Brighton based award winning theatre company Broken Leg Theatre has a new play in the wings called 'Three Generations of Women'. Writers Anna Jefferson and Alice Trueman (shortlisted for the 2012 Funny Women Writing Award) will be drawing on the experiences of real women growing up in the UK over the last 100 years.
The pair are after all sorts of stories for 'Three Generations of Women', from the best advice your mother ever gave you, to the moment you first became aware of your gender, they want to hear your stories. Women can submit their stories remotely on the website, which plays a key role in the research for the play.
So far Broken Leg Theatre has received over 1,100 submissions, the site is intended as a growing resource, creating an archive of real life stories and a legacy for the project, so more submissions are welcome.
The writers hope to create a piece of theatre drawn from real life experiences of as wide a demographic as possible. They have even distributed postcards which play an important role in reaching people who may not have internet access. The postcards, inviting women to pen their stories, are being placed in targeted locations in Brighton, London and Leeds.
'Three Generations of Women' is intended to be a realistic refection of women growing up in Britain. Its success relies on listening to the women who are engaging with the research, and using the feedback received at the three readings to further strengthen the piece. Although the play will ultimately be written by Broken Leg Theatre, those who have taken part in the process will have contributed to the overall story.
The project will, in the first instance, be staged as three rehearsed readings in Brighton at The Marlborough Theatre, on Friday 18th July 2014), Leeds, and London at Greenwich Theatre, Friday 26th September 2014). All participants from the group discussions, and a selection of respondents from the website, will be invited to these readings and transport provided for those with access difficulties.
BLT are working with a producer, Beccy Smith, and intend to tour the final production in spring 2015 to venues in the south east in the first instance.
To get involved and record your her-story click HERE!
