Gathered outside York Minster on a mild summer's night, a purple and green mist hangs in the air after atmospheric colour canons are let off. A troop of Suffragettes, sashes and all, descend upon the crowd that has gathered. A unified determination inhabits their faces, as they march the audience into the theatre. This spectacle is not unusual to York's residents, as 'Everything is Possible' marks the third large scale community production in the city's recent history. Already the atmosphere alone is empowering.
Once in the theatre, the production assumes a more conventional course; Bridget Forman's script chooses to follow Heworth's own Annie Seymour Pearson (Barbara Marten), and her internal conflict with women's rights as a respectable woman and a mother. Supported by 200 strong cast members, Marten truly carries the performance with grace and honesty. Her moral debate with the controversial Suffragette movement successfully encourages reflection on our 21st Century equivalent - feminism. Whilst many thoughtful parallels with modern issues are created later in the play, the first act remains rooted in our protagonists initial dealings with the movement.
Directors Juliet Forster and Katie Posner have made effective use of this mammoth ensemble, with the production's large scale riot scenes and rallying celebrations in particular providing real depth to Annie's story.
While the first act paints an engaging landscape of delight, tension and humour, the second act somewhat lacks the depth that makes the first seem so secure. Instead the story is largely told through a series of projections, which whilst inventive, often mean the dialogue that ensured the progression of the plot is missed. Having neglected the more personal storyline that the audience initially latched on to, the play focuses more on the historic events leading up to the women's vote; the infamous Epsom Derby and World War One.
But the emphasis on personal stories is where the production truly triumphs.
Encouraging empathy from simple human stories, 'Everything is Possible' allows many modern parallels to be explored; our use of social media to galvanize people is something we often take for granted - the mobilisation of the Suffrage movement with a lack of technology is a truly impressive stunt. The importance of representation in parliament remains an issue today, after we celebrate our most diverse group of elected MPs in British history. And a not so modern movement the play is particularly keen to highlight - our struggle to accept a need for feminism.
'Everything is Possible' successfully highlights the power of the ballot box, spinning an epic tale for a new generation of voters.
Sounds like a brilliant re-telling of the story of the suffragettes!