Suffragette Edith Rigby day launched for Preston

Claire Moore playing suffragette Edith Rigby in Woman on Fire at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh

The inaugural day will see the new annual event kicked off with a drama about Edith on what would be her 146th birthday.

Woman On Fire is a one-woman play from Preston-based Certain Curtain Theatre Company.

Claire Moore, who plays Edith in the production, said: “I’ve played many characters on stage but Edith is a truly wonderful woman to portray.

“Not a fictional character but a real women from history and to try to bring her to life on stage is a real challenge and delight.

“I’ve enjoyed playing Edith more than any other character in my career.”

This year marks the 100-year anniversary of women winning the right to vote in the UK.

To celebrate Certain Curtain Theatre Company is working with Cinema For All and the Harris museum to mark the centenary with the theme Born a Rebel.

Accompanying the performance will be a new short film that charts the story of women in British public life over the last 100 years.

Oriana Franceschi, Vote 100 project officer for Cinema For All said: “Our new short film, Vote 100: Born a Rebel is an inspiring reminder that in the century since the first British woman stepped into the ballot box, their fight for equality has never ceased.”

The performance of Woman on Fire and film screening will take place at The Harris, on Thursday, October 18.

For tickets go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/vote-100-born-a-rebel-preston-tickets-49279510342