New play based on local history comes to Braunston

The play will be staged on Thursday (June 22) from 7pm and it tells the story of the famous Boatmen’s strike from a woman’s perspective. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to local charities.

Told through spoken word and song, Rats, Ropes and Revolution is part of the commemorations for the 100-year anniversary of Braunston Boatmen’s Strike.

Kate Saffin, artistic director of Alarum, said: “There is much written about the strike – the role the union played, the company’s dastardly pay cuts, 50-60 boats in Braunston, an influx of children to the local school, but nothing about what it might have been like to be a boatwoman in the middle of all that muddle.”

In an exciting new collaboration with long time boater, musician and song writer Janul, this new show explores how Eliza, a woman on a working boat, might have felt to be at the heart of this historic campaign and all the difficult changes she had to deal with.

Kate said: “Jan and I have talked about what it have been like for a woman from a boating family, used to being on the move, managing her family, meals, shopping, washing, cooking, steering, sewing, knitting… what was 14 weeks at a standstill like for her?”

Tickets are £10 from Braunston Marina Shop, or reserve one by emailing [email protected].

The team are very grateful for the financial support of Tim Coghlan (Braunston Marina) in bringing this show to the Marina on Thursday, June 22.

Proceeds from ticket sales will also be distributed by Braunston Marina to the benefit of local charities.

Alarum Productions are a small-scale touring theatre usually found on the canals of the Midlands but for 2023 they have found a home in Braunston and this production is part of a bigger programme of work with the local community funded by Arts Council England.