On Thursday 27 September at 7.30pm

Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis

"The Western Women" by Ann Jellicoe

The Marine Theatre is proud to present Ann Jellicoe re-creating her ground breaking production of "The Western Women" with Tim Laycock accompanying on guitar.  The play tells the amazing story of the part played by women in the Siege of Lyme; written and directed by Ann Jellicoe in 1984 it had a cast of 120 local people and many more helping to put it on; the play sold out for 11 performances.  Everyone involved at the time found the experience enormously energising and creative, connecting young and old, it made strong community bonds.

Patron of the Bridport Arts Centre, Ann has played a central role in the arts in the South West, and agreed to present this as part of ARTSFEST 2007, to raise funds for the Marine Theatre, The Town Mill and ArtsFest itself.  Ann Jellicoe has recently turned 80, her energy and passion belie her years, and the evening is a unique opportunity to understand how her large scale productions in non theatre settings dissolved the usual boundaries between audience and performers.  Ann is exploring theatrical form in her reading, finding something new, which is between story telling, play reading and basic theatre community plays.

"It was Ann Jellicoe's reputation as the creator of the extraordinary Community Plays here in the 1980s that encouraged me to think this small theatre could be a centre of excellence.  Ann Jellicoe's role in showing how art may transform community life lives on in Lyme" says Margie Barbour, the Theatre's Artistic Director.  This is a rare opportunity for the current generation to hear a living legend recreate this impressive work.

Tickets for the performance on Thursday 27th September at 7.30 are available at £7 from Hilary Highet in Broad Stree 01297 443824, and proceeds are to be shared between the ArtsFest, the Town Mill and the Marine Theatre.