The activism of Canadian journalist Francis Marion Beynon during the 1910s’ suffragette movement is the focus of a new play at the Tsawwassen Arts Centre starting Thursday, Jan. 17.
The Fighting Days, written by Wendy Lill, takes place in Winnipeg, where a freshly-arrived Beynon finds her way into the Votes-for-Women movement of the day and works as a women’s page editor for The Rural Review, sharing her “controversial” views with the wider population.
As the First World War drags Canada into the war theatre, infighting among suffragists ensues over which women should have the right to vote: all women, or only Dominion-born with sons and husbands going overseas to fight.
“A play about the polarities of public and private lives, and about issues of racism and pacifism within the women’s movement, The Fighting Days deals with timeless moral concerns,” said director Carroll Lefebvre.
Cast to play Beynon is Point Roberts’ Mackenzie Dobb, while Delta’s Dani-Rose Coates portrays Lillian Beynon, with Claire Minns as Nellie McClung and Brenda DeJong as the Prairie Woman.
Actors hit the stage Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. until Feb. 2. There are matinees on Sunday, Jan. 20 and 27, at 2 p.m.
Tickets for adults cost $18 and seniors and students pay $15. Organizers recommend calling 604-288-2415 to reserve seats as they are limited.
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