HerStories

A celebration of extraordinary women through song. To celebrate International Women’s Day in 2024 I am performing a concert of songs that I have written over the years about extraordinary women from smugglers to suffragettes and nurses to political campaigners.

I’ve had the great pleasure of researching the stories of inspirational women over a number of years. In 2015 my determination to learn more about women’s experiences of the First World War during its centenary led to my discovery of a cast of incredible women including mathematician and inventor Hertha Ayrton, spy Louise de Bettignies and author Dorothy Lawrence who dressed as a soldier to report from the Western Front. My production No Petticoats Here about these pioneering women led to invitations to perform around the country as well as in the Houses of Parliament and at academic conferences. At one such event I learned about working class suffragette and campaigner Hannah Mitchell whose story I tell through The Hard Way. In 2019 I decided to focus my research on Florence Nightingale in preparation for the 200^th anniversary of her birth and between Covid lockdowns I created Pop Up Pedestal to take this work outside for new audiences.

I’ve often imagined meetings between these women. This concert for International Women’s Day 2024 will weave their stories together and celebrate their many achievements.