Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst

Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst

Emmeline Pankhurst, a middle-class mother of five from Manchester, England, changed history when, in 1903, she formed the Women's Social and Political Union.

Emmeline Goulden was born on 14 July 1858 in Manchester into a family with a tradition of radical politics. In 1879, she married Richard Pankhurst, a lawyer and supporter of the women's suffrage movement. He was the author of the Married Women's Property Acts of 1870 and 1882, which allowed women to keep earnings or property acquired before and after marriage. His death in 1898 was a great shock to Emmeline.

Like many suffragettes, Emmeline was arrested on numerous occasions over the nextfew years and went on hunger strike herself, resulting in violent force-feeding. In 1913, in response to the wave of hunger strikes, the government passed what became known as the 'Cat and Mouse' Act. Hunger striking prisoners were released until they grew strong again, and then re-arrested.

Quotes

"We are here, not because we are law-breakers; we are here in our efforts to become law-makers."

"The moving spirit of militancy is deep and abiding reverence for human life"

"I want to say to you who think women cannot succeed, we have brought the government of England to this position, that it has to face this alternative: either women are to be killed or women are to have the vote."

"What is the use of fighting for a vote if we have not got a country to vote in?"

"Justice and judgment lie often a world apart"

Week of Rehearsals 19th-23rd of May

We worked on the Christmas scene in Pelham; we looked at where to put the Germans in the Christmas scene. We settled on them being behind a screen on stage left with the British on stage right kneeling by the thrust. However, there were still concerns that we couldn't be seen by the audience, so we had to kneel up or sit on the lower part of the thrust to address this. We worked on some characteristics of the scene over many runs, including getting our reactions to the Germans addressing us, how we worked on looking more fearful and hesitant to their approach.

As Playing a man in this scene my usual lady voice probably wouldn’t work so I spoke to Ellen who also is playing a similar part on how to sound more manly, she showed me what she was doing and in the nicest way didn’t suit me so I settled for just lower my pitch and posture for a more "manly” character.     

This morning we ran through the whole of act 1. This went okay, the usual it needs sharpening up on every scene but for our first proper run through we did well, a round of applause to us. During act one I don't have much to say so I'm off book thankfully but another note that was mentioned was we must be off book before we start act 2.

We started by choreographing a sequence for the song "Gassed last Night". To start the song we devised an entrance of us coming on in a line holding each others shoulders or arms, copying the lines of soldiers who were blinded from the gas. We then separate off into groups, half on each side of the apron singing the sing in the round while digging and building the barricade. The idea was this song should lead into the next with the C.O with Jesse, Sam and Corey and me excitingly playing the lead role of the decapitated leg left on the sand bags. 

After a break we read the next scene, Haig's ball. We looked at the politics of this scene for quite a while talking about the song which is performed before with Sam and Conor (roses of Picardy) The news panel which opens the scene speaks of rebellion in Ireland, while the song is about Picardy which is in France. The scene takes place in the UK with the upper classes having a ball with Sir Douglass Haig beautifully played by Ellen. The scene suggests that while the war continues and Ireland rebels, the rich are too concerned about politics and parties to care. I Play Ann in this scene who was originally going to be cut so aren't I lucky.

Next day we started work on act 2.. We looked at the opening medley of songs, which we eventually changed to just 2 songs. We choreographed a marching section for the titular song Directed by Chloe. We then looked at the first scene of act 2. In this scene, arms dealers of various nationalities’ meet in Scotland to discuss their trades whilst shooting birds and loving their wealthy lives.

The Book

I have been giving the responsibility of making the book for our show. during later lessons when we have fully finished scenes i will bring the book in and start to fill in the ques for our scene e.g. slides, lights and sound (the obvious stuff). 

Example pictures of the book...

Programme

Today me and Dene were in the library suggesting how to do the programme, as its his job to do it i made him a little tiny programme prototype. 

We wanted to add information about ww1 at the beginning followed by our headshots ad bios, 3 to each page thirdly some "behind the scenes" pictures during rehearsals, a big group photo of class 2014 finishing with a thank you. 

   

Prop Making 2

"Conducted tours of the German trenches"
"Apply to G.H.Q 20 miles to the rear" 

 

 

Prop Making 1

"Piccadilly"