A powerful one-woman performance transporting you back to 1830s Liverpool to tell the story of Irish immigrant Kitty Wilkinson, whose pioneering approach to public hygiene helped stem the city’s 1832 cholera epidemic.
Written by John Maguire (The Liver Bird) & directed by Margaret Connell (Forgotten Voices), it premiered in Liverpool in 2019 to a sold out audience of 1,000 & then again in 2020.
Incorporating music & song as well as creative visual effects, the audience is immersed in Kitty’s life story, invited to explore the political & social climate of the period, & to celebrate a truly inspiring female hero. It highlights the importance of community activism in a time when more people are becoming socially isolated.
In July 2022, Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse was performed over three nights at the newly opened Shakespeare North in Prescot, selling out every show, & also sold out St Georges Hall in Liverpool in October 2022.
"This is the story of an extraordinary woman told through an equally extraordinary performance"
★★★★ North West End
"Outstanding... Alton captivates her audience from the first moment"
★★★★★ Number 9
"Wonderfully physical & brilliantly performed"
★★★★★ Opening Nights
CAST & CREATIVES
Writer | John Maguire
Director | Margaret Connell
Performer | Samantha Alton
Tour Co-ordinator | Catherine Leen
Producing Company | ArtsGroupie CIC
ArtsGroupie is a Liverpool based community interest company providing access to the arts in the North West & beyond. We achieve this through developing our own touring theatre & by facilitating educational workshops for both adults & children in creative writing & spoken word.
Our productions are created in collaboration with local artists to champion North West talent. We also seek to take our performances & workshops to overlooked areas where access to the arts is limited. As an organisation we have a particular interest in producing & promoting work that champions under-represented communities. We use our heritage walking tours to help fund our theatre productions & community outreach work.
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