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Blue Stockings

10th-13th October 2018

Blue Stockings follows the story of four young women fighting for education and self-determination against the larger backdrop of women’s suffrage written by director and writer, Jessica Swale.

1896. Girton College, Cambridge, the first college in Britain to admit women.

 

The Girton girls study ferociously and match their male peers grade for grade. Yet, when the men graduate, the women leave with nothing but the stigma of being a ‘blue stocking’ – an unnatural, educated woman. They are denied degrees and go home unqualified and unmarriageable.

 

In Swale’s play, Tess Moffat and her fellow first years are determined to win the right to graduate. But little do they anticipate the hurdles in their way: the distractions of love, the cruelty of the class divide or the strength of the opposition, who will do anything to stop them. The play follows them over one tumultuous academic year, in their fight to change the future of education.

Charles Spencer of The Telegraph writes:

'Jessica Swale tells the story with both wit and a hint of righteous indignation – and the final reveal of the date when women finally were awarded degrees at Cambridge took me completely by surprise.'

Blue Stockings FINAL POSTER 1.docx_edite

The Cast

Sophie Torrent.jpg

SOPHIE TORRENT

Director

The GIRLS

FRANCESCA PAULLEY

Tess Moffat

PHOEBE
Carolyn Addison

ABBY DEARING

Celia Willbond

INDIA BREWER

Maeve Sullivan

The BOYS

ALEX DAVIES

Ralph Mayhew

CALUM BROWN

Edwards

TOM McGRATH

Lloyd

JAMES KINGHAM TAHENY

Will Bennett

ALISTAIR MEADS

Holmes

The STAFF

JULIA DEARING

Mrs Elizabeth Welsh

ANGELA STRACH

Miss Eleanor Blake

TIM CHALKLEN

Mr Thomas Blake

LIAM TEBBIT

Dr Maudsley

BETH MACKERNESS

Minnie

LESLEY WILLOUGHBY

Miss Peck

LEY DOBSON

Miss Bott

HOWARD GIBBS

Radleigh

LIAM TEBBIT

Anderson

JAMIE DOYLE-McCLOSKEY

Collins

OTHERS

KAITLIN FLORIDA-JAMES

Billy Sullivan

LAURA COLLIER

Mrs Lindley

JOAN GIBBS

Librarian

ADRIAN UZZELL

Husband

TESTIMONIALS

"Beautiful work here from @richingsplayers in their production of BLUE STOCKINGS by Jessica Swale. It looks like a stunning show that truly deserved its sell-out success! Congratulations!"

NHB Performing Rights

"Congratulations to our friends at @richingsplayers on their fantastic production of Blue Stockings . Amazing piece of drama, complimented superbly by an incredible cast. An excellent Saturday night at the theatre, well done to all involved!"

St Peter Players

Praise from our audience for blue stocki

The TEAM

Production Assistant - Michael Lucas

Set Design - Richard Evans & Sophie Torrent

Sound - Robin Bishop

Lighting - Les Brewer

Stage Manager - Richard Evans

Stage Crew - Haydn Parnell, Harry Copas, Archie Copas, Michael Lucas, Will Torrent, Evelyn Stafford-Allen 

Set Dressing - Tim Chalklen, Joan Gibbs & Lesley Willoughby

Set Construction - Members of the Society

Costume - Linda Lucas, Joan Gibbs

Hair & Make Up Design - Pippa Vinall

Hair & Make Up Team - Leanne Oxlade, Claire Coles, Amy Whyard, Olivia Henderson from The Iver Academy

Properties - Tim Chalklen

Front of House & Refreshments - Maddy Swart, Anne Torrent, Pete Torrent & Members of the Society

Box Office - Paul & Lis Dunham

Photography - Ley Dobson

Poster Design & Publicity - Will Torrent

Programme - Mandy Gasson & Will Torrent

With thanks to Malcolm Roberts, Heart of Bucks, The Red Lion, Iver Parish Council,Mary Clarke & Pat Leech at Iver Village Hall and

King’s Church Iver 

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