Announcer:
Popular Protest, 1381 to 1913:
From the Peasants’ Revolt to the Suffragettes
Announcer:
Scene 1: The Suffragettes
N3: (Enter Sir Benevolent Patriarch. He strides confidently to the centre of the stage and addresses the audience.)
Sir Benevolent Patriarch: Welcome to Edwardian Britain. My name is Sir Benevolent Patriarch and this is my
lovely wife, Deference.
N4: (Enter Deference. Sir Benevolent points to a spot slightly to his right.)
Sir Benevolent: Stand there, my dear.
N1: (Deference moves obediently to the place.)
Deference: Whatever you say, dear.
Sir Benevolent Patriarch: I want you at my right hand. (Wait a beat) So much easier for you to pass me things,
that way.
Deference: Yes dear.
N2: (She flutters her eyelashes at her husband. Sir Benevolent draws himself up to his full height and surveys the state of the
nation.)
Sir Benevolent Patriarch: It is 1913 - Britain is the richest nation on the planet, ruler of the greatest Empire
ever seen, centre of world trade, hub of international finance…
N3: (He nods approvingly.)
Sir Benevolent Patriarch: Life is good. We intend to keep things like this.
N4: (Suddenly the peace is shattered as three suffragettes, one suffragist and two horses burst into the scene:)
Violencia: Votes For Women!
Millicent Fawcett: End Discrimination NOW!
Persuasia: Extend The Franchise! Give Us The Vote!
Emily Wilding Davison: Equal Rights For Women!
N1: (Sir Benevolent and Deference are horrified – two of the demonstrators are their daughters, Persuasia and Violencia.)
Sir Benevolent Patriarch: Deference! Our daughters are revolting.
N2: (Violencia steps up to her father and thrusts her face in his.)
Violencia: We are not revolting.
Persuasia: No, we are protesting against the fact that we are not allowed to vote.
N3: (Violencia slaps a suffragette leaflet into her father’s chest and shouts:)
Millicent Fawcett: Votes for Women!
Emily Wilding Davison: Deeds not words!
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