The 2nd Women’s Voices: A Celebration takes place at the Playground Theatre throughout March.
With a programme of shows ranging from theatre and dance to music and film, curator Naomi Sorkin places the voices of women at the centre of the venue’s work.
Where: The Playground Theatre, Latimer Road
When: 8-31 Mar
Ticket link: https://www.theplaygroundtheatre.org.uk/whats-on
Naomi spoke to me about the celebration and why festivals like this are still important.
You’ve put together another strong line-up for Women’s Voices at the Playground. How did you begin assembling this year’s programme?
It’s interesting — I’d already had a few things in mind, even from last year. Often it starts with personal connections. You think, “I’d love to have that concert,” or “That would be wonderful to include.”
But the real starting point this year was an evening dedicated to Lynn Seymour. March isn’t only International Women’s Day – it was also her birthday. She would have been 87.
She was my closest friend and meant the world to me. In many ways, my life in England is due to her.
I found a gifted young dancer, Ellie Young, who performs a piece Lynn created as a tribute to Isadora Duncan. When I saw her this summer, I immediately thought it would be perfect for the festival. That became the foundation.
We’re also screening a rarely seen 1980 documentary made just before Lynn retired. She’s wonderfully forthright – as she says, being Canadian! It’s marvellous to see such a great artist speaking her mind so clearly.
How did the rest of the programme take shape from there?
From that starting point, it expanded organically. This year I have three co-curator/co-producers, which has been fascinating. Last year I did everything myself, and it’s an enormous amount of work.
Miriam Cyr recently directed Madam Mozart in Boston to great success. It explores how Constanze Mozart ensured her husband’s work was completed and preserved after his death. The piece is underscored by piano, with Nicola Ensor Cox reading Constanze and Matthew Romaine taking the male roles.
Through Miriam, I connected with the Canadian soprano Carla Huhtanen, who sings internationally and will perform three arias.
Miriam also introduced Kamna Bonga, who has organised an extraordinary talk with powerful women from politics, finance and business – focusing not just on their current roles, but on the seminal moments that shaped their lives.
What about the theatrical offerings?
We’re staging The Sessions by Patrice Chaplin, who is now in her eighties. It explores Edvard Munch returning to therapy to confront his darkness — it’s compelling work.
We also have a new piece written and performed by Janie Dee, which is very exciting.
The only play written by a man is Seven Seconds of Eternity, about Hedy Lamarr. It’s a brilliant script, and the Austrian director is coming to direct the reading. Hedy Lamarr was a genius in ways many people still don’t fully recognise.
Comedy features too. Emily Cochran presents a new sketch show called She’s Got Balls, tackling gender inequality. And Helen Serafinowicz, co-creator of Motherland, will be in conversation with Lisa Forrell.
There’s also The Elizabeths, imagining a meeting between Elizabeth I and Elizabeth II in the chapel at the Tower of London.
Are younger voices represented as well?
Absolutely. Honeytrap, written by Ruby Isaacs – a 20-year-old student at McGill University and daughter of Jason Isaacs – explores a young woman seeking revenge after sexual assault. It’s morally complex and very powerful.
What about film and music?
On the film side, we’re presenting several short films, and a feature by Tina Andrews – the film that marked Halle Berry’s breakthrough.
Musically, Trio Goya will perform works by Clara Schumann alongside lesser-known composers who were highly regarded in their time.
We also have Daughters of Persia, created by Margaret Fingerhut with music by Farhad Poupei and text by William Nicholson.
The Spy Princess, by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, is based on the life of Noor Inayat Khan – an extraordinary and largely unknown story.
There’s also the documentary Gypsy Caravan, often described as the Roma equivalent of Buena Vista Social Club.
We’ll have journalist Jane Corbin speaking, and Janet Suzman discussing Cleopatra.
Is there an overarching theme to the festival?
There’s no imposed theme beyond giving voice to women’s stories that engage, move, provoke thought and inspire. That’s what I look for in theatre myself.
Why is it still important for female voices to be celebrated? Is it easier now for women to be heard?
No, I don’t think so. In some ways, it’s getting harder. A film producer told me recently that opportunities are actually shrinking.
Globally, we’re not in a better position. Look at Afghanistan, Iran, parts of Africa. Even in the West, we’re far from equal. In London, yes, we’re finally seeing more female artistic directors – but very late in the day.
If you counted the percentage of work written or created by women, it would still be a fraction. So festivals like this are absolutely key.
Take Hedy Lamarr: she helped develop technology fundamental to what we’re using right now, and most people still don’t know that.
How can women get involved in future festivals?
This year we had a submissions page, and we received some fascinating work. One selected piece had to withdraw for personal reasons, unfortunately.
There are no strict parameters. It’s about what someone feels compelled to say. I’d perhaps like even more dance next year, but truly, it’s about interesting, urgent voices.
Can you say something about the Playground itself? How did this all begin?
I’m closely connected to the Playground because the founder and artistic director, Peter Tate, is my partner.
The theatre’s name actually comes from Lynn Seymour. When Peter was setting it up as a development space, she said, “You must call it The Playground.” She loved the creative process more than performing. She adored the act of creation.
She was an extraordinary artist and a huge inspiration to choreographers like Frederick Ashton. I want to keep her legacy alive as long as possible.
How would you encourage people to come?
Women make up 50% of the population, and women’s stories are human stories.
If you care about theatre, film, music or dance, you should come. Without women, there is no life.
And men are absolutely welcome. We’re not isolated creatures: we need the other half.