blue stockings

by jessica swale
Tuesday 28 October - Saturday 8 November 2014

 The Long Hall, Point Jerningham

“A woman who expends her energy exercising the brain does so at the expense of her vital organs” – so said Dr Henry Maudsley, world-renowned psychiatrist and -advisor to the royal family in 1874. Two decades after Kate Edger became New Zealand’s first female university graduate in 1877, women in the rest of the British Empire were still fighting for the right to education despite matching their male peers grade for grade. Blue Stockings tells the tale of four women studying science at Girton College, Cambridge in 1896, the year that headmistress Elizabeth Welsh convinced the University senate that women should be allowed to graduate with degrees..

Cast

Tess Moffat (a curious girl) Hilary Penwarden

Celia Willbond (a fragile hard-worker) Ellie Stewart

Carolyn Addison (an early Bohemian) Brianne Kerr

Maeve Sullivan (a mystery) Alice May Connolly

Will Bennett (Tess’ friend; a student at King’s) Joe Dekkers-Reihana

Ralph Mayhew (a student at Trinity) Aidan Weekes

Lloyd (a student at Trinity) Michael Trigg

Holmes (a student at Trinity) Salesi Le’ota

Edwards (a student at Trinity) Michael Ness

Elizabeth Welsh (Mistress of Girton College) Jean Sergent

Dr Maudsley (renowned psychiatrist) Michael Ness

Mr Banks (a lecturer at Girton and Trinity) David Lawrence

Miss Blake (a lecturer at Girton) Kirsty Bruce

Professor Collins (a lecturer at Trinity) Michael Ness

Professor Anderson (a lecturer at Trinity) Michael Trigg

Professor Radleigh (a board member at Trinity) Salesi Le’ota

Minnie (the housemaid) Jean Sergent

Mr Peck (the gardener and maintenance man) Michael Ness

Miss Bott (the chaperone) Aidan Weekes & Salesi Le’ota

Billy Sullivan (Maeve’s brother Michael Trigg

Mrs Lindley (shopkeeper at the haberdashery) Alice May Connolly

Librarians, Students, Caf� patrons played by members of the company

Produced by Hilary Penwarden & Kirsty Bruce

Associate Producer Alex Greig

Publicist Brianne Kerr

Photography Douglas Chubb

Graphic Design Santa’s Little Helper

Stage Manager Dasha Fedchuk

Girls’ frocks Ania Upstill

Directed by David Lawrence

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