Storyhouse Women 2019

Storyhouse Women Storyhouse Women

A weekend for Aeveryone, weekend for everyone celebrating women andwomen girls that celebrates and girls

26 – 28 April 2019 26 – 28 April 2019

All weekend

1

hello and welcome

How to book Day pass: £15 / £10 (under 26s) Weekend pass: £20 / £15 (under 26s) Exchange your e-ticket for a Weekend or Day Pass at the Festival Hub (entrance lobby).

All events have a 60-minute duration, and seating is unreserved. Workshops have limited capacity and should be booked at the Festival Hub before 1pm. Rose McGowan and Catherine Mayer are not included in Weekend or Day Passes.

Free Passes available for young people ages 14-18 and those who could not afford to attend.

Age Guide All events are recommended for people aged 14+. Please see the Great for Kids! Badge on events that are suitable for younger children. Babies under 12-months are welcome at all events.

Welcome to Storyhouse Women – an annual weekend (with a programme of events all year) that was created to celebrate women and girls and explore topics that affect anyone who identifies as one. The weekend will be a safe space to discuss and tackle global issues together, with incredible speakers, real stories and inspiring events to galvanise and enable us to create change.

Under 19 and cannot afford to attend?

There are a limited number of Free Passes available for under 19s and those who cannot afford to buy them.

To apply for a Free Pass, head to storyhouse.com/women.

The weekend will be a safe space for you to attend events, meet new people and hang out.

Buddy Scheme Storyhouse Women is a yearround programme of activity with an aim to build a new community of like-minded girls and women. If you would like to find a possible new friend to attend events with, please register for the buddy scheme online and we will do our best to match you.

All weekend Market Place Around Storyhouse Saturday 9am – 3.30pm Sunday 10am – 3pm

Explore a range of organisations including:

Access All Storyhouse events are as inclusive and accessible as possible. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any requirements, or if you are registered Deaf so we can book a BSL interpreter (subject to availability).

Food and Drink The Kitchen serves brunch, lunch and dinner. Grab-bags will also be available to buy on the day. There is a scheduled lunch hour on Saturday at 12.30pm and Sunday at 1.30pm.

For reservations please book at thekitchenstoryhouse.co.uk

Get in touch storyhouse.com/women 01244 409113 info@storyhouse.com

2

Hoop for Joy Kick start your day with a Hula!

There’s no need for trainers or Lycra to learn the basic technique from Hula Hoop expert Joanna Spruce each morning.

Girls Go Global Storyhouse Women Young Leaders are young people aged between 14 - 25 looking to gain experience of working in the creative industries.

They will be taking over the @StoryhouseLive Instagram account and running feminist badge making workshops, plus lots more.

Chester Soroptimists

Chester Women’s Aid

Women’s voluntary group who focus on project work, transforming the lives of women and girls.

No excuse for domestic abuse. chesterwomensaid.org

sigbi.org/chester

Body Positive

Chester Sexual Assault Service

Local charity working with people who have issues with or want to improve their sexual health, sexuality or living with HIV.

A charity providing support for adults who have experienced any form of rape, sexual abuse or sexual violence at any time in their lives. csass.org.uk

Girl Gang HQ Chester based designers of wearable sass. girlganghq.com

SisterHub

Supporting and empowering women in business. sisterhub.co.uk

Airbus Ladies Football Club airbusfc.com

bpcnw.co.uk

Miss Heather Comics missheather.rocks

Chester and District Samaritans Offering a safe place for you to talk any time you like, in your own way – about whatever’s getting to you. A private area will be available if any of the events have triggered a need to talk. samaritans.org

3 | All weekend

Friday 26 April

Saturday 27 April

TAKE PART

Friday 26 April

Saturday 27 April

Creative Space Spend some time in the beautiful Garret Bar reflecting on the stories and discussions from the weekend.

Weekend Launch with Louise Minchin

Drop-in to play, create, chat, make friends, relax.

The BBC Breakfast presenter will open the weekend by interviewing some of the girls and women featuring in this year’s festival.

The space is yours.

Garret Bar Saturday 9am – 4pm Sunday 10am – 4pm CINEMA

Matilda (PG)

The panel will include Sioned Jones (The Circle NGO); Ngunan Adamu (BBC Radio Merseyside), Storyhouse Women Young Leaders; Michela Di Carlo (Crunchy Tales) and Festival Poet Lianne Futia.

