Actress needs your help to get her suffragette story to Edinburgh Fringe Festival

An actress is asking for help to bring Preston's suffragette history to the international stage.
Claire Moore, director at Certain Curtain Theatre Company, performs in Lady in Red at Edinburgh Fringe Festival which was shortlisted for an Amnesty International Award.Claire Moore, director at Certain Curtain Theatre Company, performs in Lady in Red at Edinburgh Fringe Festival which was shortlisted for an Amnesty International Award.
Claire Moore, director at Certain Curtain Theatre Company, performs in Lady in Red at Edinburgh Fringe Festival which was shortlisted for an Amnesty International Award.

Claire Moore, co-founder of Preston’s longest running professional theatre company - Certain Curtain Theatre is set to play Edith Rigby, but needs more funds to take it to Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

She says the original play will “take you into the fiery heart of one of the most dangerous, strange and modern women in history” and says she plans to hold a preview performance in Preston.

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“The story of Edith Rigby remains largely unsung,” Claire said. “But she was a woman of firsts. She was the first woman, in Preston, to ride a bicycle - in bloomers! Much to the horror of onlookers - even her vicar - who feared for her very soul.

“She founded Preston’s first branch of The Women’s Social and Political Union and a branch of The Women’s Institute. She was also one of the first members of the Independent Labour Party - from which she was later expelled.”

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the world’s largest arts festival, which in 2016, spanned 25 days and featured 50,266 performances of 3,269 shows in 294 venues. This year it runs from August 4 until August 28.

“It’s an ideal place to showcase this brand new play ‘Woman on Fire’ and gain media and industry attention for our work and the history of Preston,” the 48-year-old said.

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“The fund is to cover the basic costs of taking a show to Edinburgh. Venue hire, publicity, travel, registration with the Festival. We operate without any funding whatsoever so every penny counts. If I’m lucky enough to beat my target this will mean I can also cover rehearsal costs.”

Claire is hoping to raise £5,000 and to support the play and get it to Edinburgh Fringe Festival go to GoFundMe

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