Oxygen. Celebrating women's voices

Imagine that fifteen women gather. They have a conversation that maps eight geographic arteries across England and Wales, like points on a compass. These arteries reach out towards a singular destination like roots forming a tree. The destination is Hyde Park. At Land’s End, a group of women start putting one foot in front of the other. For them there is no going back.

It’s June 1913 and the Great Suffrage Pilgrimage begins.

Tomorrow, on 19 June, an amazing thing will happen. In the footsteps of our female ancestors, Dreadnought South West will perform Oxygen, a brand new play by Natalie McGrath, along an historic route from Land's End to Hyde Park exactly 100 years after the greatest march from Land's End to London since 1497.

An episode will be symbolically performed at Land's End before the first full performance will take place in the Plen-an-Gwarry in St Just. Oxygen runs for 90 minutes with 21 episodes. The full-length play will be performed at venues along the route, with episodes taking place at various points in public, non-theatre spaces as trailers for the full production.

View the itinerary and book tickets.

The play focuses on two sisters, and what happens to their relationship when one of them decides to take the militant path and the other chooses to participate in the peaceful pilgrimage. An ensemble piece that will be infused with the real stories and experiences of those who took part in the march, the play will also feature music composed by Claire Ingleheart, who has worked with Wildworks Theatre and Kneehigh.

Dreadnought South West is a new organisation that works with arts and heritage to champion women’s voices and stories. As the play tours from Land’s End to London, retracing the steps and thoughts of 100 years ago, it will be accompanied by a series of responding events, discussions and land journeys that celebrate the courage of those who participated in the pilgrimage, and questions how women’s lives have changed since 1913.

Oxygen & Dreadnought SW Media Pack

The Hypatia Trust has been a supporter of Dreadnought South West since its inception. Natalie McGrath, the playwright, was a Hypatia Resident Scholar last summer. We are delighted to be supporting Dreadnought South West.

History, drama and entertainment rolled into one.

As a tribute we have donated copies of Katherine Bradley's classic study on the Suffrage movement in Cornwall, published by the Hypatia Trust, to be sold to benefit their further work.

You should be able to buy a copy at one of the performances so what are you waiting for! History, drama and entertainment rolled into one.

Keep a lookout here for our guest historian, Eleanor Tench, who will be publishing a series of short articles on women and the vote and politics in Cornwall.

The Pilgrimage through Cornwall

You can book tickets from the Hall for Cornwall box office or risk buying at the door.

Date	Ticket Prices	Full/ Episode	Time	Venue	Address	Normal Box Office
Wed 19/06/2013	FREE	Launch/ Episode	12pm	Land’s End	Custom HouseLand's End Sennen TR19 7AA	Unticketed EventPlease make your way to the Custom House for 12pm to witness the launch of this amazing journey and to see several episodes from the play Oxygen performed. Parking: For free parking at Lands End please visit http://www.landsend-landmark.co.uk and claim your 'Locals Pass' An informal walk is scheduled to take place after the launch from Lands End to St Just.  This event is not being organised by DSWA and we would advise that you take part at your own risk. *Please remember this is an outdoor event, please dress accordingly
Wed 19/06/2013	£10/£7	Play	6.30pm	Plain-an-Gwarry	St Just Cornwall TR19 7HU	www.hallforcornwall.orgThen type 'Oxygen' into 'Search Events' 01872 262466 *Please remember this is an outdoor event, please dress accordingly and bring a rug to sit on
Thu 20/06/2013	£12/£8	Play	8pm	The  Acorn	Parade StreetPenzance TR18 4BU	www.hallforcornwall.orgThen type 'Oxygen' into 'Search Events' 01872 262466
Fri 21/06/2013	£10/£8	Play	7.30pm	The Tolmen Centre	Fore StreetConstantine TR11 5AA	http://constantinecornwall.com01326 341353 tolmen@constantinecornwall.com
Sat 22/06/2013	FREE	Episode	11.30am	Lemon Quay	Lemon QuayTruro TR1 2LW	Unticketed EventPlease make your way to Lemon Quay for 11.30am to see several episodes of the play Oxygen performed
Sat 22/06/2013	£10/£8/£6	Play	7pm	Sterts Theatre	LiskeardPL14 5AZ	http://www.sterts.co.uk01579 362382 or 01579 362962
Sun 23/06/2013	£12/£8/£6 (children)	Play	2.30pm	Heartlands	Robinson's ShaftDundance Lane Redruth TR15 3QY	www.hallforcornwall.orgThen type 'Oxygen' into 'Search Events' 01872 262466 & http://www.heartlandscornwall.com 01209 722320
Tue25/06/2013	FREE	Episodes	4pm	Mount Folly	BodminPL31 2DQ	Unticketed EventPlease make your way to Mount Folly for 4pm to see episodes from the play Oxygen performed.
Tue 25/06/2013	£12/£8	Play	7.30pm	Shire Hall	Mount FollyBodmin PL31 2DQ	www.hallforcornwall.orgThen type 'Oxygen' into 'Search Events' 01872 262466
Thu 27/06/2013	FREE	Episode / Boundary Crossing	Noon	St Germans / Plymouth	Saltash / Plymouth	Unticketed EventDetails to follow