G re a for t K id s!

Louise competed in the World Triathlon Championships in Chicago in 2015, and the European Triathlon Championships in Lisbon in 2016. Following the event Louise will be signing copies of her book Dare to Tri which will be available to buy

Roald Dahl’s classic story of an inspirational little girl.

Saturday & Sunday (Relaxed) 10.30am £4 TAKE PART

Free Arts and Crafts

G re a for t K id s!

Escape to the den to get crafty, make or draw your role model to celebrate girls and women.

The Den Saturday and Sunday 11am-3pm Free

4

Storyhouse Theatre 10.15am HEADLINE SPEAKER

Rose McGowan: Brave Rose McGowan gained global recognition as a leading actress and is now best known as a feminist whistle-blower, activist and agent of change.

Interviewed live on-stage, McGowan will explore the realities of exposing the truth about the inequality and injustice of the entertainment industry and shining a light on a multi-billion-dollar business built on systemic misogyny. How can we dismantle the concept of ‘fame’? How do we continue to maintain the strength required to be Brave?

Now looking positively into the future, McGowan has immersed herself in her work as a writer, director and music artist, re-emerging in her own unique, courageous, controversial and fiercely unapologetic way.

Set to be a thought-provoking evening of raw, honest and important conversation from the voice of a generation.

Storyhouse Theatre 7.30pm £17 - £19 (each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee) Not included as part of the Festival Pass

MUSIC

DJ Set from Aura Sounds Manchester based DJ bringing house music to the Kitchen perfect for a Friday night. @aura_sounds The Kitchen 6.30pm

5 | Saturday 27 April PANEL TALK

Domestic Violence: Love Shouldn’t Hurt In 2017/18 in England and Wales over one in four women were victims of domestic violence; 400,000 women were sexually assaulted; 60,000 women were raped and two women died every week.

Tina Royles author of When the Apple of Your Eye is Rotten at the Core, will lead a discussion with a panel of women who have survived a violent relationship.

Cara Fletcher (Chester Women’s Aid) will talk about the phrase Love Shouldn’t Hurt and bring emotional abuse and gaslighting to the forefront of the discussion.

The panel will cover essential questions surrounding prevention and anticipation, and explore how the emergency services work closely with Women’s Aid. Chester Women’s Aid and Chester Samaritans will be available for support after the event.

Storyhouse Theatre 11.30am

Saturday 27 April WORKSHOP

THEATRE

Behind Closed Doors

Feminist Manifestos

There are an estimated 376,000 young adult carers in the UK today. Young carers are the forgotten workforce and unsung heroes of Britain’s households and this story will celebrate and highlight these amazing young people. The performance includes verbatim accounts of young carers in the local community and beyond.

Workshop led by Louise Dudley (Life Orgasm Project) who is aiming to build a community of women to discuss and explore feminist values, and most importantly take action.

Created in partnership with young carers performed by Assemble Theatre Company.

PERFORMANCE

University of Chester Dance Society

The Kitchen 11.30am (15 mins)

Stunning contemporary dance performances during lunch hour.

WORKSHOP

The Kitchen 12.30 pm

Craftivism Learn how to make ecofriendly sanitary products.

Complete beginners to stitching and crafting welcome!

Meeting Room 11.30am

THEATRE

Worldly Women A series of monologues exploring memory loss, bullying and next-door neighbours. Expect both tears and laughter. Written by award-winning writer Jan Bengree directed and performed by Against The Grain Theatre Company.

Garret Theatre 1.30pm

Meeting Room 1.30pm PANEL TALK

Time to Talk About the Unknown Why is it that more women graduate from university than men, but fewer women apply for graduate level jobs?

Cherelle Mitchell (Former Chester Student Union President & University of Chester Governor) and Sasa Metcalfe (Institute of Physics: Gender Balance Officer) will be sharing a range of experiences from students and graduates.

Cinema 1.30pm

6 PANEL TALK

Women, Recovery and Overcoming 268,390 adults accessed a service for drug and alcohol misuse in 2017-2018. Many of these were women. What can we do as a society to support them?

