She Wears the Trousers, by GASP! Theatre Company

‘She Wears the Trousers’, is about The Canterbury Feminist Society celebrating its first anniversary in the 1970s with still only its four original members; Helen, a bra- burning feminist, Betty, a housewife stuck in the sixties, Gail, who copies everything Helen does, and Cindy, well…no one really knows why Cindy’s there. Thrilled to have made it to their one year anniversary, Helen decides that a protest at the gates of Canterbury Cathedral would be the perfect way to celebrate their achievement. Unbeknown to her, the other three have been planning a very different surprise with disastrous consequences…

GASP! Theatre Company was founded at the University of Kent by Georgina Stafford, Alexandra Saunders-Yates, Sophie Kronenberg and Philippa Holmes. The company is currently in residency there, with the School of Arts. Their first comedy, ‘She Wears the Trousers’, was toured around Kent and Surrey before going on to complete a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016.

The show has since been developed into an hour long play, with a deeper exploration of the characters, drawing even more inspiration from the Italian comedy form ‘Commedia dell’ Arte’. GASP!’s individual and unique style of theatre has progressed, with more emphasis on the socio-political messages in their plays, portrayed through caricatures and absurd situations.

GASP! aims to create comedic performances that are farcical, daring, and intelligently silly. Their aim is to exhibit thought provoking messages that express empowerment through mockery from the female perspective.