Sylvia Pankhurst – fearless, flawed, and unforgettable. The untold story of the rebellious middle child of Emmeline Pankhurst takes centre stage in this irresistible hip hop, funk and soul musical that moves your feet and fires your spirit. Whilst her mother and sister battled for women’s suffrage, Sylvia ignited a revolution for the forgotten: working women, the impoverished, the silenced. Caught between her family and her beliefs, Sylvia risked it all to bring change to millions.
The Olivier Award-winning electrifying musical is fuelled by an irresistible soundtrack by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde that joyously unites hip hop, funk, and soul, and is brought to life by world-renowned choreographer and storyteller Kate Prince (ZooNation). Renowned singer/song writer and performer Beverley Knight MBE (Sister Act, The Drifters Girl, Memphis The Musical) reprises her Olivier Award-winning role as Emmeline Pankhurst alongside Naomi Katiyo (Hamilton, Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical) as Sylvia Pankhurst.
The returning cast includes Kelly Agbowu (Mrs Flora ‘The General’ Drummond/Betty Savoy), Claudia-Rose Carlier (Swing), Jaye Marshall (Swing), Kirstie Skivington (Adela Pankhurst) and Ellena Vincent (Christabel Pankhurst). The rest of the cast includes: Lauren Azania (Alternate Sylvia), Zion Battles (Swing), Ebony Clarke (Emily Davison/Daisy Parsons), Eloise Davies (Annie Kenney/Norah Smyth) Solomon Davy (Prime Minister Asquith/Richard Pankhurst),
Collette Guitart (Clementine Churchill/Julia Scurr), Leah Hill (Edith Garrud/Mollie Bird), Nathan Louis-Fernand (Swing), Tachia Newall (Keir Hardie/Lord Cromer), Uzuazo O’David (Harry Pankhurst), Castell Parker (Winston Churchill/George Lansbury), Cleve September (Lloyd George/Lord Curzon), Kenedy Small (Jennie Churchill/Edna Payne/Sophia Singh) and Ivano Turco (Silvio Corio/Sir Almroth Wright).
The full creative team includes: Kate Prince with Priya Parmar (Book), Josh Cohen and DJ Walde (Music), Kate Prince (Lyrics, Director & Choreographer), Ben Stones (Set and Costume), Natasha Chivers & Hector Murray (Lighting), Tony Gayle (Sound), Andrzej Goulding (Video and Animation), Cynthia De La Rosa (Wigs, Hair and Make-up), Mark Dickman (Orchestrations), Sean Green (Music Supervisor), Stuart Burt CDG (Casting), Lolita Chakrabarti (Dramaturgy) and Tachia Newall (Additional Lyrics).
The Royal Albert Hall when the tour concludes in November with 5 performances, played a defining role in the campaign for women’s suffrage, serving as the backdrop for some of the most significant speeches and gatherings in the movement’s history. Between 1908 and 1913, the Hall hosted nearly thirty events linked to the fight for the vote, attracting both militant and pacifist suffrage groups — as well as the National League for Opposing Women’s Suffrage — who hired the venue for their meetings.
The first meeting took place at the Hall in April 1908 and each event drew immense public interest; every seat was sold well in advance, with hundreds more turned away at the doors. According to accounts of the time, audiences were composed almost entirely of women, with 200 women stewards dressed in white overseeing proceedings.
For tour dates and on-sale information please visit http://sylviamusicaluk.com/
Production photography (c) Tristram Kenton.