Join Dr Zoe Zontou (Addiction and Performance Academic, Liverpool Hope University) and Claire Morris (Fallen Angels Dance Theatre) as they discuss the barriers women face, and the many benefits community arts can have for wellbeing, creativity and social cohesion.

Storyhouse Theatre 1.30pm

7 | Saturday 27 April TAKE PART

Gender Neutral Toys

Saturday 27 April TALK

G re a for t K id s!

10 Minute Tales Short, inspiring stories on a range of crucial topics followed by a Q&A.

Attitudes are changing towards traditional presents for boys and girls.

Speakers include: The BBC’s Ngunan Adamu will talk about her current project: Everyday Heroes.

Credit: Andrew Millar

Join Katie Jones, owner of Chester’s newest independent eco-toyshop, Weasel and Bug, as she chats all things toys and the importance of challenging gender stereotypes.

Storytelling Room 1.30pm MUSIC

WORKSHOP

Alice Watkinson Web Writing like a Pro Self-taught guitarist and singer Alice Watkinson puts an acoustic spin on her favourite songs.

The Kitchen 1.30pm

Join journalist Michela di Carlo, founder of a digital illustrated magazine for women over 40 and former brand ambassador for Gino D’Acampo as she talks us through essential tools and practices for writing for online rather than print.

This workshop is ideal for women over 40 who want to brush up their skills, explore blogging, use social media effectively and explore SEO. Meeting Room 3pm

MUSIC

Lucy Bradburn Singer songwriter Lucy Bradburn will perform her heartfelt lyrics about love and loss.

The Kitchen 2.30pm

8

WORKSHOP

Improve your Mind and Body Fallen Angels Dance Theatre offer an opportunity to explore any barriers you are currently facing and to move forward with an exploration through creativity, and movement.

An empowering workshop led

by Claire Morris, former dance animateur at Rambert, and artistic director of FADT. Everybody is welcome, you don’t need to have danced before!

Garret Theatre 3pm

Chris Matheson will discuss his ongoing campaign to allow cervical screening for women under 25.

THEATRE

Scratch Performance Follow two stories of young people who face challenges of image and peer pressure, the effect on their emotional health and how those around them do or don’t help.

Commissioned by Chester and District Samaritans to ensure that mental health and suicide prevention education is current, up to date and accessible. Performed by Storyhouse Young Company.

Followed by a post-show discussion chaired by Sophie Holt (Child and Adult Mental Health Services).

You are invited to see this piece of theatre in its development phase. The final full performance will be on 4 & 5 July.

Storyhouse Theatre 3pm

Chester Soroptimists will discuss the work they do with children and families in the Philippines who earn a living working on dumpsites and in cemeteries.

Founder of feminist accessories organisation Girl Gang HQ, Hannah Le Valle, will tell her story of resilience and hope and how she started a successful business.

Presented by Rachael Walker (Body Positive and Chester Pride) Cinema 3pm

9 | At a glance

At a glance

10

All weekend Time

Event

Saturday 9am – 3.30pm Market Place Sunday 10am – 3pm

Venue

Cost

Around Storyhouse

inc. pass

Saturday 9am – 4pm Sunday 10am – 4pm

Creative Space

Garret Bar

inc. pass

Saturday 10.30am Sunday 10.30am

Matilda (PG)

Cinema

£4

Saturday 11am – 3pm Sunday 11am – 3pm

Free Arts and Crafts

The Den

inc. pass

Friday 26 April Time

Event

Venue

Cost

6.30pm

DJ Set from Aura Sounds

The Kitchen

inc. pass

7.30pm

Rose McGowan: Brave

Storyhouse Theatre £17 - £19

Time

Event

Venue

2.30pm

Lucy Bradburn

The Kitchen

inc. pass

3pm

Web Writing like a Pro*

Meeting Room

inc. pass

Improve your Mind and Body*

Garret Theatre

inc. pass

Scratch Performance

Storyhouse Theatre

inc. pass

10 Minute Tales

Cinema

inc. pass

4pm

Handbag of Harmonies

The Kitchen

inc. pass

4.30pm

Saturday Round-Up

Storyhouse Theatre

inc. pass

5.30pm

CeCe Sinclair

The Kitchen

inc. pass

7.30pm

Catherine Mayer: FFS

Storyhouse Theatre

£16.50

Time

Event

Venue

Cost

11am

Writing for Theatre*

Meeting Room

inc. pass

‘When I Grow Up I Want To Be…’

