Shoulder to Shoulder – To Freedom’s Cause & Emily Inspires!
Today I head to Morpeth for a very special meeting for all those involved in the Emily Inspires! project. The journey to realise a fully funded tour of TO FREEDOM’S CAUSE started over a year ago and has been a challenging as well as incredibly rewarding experience.
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Strangeways cell barricade: Emily Wilding Davison (Kate Willoughby)
Photo: Trevor Walker, 2013
I have met so many dedicated and inspiring people along the way, who have helped to guide me to first becoming a part of Councillor Andrew Tebbutt’s ambitious project and then to actually make it happen.
Team work: Emily (Kate Willoughby) helping her mother Margaret Davison (Kay Renner)
Photo: Trevor Walker, 2013
Andrew’s vision was to create a series of far reaching events that would ensure a legacy for suffragette Emily Wilding Davison. Judging from the excellent media coverage over the past few months for the overall project as well as the overwhelmingly positive response to the play and the series of schools workshops that I developed alongside Kay Renner and Lesley Wood, it seems to have exceeded all expectations.
Emily Inspires! legacy: Schools workshop, Morpeth
Photo: Peter McCartney, Morpeth Herald, 2013
From the perspective of the play and the workshops, it’s clear that women’s stories are of great interest to the Public and that the suffragette legacy is for Life, not just for 2013.
Top team: Cast, director & Stage manager
L-R Back row: Sabina Arthur, Kate Willoughby, Will Collins, Tim Bennett, Eleanor Dennison
L-R Front row: Jemma Gross, Hannah Emanuel, Kay Renner
Today will be about evaluating the immense effort that the whole team made in order to make the project be such a success. It has been a great privilege to have been a part of such an exciting and positive project. I very much hope that TO FREEDOM’S CAUSE will continue, alongside other elements of the project, that precious legacy that Emily Wilding Davison and other lesser known suffragettes left us.
Backstage support: Kay Renner (Mrs Sparboro) & Eleanor Dennison (Flora Drummond).
Taken during the Newbiggin Maritime Centre performance
Photo: Kate Willoughby, 2013
There are a host of people to thank, but I would like to firstly thank the cast and creative team, the whole Emily Inspires! team, Arts Council England, GMDT, Northumberland County Council, Hexham Queen’s Hall Arts Centre as well as the numerous individuals who have offered advice and support along the way, including:
Brian Astbury
Anna Bewick
Philippa Bilton
Cate Birch
Andre Bloem
Emma Bowskill
Jenifer Bullen
Joanne Burke
Val Burgess
Lauren Caisley
Gez Casey (Live Theatre)
Rachel Cochrane (listenupnorth.com)
Irene Cockroft
Louise Coles (Actors Centre)
Elizabeth Crawford
Kay Easson (Lit & Phil)
Joyce & Colin Ellwood
John Elsom
Julie Evans
Rhona Finch
Audrey Findlay
Howard Firth
Clare Fortescue
Christopher Grace
Chris Grady
Lesley Gray (The King’s Jockey)
Roger Harvey
Margaret Hilder
Mariéme Jamme
Chris Johnson
William Jones
Thelma & Bob Jopling
Warnock Kerr (Georgian Theatre Royal)
Geof Keys
Rachel Kingdon-Saxby (Epsom Downs Racecourse)
Judi & Keith Loadman
Eileen Luscombe
Muriel McClymont
Andrew McKinnon
Helen Moore
Paride Odierna
Ben Monks & Will Young (Tristan Bates Theatre)
Naomi Paxton
Jo Potts (Alnwick Playhouse)
Pam Pryor (Riding Mill Parish Hall)
Chris Purser
Alex Raskovic
Deborah Richards
Nicolas Ridley
Marcus Romer
Katie Rusell
Becci Sharrock
Mari Takayanagi (Parliamentary Archives)
Maggie Turner
Melanie Unwin
Vicki Walker
Michelle Witton
Chris Wheatley
Peter Wright
In tune with the Emily Inspires! project
Werca’s Folk: ‘A Song for Emily’ at the 2013 International Women’s Day service, Morpeth
Photo: Kate Willoughby, 2013
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Working in partnership with Northumberland County Council’s Emily Inspires! project, the Arts Council and the Greater Morpeth Development Trust, TO FREEDOM’S CAUSE had a very successful two and a half week tour in June 2013.
At the heart of the programme was the determination to create an ongoing Public platform for Emily and her campaigning for equality. With this in mind it is hoped that the play will be able to build on the success of June 2013 and continue to be a part of Emily’s important legacy.
For further information, click here.
Please do get in touch.
@katewilloughby8
@2FCPlay
Facebook.com/ToFreedomsCause
People’s choice: Several performances of TO FREEDOM’S CAUSE were sold out, including Newbiggin Maritime Centre and those at Newcastle’s Lit & Phil
Photo: Kate Willoughby, 2013
Tags: Elizabeth Crawford, Emily Inspires, Emily Wilding Davison, Irene Cockroft, Lesley Gray, Listenupnorth, Lit & Phil, Parliamentary Archives, Philippa Bilton, suffragette, The King's Jockey, To Freedom's Cause, Tristan Bates Theatre, Votes for Women
I would like to say how amazing your work has been towards promoting “To Freedom’s Cause”. This has only been achieved as a direct result of your belief in “The Cause” and your determination to raise the profile in this centenary year.
Your unrivalled talent as a script writer and actress have undoubtedly contributed towards your success, and I wish you and all the Team every success!
Best wishes, Chris Wheatley