Her War

Event Details
Cast & Crew

Live Performance

19:00-19:30, Friday 18th September 2020

The Cockpit

There will also be an interactive broadcast of this show at 18:00-19:00, Tuesday 22nd September 2020. A recording of that broadcast will be available for 28 days after the first broadcast.

Music: Edwin Roxburgh

Words: Jonathan Ruffle

‘Her War’ is a ground-breaking opera for soprano April Fredrick and trumpeter Simon Desbruslais exploring the female experience of PTSD for women returning from active service after WWI. Based on historical sources of ambulance drivers, nurses, and soldiers, the opera recreates the 1920 Pension Tribunals where women fought to have their war trauma recognised. Music by Edwin Roxburgh, words by BBC ‘Tommies’ creator Jonathan Ruffle.

Audiences will review her claim and ‘vote’ on whether Jane Grace will proceed to the full tribunal panel, followed by a short Q&A with the creative team. This is an R&D performance of Part I.

The initial broadcast included an R&D performance of Part I of ‘Her War’, a ground-breaking opera for soprano April Fredrick and trumpeter Simon Desbruslais exploring the female experience of PTSD for women returning from active service after WWI.

The libretto is based on documents from the 1920 Pension Tribunals, and audiences will review the pension claim form of Joan Grace and vote whether she should proceed to the full tribunal panel.

Performance followed by a Q&A with the creative team, Denise Poynter, an expert on the historical experience of women’s service and shellshock in WWI and Matthew Ward from History Needs You.

Age range: 13 upwards

Content Warning: images of wartime violence, mental health distress

Click here to download a copy of the libretto.

The audience act as members of a tribunal panel reviewing Jane Grace’s case. Click here for a Google Form you can complete during or just after the performance. There will also be a show of hands for those who prefer not to use devices.

Produced by SoundRanger Studio