The Methuen Drama Book of Suffrage Plays: How the Vote Was Won, Lady Geraldine’s Speech, Pot and Kettle, Miss Appleyard’s Awakening, Her Vote, the Mot

The Methuen Drama Book of Suffrage Plays is an anthology of eight exciting pieces written by supporters of the Suffrage Movement and by members of the Actresses Franchise League. Immediately playable, the plays offer strong, varied roles for female casts, while also providing invaluable source material to students and scholars from a wide range of disciplines.

The Actresses' Franchise League was founded in 1908, 'as a bond of union between all women in the Theatrical profession who are in sympathy with the Woman's Franchise Movement'. The plays featured in this collection articulate the arguments of the Suffrage Movement through a variety of styles and offer a fascinating glimpse into the range of opinions and hopes held by its proponents. Together, they perfectly illustrate the use of drama as a medium for both entertainment and social change.

Supplemented with illustrations and an introduction exploring the history of the Actresses' Franchise League and the context and provenance of the plays, this is an excellent resource for both study and performance.

Naomi Paxton is an actress, writer and researcher. She trained at Goldsmiths College, University of London and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and has performed professionally in the West End and on tour in the UK and internationally. She is currently a PhD student in the Drama Department of the University of Manchester, UK.