Leeds women link with ‘Call the Midwife’s’ Lisa Holdsworth to create ‘Unsung’

A new piece of feminist theatre charting the untold stories of the women who made – or ought to have made – British history, is to tour top venues, from Leeds.

By The Newsroom

Published 20th Feb 2019, 12:35 BST

Updated 20th Feb 2019, 12:42 BST

UNSUNG explores the untold stories of Ada Lovelace, Sophia Jex-Blake, Lilian Bailey and Andrea Dunbar, asking why they, and hundreds like them, have been relegated to the footnotes of history.

The show is supported by Arts Council England and the Fenton Arts Trust, and will show in venues such as Square Chapel Arts Centre, Harrogate Theatre, Brewery Arts Centre and the King’s Head Theatre in London.

The development of Unsung began when female theatre-makers from Leeds, all disgruntled with the lack of engaging, multi-faceted female roles in theatre, came together to make a new show. They formed a company, Unsung Collective, which, with award-winning writer Lisa Holdsworth, has created Unsung.

The stories of both Lilian Bader and Andrea Dunbar have a strong connection to Yorkshire. Lisa Holdsworth explained: “It was so important to us that we celebrated the achievements of Yorkshire-women in particular.”