Announcing SNATCHES: Moments from 100 Years of Women’s Lives, BBC Four in association with the Royal Court

Jodie Comer, Siobhan Finneran, Romola Garai, Shirley Henderson, Liv Hill, Corinne Skinner-Carter, Kiran Sonia Sawar and Antonia Thomas have been cast in SNATCHES: Moments from 100 Years of Women’s Lives, a series of eight monologues written by EV Crowe, Rachel De-Lahay, Tanika Gupta, Zinnie Harris, Theresa Ikoko, Charlene James, Vicky Jones and Abi Morgan to mark the 100 years of Suffrage, produced by BBC Studios Pacific Quay Productions.

Curated by Royal Court Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone, BBC Four in association with the Royal Court Theatre will broadcast the 15 minute monologues this summer. The monologues are inspired by women who have spoken out, challenged the status quo or made a stand – often at great personal cost.

The monologue series was commissioned by Cassian Harrison, Channel Editor BBC Four and Emma Cahusac, Commissioning Editor for Arts.  The Directors are Vanessa Caswill and Rachna Suri with Debbie Christie as the Executive Producer. Filming begins in London this month.

Vicky Featherstone, Royal Court Theatre Artistic Director, commented;

“The Royal Court is delighted to be teaming up with BBC Four to bring eight untold stories about ordinary women who do the extraordinary, to our screens.  The wonderful range of writers, actors and film-makers involved, represent only the tip of the iceberg of talent, provocation and idea. We have come quite a long way in 100 years, but these pieces explode with the proof that we still have a lot further to go.”

Cassian Harrison, Channel Editor for BBC Four, commented;

“Like the Suffragettes that inspired them, the eight monologues for BBC Four promise to be angry, dangerous and unlike anything seen before. I’m incredibly proud to welcome Vicky Featherstone and her incredibly talented team of all-female collaborators to BBC Four on this most important of anniversaries”.

Please find full details of the monologues below.

 

Compliance

Written by Abi Morgan

With Romola Garai

A hotel room meeting between a young actress and her powerful producer.

 

Outside

Written by Theresa Ikoko

With Corinne Skinner-Carter

A women celebrates her 100^th birthday while outside the revolution is beginning. 

 

Bovril Pam

Written by Vicky Jones

With Jodie Comer

It’s the early 1960’s, stuck between Victorian England and the sexual revolution, a secretary in the typing pool finds herself. 

 

Multiples

Written by Zinnie Harris

With Siobhan Finneran

Accused of the murder of her three babies a woman educates herself to prove the expert witness wrong.

 

Pig Life

Written by EV Crowe

With Shirley Henderson

It’s 1991 and rape in marriage has been made illegal. Our character is shocked to realise what she has been living through.

 

Pritilata

Written by Tanika Gupta

With Kiran Sonia Sawar

It’s 1932 and Pritilata leads an attack against the European Club in an attempt to gain Independence from the British.

 

Reclaim the Night

Written by Charlene James

With Liv Hill

1977 and the first Reclaim the Night march takes place in Leeds in response to the curfew imposed on women to protect them from the Yorkshire Ripper.

 

Tipping Point

Written by Rachel De-Lahay

With Antonia Thomas

In the not too distant future, a pregnant woman besieged by angry trolls and white supremacists contemplates what world her unborn child will enter.

 

SNATCHES: Moments From 100 Years of Woman’s Lives is scheduled to transmit in the UK this summer as a central part of BBC’s Hear Her season which will mark the anniversary of women’s suffrage.