National Theatre : Productions : Her Naked Skin

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Sat 30 Aug

NT : What's On : Productions : Her Naked Skin

Her Naked Skin

a new play by Rebecca Lenkiewicz

4 STARS Evening Standard, The Guardian, The Independent, Time Out

'A great drama about women, by a woman, at the Olivier.' The Independent

'An outstanding new play...bursting with high-definition performances.' Daily Telegraph

'Superb tale of lesbian love across the class divide as suffragettes languish in Holloway.' Evening Standard

Love is just fear I suppose. Masquerading as a fever. Then you explore each other and suddenly you have licence to become totally pedestrian. And ultimately abusive.

London 1913. Militancy in the Suffragette Movement is at its height. Thousands of women of all classes serve time in Holloway Prison in their fight to gain the vote. Amongst them is Lady Celia Cain who feels trapped by both the policies of the day and the shackles of a frustrating marriage. Inside, she meets a young seamstress, Eve Douglas, and her life spirals into an erotic but dangerous chaos.

Men don't like to see a convoy of women.
It unsexes us.

Rebecca Lenkiewicz's Her Naked Skin is set at a crucial moment when, with emancipation almost in sight, women refuse to let the establishment stand in their way.

In the progamme for Her Naked Skin, Diane Atkinson writes about the Suffragettes; you can read testimonies from some of those who were involved, and see images from the production and the period. Read an extract from Diane Atkinson's article.

Read the Observer article (29 June) by Kate Kellaway on Rebecca Lenkiewicz.

Read about suffragettes on Wikipedia, on the BBC and on the Houses of Parliament.
(these links open in new windows - the National Theatre is not responsible for the content of third party websites).

World Premiere

From 24 July