Storytelling Room

inc. pass

Sunday 28 April

Saturday 27 April

Opening Panel: Finding Strength in Islam Storyhouse Theatre

Time

Event

Venue

Cost

10.15am

Weekend Launch with Louise Minchin

Storyhouse Theatre

inc. pass

11.30am

Domestic Violence: Love Shouldn’t Hurt Storyhouse Theatre

inc. pass

Behind Closed Doors

The Kitchen

inc. pass

Craftivism*

Meeting Room

inc. pass

Cost

inc. pass

Spoken Word

Garret Theatre

inc. pass

12pm

Mary Sheriff

The Kitchen

inc. pass

12.30pm

How to be Happy*

Meeting Room

inc. pass

Let’s Be Clear About Consent

Garret Theatre

inc. pass

10 Minute Tales

Storyhouse Theatre

inc. pass

2.30pm

Fencing Demonstration

The Kitchen

inc. pass

Introduction to Gamification*

Meeting Room

inc. pass inc. pass

12.30pm

University of Chester Dance Society

The Kitchen

inc. pass

1.30pm

Worldly Women

Garret Theatre

inc. pass

Kellie Maloney: Trans Stories

Storyhouse Theatre

Feminist Manifestos*

Meeting Room

inc. pass

Garret Theatre

Time to Talk About the Unknown

Cinema

inc. pass

Everyday Rape Cultures and Religion: A Complex Relationship?

Women, Recovery and Overcoming

Storyhouse Theatre

inc. pass

Girls Go Global

Cinema

inc. pass

Gender Neutral Toys

Storytelling Room

inc. pass

4pm

Sunday Round-up

Storyhouse Theatre

inc. pass

Alice Watkinson

The Kitchen

inc. pass

3.30pm & 4.30pm

Alabaster Queen

The Kitchen

inc. pass

* book a place before 1pm on the day

* book a place before 1pm on the day

11 | Saturday 27 April

Saturday 27 April HEADLINE SPEAKER

Catherine Mayer: FFS The author and Women’s Equality Party co-founder is at the end of her tether.

A better, brighter, more equal future shimmers on the horizon, yet we seem to be hurtling in the opposite direction.

PERFORMANCE

Handbag of Harmonies The final female choir in the BBC’s Last Choir Standing will perform a sensational set.

The Kitchen 4pm

HEADLINE PERFORMANCE

CeCe Sinclair Shimmy shaker, a bump and grinder and a pure powerhouse of energy!

Whether she is being a disco diva, a musical theatre starlet or an R&B luminary, this songstress makes any genre her own.

Here to get your hearts racing, with moves to make your body shake, and a voice to sooth your soul! It’s the sassy but classy Cece Sinclair – not to be missed!

The Kitchen 5.30pm PANEL TALK

Saturday Round-Up Highlights from the festival: discussed, debated and described.

Chaired by author and lecturer Emma Rees (Institute of Gender Studies, University of Chester) Storyhouse Theatre 4.30pm

Deranged presidents and dangerous populists aren’t the only culprits. As progressive movements do battle with each other and among themselves, Mayer draws on her front-line experiences of journalism and politics to explain how debates became so damagingly polarised, to the detriment of all of us.

Is identity politics to blame? What makes us mistrust everyone but fall for fake news? Are we getting nastier – and might our attitudes to celebrity fuel this trend? Why do TED Talks bring Mayer out in hives? The simple truth, she says, is that life is complicated - and we’ll reach the feminist future she calls Equalia only by embracing that complexity.

A funny, free-wheeling show about soundbite culture in a messy world. Go and see it: For Future’s Sake.

Storyhouse Theatre 7.30pm £16.50 (each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee) Not included as part of the Weekend Pass

12

13 | Sunday 28 April

Sunday 28 April

Sunday 28 April

PEFORMANCE

Spoken Word Ease your way into Sunday by listening to girls and women tell their stories through poetry featuring Audrey Thomas, Joan Meredith, Harriet Lockyear, Erin Kirrane and Lois Brookes-Jones. Headlined and MC’d by Jay Délise, a published poet from New Jersey whose work has been highlighted in publications including Afropunk, Broadway World, and Huffington Post.

