A SPECIAL series of events to mark the centenary of female suffrage and International Women’s Day is coming to the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis on Friday, March 2.

Opening the series is a funny and touching play about female friendship called The Boadicea of Britannia Street, written by the acclaimed playwright Ade Morris.

Local journalist Fran, PE teacher Penny, shy librarian Janet, and feisty Annie form a writing group. Inspired by the historical figure Boadicea, these women face their demons, overcome their enemies, and move on to a better future.

Ain’t I A Woman is a choir of professional female singers, which will perform at the Marine on Thursday, March 8, alongside two community choirs in a unique concert.

They will sing new songs especially for the project about the physicality, spirituality and social context of being a woman, as well as celebrating the stories of inspirational women.

The choirs will explore what it means to be a woman, and sing about fertility, motherhood, work, and equal pay.

It’s presented by Wren Music, a Devon-based charity with a mission to work with music and culture in order to celebrate identity and diversity.

The final event is a talk by Diane Atkinson based on her book, Rise Up Women! The Remarkable Lives of the Suffragettes that charts women’s fight for the vote through the lives of those who took part, in a timely celebration of an extraordinary struggle.

Diane explores the historic events led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia, the suffragettes and their actions would come to define protest movements for generations to come.

From their marches on Parliament and 10 Downing Street, to the selling of their paper, Votes for Women, through to the more militant activities of the Women’s Social and Political Union, whose slogan Deeds Not Words! resided over acts of arson and the slashing of artwork all in the pursuit of one goal: the right to vote.

*The Boadicea of Britannia Street, Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, Friday, March 2, 8pm. Ain’t I A Woman, Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, Thursday March 8, 8pm. Call the box office for tickets.