at 3pm and 7pm at Victoria Baths. Tickets are free but, as this is a promenade performance exploring the whole of this incredible historic building, audience numbers are limited so booking is essential.

‘Her Hidden Histories’ is funded by grants from Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England and the Granada Foundation.

For more information please get in touch!

info@enjoy-arts.org.uk         @enJOY_arts

 

Her Hidden Histories – Centenary Celebration

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As today marks 100 years since the first UK women were granted the right to vote, it’s about time for an update on our Her Hidden Histories project!

Last summer saw two groups of young women, from Wythenshawe and Gorton, create some fantastic performances at both the Museum of Transport and the Greater Manchester Police Museum. ‘In the Driving Seat’ told stories of the first women to work on trams and buses, largely owing to the absence of men during the First World War. ‘Top of the Bill’ explored experiences of the first women in policing during a similar period, many of whom had also been on the other side of the law as suffragettes. Both performances enjoyed a rousing inter-generational musical finale, thanks to our fantastic Herizons group!

This year, we are bringing both groups of young women together to create another ambitious performance at the stunning Victoria Baths. ‘Turning Tides: First in the Fight’ will weave together the stories uncovered in the previous two performances and celebrate the role of everyday women in the struggle for suffrage. Exact times are yet to be confirmed but there will be 3 chances to catch this exciting new piece, with an evening performance on Thursday 31st May and both a matinee and evening performance on Friday 1st June.

Watch this space for more details!

Her Hidden Histories

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votes_for_women-poster

We’re delighted to announce our new young women’s project: Her Hidden Histories!

Over the next 2 years, we’ll be working with young women from Wythenshawe and Ardwick to uncover and celebrate stories of everyday Manchester women, creating 3 brand new site-specific performances at small heritage venues across the city.

In the first phase of the project, spring/summer 2017, we’ll be teaming up with the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester (Wythenshawe group) and the Greater Manchester Police Museum (Ardwick group), creating site-specific performances at both venues. Incorporating music, drama & dance, these performances will be inspired by hidden histories of women in the typically male-dominated industries of policing and transport in the early 20th Century. Each group will then work towards a Takeover Day at their venue in autumn 2017 where they will become creative tour guides, devising methods to engage other young people and the general public with each place, based on what inspires and excites them.

The second phase of the project in 2018 will bring the two groups together to create a larger scale performance at Victoria Baths. This will build upon elements of each previous piece and coincide with the centenary of the first women being granted the vote in summer 2018. Throughout the project, the young women will preside over the development of an interactive online resource in collaboration with Digital Women’s Archive North (DWAN) & MadLab. The project will conclude with the launch of the digital archive in December 2018.

We’re incredibly grateful to Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England and The Granada Foundation for supporting this project – and we can’t wait to get started!