WORKSHOP

Writing for Theatre Award winning writer Jan Bengree, the writer of Saturday’s performance: Worldly Women (see page 5) will lead a creative, hands on monologue writing workshop.

All welcome but designed for our younger audience (15+)

PANEL TALK

Opening Panel: Finding Strength in Islam Maz Saleem and Hamida Hussain in conversation with Helen Rutherford-Gregory Two Muslim women will share their stories. Maz Saleem is the daughter of 82-year-old Mohammed Saleem, who was murdered in Birmingham just yards from his house by Ukrainian far-right terrorist Pavlo Lapshyn. Saleem will talk about her resilience through dealing with her father’s death and what she wants to see change through her tireless campaigning across the UK.

G re a for t K id s!

‘When I Grow Up I Want To Be…’

Every child should be able to dream and believe that anything is possible no matter what their ethnicity, background or gender. In this workshop you and your child will become astronauts, fire fighters, chefs and so much more!

Storytelling Room 11am (45 mins)

TALK

Let’s Be Clear About Consent

Garret Theatre 11am

Meeting Room 11am (60 mins)

TAKE PART

14

Maz Saleem is an active campaigner against racism and Islamophobia in Britain and has written for a variety of publications including the Independent, 5Pillars, Counterfire and Stop the War Coalition websites.

Hamida Hussain will tell her story which started in her birthplace of Bangladesh, via London before arriving in Chester – a place she now calls home. Hussain will describe how her journey has made her the person and mother she is today.

Hamida Hussain is an English Student at Cheshire College, mother to her son and is looking ahead to a future where she hopes to educate Bangladeshi families on and around arranged marriage.

Helen Rutherford-Gregory is a passionate political activist, chair of Stop the War Coalition and founder of SisterHub – a network of women in business.

Storyhouse Theatre 11am

MUSIC

Mary Sheriff Local singer/songwriter and proud member of the LGBT+ community. @MarySheriffMusic on Facebook.

The Kitchen 12pm

WORKSHOP

How to be Happy Life Coach Lindsay Rocke introduces ‘Beautiful Inner Living’ – a concept that shares an inspiring way of living and being that could enable participants to enjoy a more harmonious and happier experience of life.

A workshop for anyone and everyone, especially if you have been experiencing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, low confidence or unfulfillment.

Meeting Room 12.30pm

It’s the most important part of a happy, healthy sex life but what does it mean to give – or gain – consent?

Rather than relying on the idea that ‘no means no’ we should be striving to open a dialogue where we understand that a ‘yes’ should be fully informed and freely given. What factors can affect our ability to consent? And where does pleasure fit in? In this session we take a look at how to express what you want, don’t want, like and don’t like.

Rachel Walker is a sexual health educator for charity Body Positive and committee member of Chester Pride music, comedy and more for the Glitter Lounge.

Garret Theatre 12.30pm

15 | Sunday 28 April

Sunday 28 April

16

TALK

10 Minute Tales Short, inspiring stories on a range of diverse topics followed by a Q&A. Speakers include: Chinwe Mirian will discuss her role as a Cancer Research UK Ambassador and her Public Health research for her master’s degree at the University of Chester.

UK McDonald’s Football Mum of The Year 2018, Helen Atkinson will share her inspirational story.

Butul Taufik will talk about the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Red Chair campaign and how it is invigorating women to become decision-makers in a room where they are outnumbered.

Founder of Motherwell Cheshire Kate Blakemore will talk about her latest project: role models and mentoring Chester Soroptimists talk about their campaign Purple Teardrop and a parliamentary petition to ban sex from the media and advertising.

PERFORMANCE

Fencing Demonstration The University of Chester allwomen Fencing team will give an exhilarating demonstration.

Chaired By Rebecca Reidel (Author and Founder of HistFestUK)

The Kitchen 12.30pm

Storyhouse Theatre 12.30pm

WORKSHOP

TALK

Everyday Rape Cultures and Religion: A Complex Relationship?

