ED2019 Cabaret ED2019 Comedy ED2019 Preview Edition ED2019 Theatre ED2019 Three To See

Three To See 2019: Shows About Women In History

By | Published on Friday 7 June 2019

ThreeWeeks Co-Editor Caro Moses helps you navigate the Festival with her Three To See tips. This time three shows about women in history.

Harriet Braine: Les Admirables | Gilded Balloon at Old Tolbooth Market | 31 Jul-25 Aug (pictured)
Browsing through this year’s Fringe Programme I’ve come across loads of shows featuring mentions of historical women. And as I am someone who is rather keen on history – and especially keen on not having women erased from it – of course I wanted to do a tips section on it. My first choice of those on offer is this one from talented musical comedy purveyor Harriet Braine, who, in this year’s show “brings forth a team of rebellious women from the history of science to help her wage battle against ignorance, patriarchy and her inner demons”. Listing here.

Chaika: First Woman In Space | theSpace On North Bridge | 2-17 Aug
This play is about Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who was the first woman to fly in space, completing a solo mission on the Vostok 6 in June of 1963. Many will have heard of her already, because her story is pretty amazing: a textile-factory assembly worker and amateur skydiver prior to her recruitment to Russia’s space programme, she continued on to a high profile political career. But this drama focuses on that solo mission, and the discovery, shortly after take-off, that there’s a mechanical problem that could potentially have tragic consequences. Listing here.

Herstory | theSpace @ Surgeons Hall | 12-17 Aug
This final choice is actually called ‘Herstory’, so there was no way I was going to leave it out. But of course that’s not the only reason I am interested in it, it also looks super: “This bold and bodacious cabaret chronicles the tales of some of the most enigmatic and misunderstood women throughout history. Get up close and personal as they name, shame and reclaim their stories in the books that have notoriously begrudged them of any space”. Said stories are brought to life through song, movement and spoken word, which sounds wonderful. Listing here.

Photo: Karla Gowlett



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