{"id":244,"date":"2013-05-03T07:24:46","date_gmt":"2013-05-03T07:24:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.katewilloughby.co.uk\/?page_id=244"},"modified":"2020-05-18T18:42:04","modified_gmt":"2020-05-18T18:42:04","slug":"to-freedoms-cause-3","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.katewilloughby.co.uk\/?page_id=244","title":{"rendered":"To Freedom’s Cause"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"To<\/a><\/p>\n

Twitter<\/b><\/a><\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook<\/b><\/a><\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/b><\/a><\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0Email<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

A Brief Overview<\/span><\/h1>\n

\u00a0Ordinary<\/b><\/span> women. Brave<\/b><\/span> women. Extraordinary<\/b><\/span> women.<\/p>\n

TO FREEDOM’S CAUSE<\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>is the story of one woman, Emily Wilding Davison<\/a><\/strong>, and the suffragettes who campaigned alongside her, against all the odds \u2013 for equality<\/strong> <\/span>and the right to vote<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

What prompted me to first write the play\u00a0was the last letter Margaret Davison<\/strong> wrote to her daughter, the day after her Epsom Derby protest. It was heartfelt, urgent and full of love:<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you have given up your whole heart and soul to [the Cause] and it has done so little in return for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

– Margaret Davison<\/strong>, 5th June 1913.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

TO FREEDOM’S CAUSE<\/a><\/strong><\/span> has always been a very personal piece. A performance of the play in the House of Commons in 2014, directed by Brian Astbury<\/strong><\/a>, was the catalyst for #Emilymatters<\/a><\/strong><\/span> (a cross-party initiative that seeks to build on Emily Davison\u2019s<\/strong><\/span> phenomenal legacy and create a living legacy, by encouraging more young women to Step Up<\/strong>, Vote <\/strong><\/span>and Lead<\/strong><\/span>).<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Kyra<\/a>

House of Commons performance of To Freedom’s Cause, 2014: Emily Davison (Kate Willoughby), Margaret Davison (Kyra Williams). Photo credit: Brian Astbury.<\/p><\/div>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

The play\u00a0was first performed at Bolton Castle<\/strong>, in the Yorkshire Dales castle in 2009. It has since been further developed and toured a variety of community venues\u00a0and\u00a0theatres, including the Georgian Theatre Royal.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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A video posted by tofreedomscause (@tofreedomscause)<\/a> on