TALK

Introduction to Gamification

Kellie Maloney: Trans Stories

In the past few years, there has been an increase in campaigns which aim to change the stereotypical portrayal of women. In this workshop led

by Kasia Pikula, a graphic and user interface designer with a true passion for games, you will creatively discuss gamification and will start to create game concepts for young women encouraging them to become leaders, doers and activists.

Kellie Maloney is a transgender BBC broadcaster who enjoyed a long and successful career managing and promoting boxers (including Lennox Lewis) and is now an inspirational transgender figure. Kellie will be in conversation with Kate Hutchinson (Chester Pride and LGBT+ education charity Diversity Role Models) as they discuss Kellie’s transition to a new life as a woman; the private torment and the dark moments, but also the positivity of being able to be her true self.

This is an introduction to a gamification workshop taking place at Storyhouse in May. Meeting Room 2.30pm

Storyhouse Theatre 2.30pm

Dr Katie Edwards in conversation with Dr Dawn Llewellyn How do rape cultures feature in our everyday lives?

From #MeToo to sexual abuse scandals within religious organisations, from the rise of ‘purity’ practices to our expectations of what it means to be a ‘good girl’, religion is a powerful influence in our contemporary world. Dr Katie Edwards discusses the significant ways religion perpetuates and challenges the myths and misconceptions that lie at the heart of rape cultures.

Dr Katie Edwards is the Director of the Sheffield Interdisciplinary Institute for Biblical Studies and Codirector of The Shiloh Project at the University of Sheffield. Recently, she presented the award-winning BBC Radio 4 Lent Talk The Silence of the Lamb, which reflected on her experiences of witnessing sexual abuse as a teenager.

Dr Dawn Llewellyn is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Chester.

She researches gender and feminism in contemporary Christianity and is currently writing a new book on women’s experiences of motherhood, voluntary childlessness, and Christianity.

Garret Theatre 2.30pm

18

17 | Sunday 28 April

Introducing Storyhouse Women Weekend Poet: Lianne Futia

PERFORMANCE

Girls Go Global Each of the Young Leaders will perform a moving story of different girls and women from around the world, their struggles and what it is like growing up as a girl across the globe.

Cinema 2.30pm PERFORMANCE

TALK

Sunday Round-up Highlights from the day discussed, debated and described. Festival poetin-residence Lianne Futia, will perform her poem commissioned for Storyhouse Women Weekend to bring the festival to a special close.

Introduced by Sam Platt (Chester Pride, Chester Hellcats) Storyhouse Theatre 4pm

Alabaster Queen The inimitable Alabaster Queen is a unique blend of original singer-songwriter and cabaret performer. She provides the audience with twisted covers and beautifully composed original material.

The Kitchen 3.30pm & 4.30pm

Lianne is a spoken word poet and performer who is fearless in tackling an eclectic mix of subjects.

She writes from experience often with a moral message of empowerment, with heart, rawness, unapologetic truth, astute social observation and a witty humour that draws you in and binds you to her words.

Lianne will be performing at the festival as well as writing a poem based on events she attends and conversations during the weekend and will perform at the final event on Sunday.

Storyhouse Women Podcast Broadcasters Broadcasters Rama and Parsley, former hosts of flagship local radio show Flipside Weekly, are back to interview speakers and attenders for an exclusive podcast which will be available to download at mixcloud.com/ mrparsley/ The Kitchen All Weekend

Period Poverty Help end period poverty in your community Throughout the weekend a collection point for sanitary products will be located in the Market Place. For more info about your local scheme visit chesterva.org.uk

Save your ring pulls!

You can support the amazing work Chester Soroptimists do for the Philippines Community Fund by bringing in ring pulls from your used drinks cans. Drop them off at the Marketplace all weekend.

Future Storyhouse Women Events Storyhouse Women Documentaries Island of Hungry Ghosts (12A) Cinema Wednesday 1 May | 6pm

Storyhouse Women Book Club Second Wednesday of the Month Meeting Room 7pm | Free Books listed on storyhouse.com

Gamification Workshop with Kaisa Pikula See page 15 for details Garret Theatre Saturday 18 May | 2-6pm | Free

book now storyhouse.com @StoryhouseLive

Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR 01244 409 113 PRINCIPAL SPONSOR