King’s Company bring Beth Flintoff’s play Rebellious Women to the Edinburgh Fringe, performed by a cast of Year 11-13 students from King’s Ely. The play is an impassioned, unsentimental and sharp-witted tribute to the suffragette cause.Â
“Rebellious Women is a bold, exhilarating production that brings together fierce female voices through the real-life Suffragettes. The play explores resistance against patriarchy, power and imposed silence. Sharp humour, raw emotion and moments of intimacy sit alongside physical storytelling, creating a vibrant and inspiring experience. Celebrating solidarity, defiance and the cost of speaking out, Rebellious Women asks what it means to choose freedom in a world determined to control women’s bodies, voices and futures – and why rebellion, joy and collective courage still matter today.”
Where: Lime Studio at Greenside @ George Street
When: 11-15 Aug
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/rebellious-women
What can you tell us about your show? What is it about and where did the idea come from?
The show follows Edith Begbie; a contented housewife who wanders into a Suffragette meeting by accident, who has no plans for revolution. Yet as she befriends the women there and learns of the harsh treatment they receive, she finds herself drawn into the movement. As director, I wanted to focus on a story that was empowering, inspiring and educational for a modern audience. I wanted an audience to reflect on the brutality these brave women faced that ultimately shaped our society for the better, and how they gave their all for future generations to come.
How would you sell it to audiences in one paragraph?Â
Rebellious Women is a bold, exhilarating production that brings together fierce female voices through the real-life Suffragettes. The play explores resistance against patriarchy, power and imposed silence. Sharp humour, raw emotion and moments of intimacy sit alongside physical storytelling, creating a vibrant and inspiring experience. Celebrating solidarity, defiance and the cost of speaking out, Rebellious Women asks what it means to choose freedom in a world determined to control women’s bodies, voices and futures – and why rebellion, joy and collective courage still matter today.
Do you enjoy participating in the Fringe? And do you have any moments you particularly remember?Â
As a theatre company, we have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the Fringe Festival and giving our young actors an opportunity to tell incredible stories. One of our highlights was receiving a 5-star review for our show Radium Girls in 2024, which focused on the real-life women who contracted radium poisoning during World War 1.
What are you looking forward to the most in Edinburgh?Â
We’re really looking forward to showcasing this motivational story and hopefully bringing a sense of unity and evoking inspiration from our audiences. We’re also super excited to watch other pieces of theatre whilst we’re there and network with other creatives!
What’s next for the show?
Looking ahead, we will be focusing on our next production from King’s Company scheduled for 2028. We’re currently looking into different stories we can tell through ensemble theatre, so watch this space!