Beverley Knight will reprise her role of Emmeline Pankhurst , alongside Sharon Rose as Sharon Rose in a UK tour culminating in a run at the Royal Albert Hall this autumn.
About reprising her role, Beverley Knight said :
“I could not be more chuffed to reprise my role as Emmeline Pankhurst one more time! The spirit, courage and determination of the suffragettes and in particular Sylvia Pankhurst is so brilliantly celebrated in this show. The Soul, R&B, HipHop and Blues reflects the joy, passion and the fight of the women and their allies. It seemed to me like the perfect place to perform “Sylvia” was the very stage on which the suffragettes were roundly expelled and rejected, the Royal Albert Hall. Over 100 years later Sylvia and the Suffragettes are returning to triumph.”
Helen Pankhurst, activist, scholar and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, said:
“I’m thrilled that Sylvia will be touring the UK next autumn, reaching audiences right across the country including Greater Manchester, the birthplace of the suffragette movement, and the Royal Albert Hall which became a powerful stage for some of the most memorable events in the fight for women to gain the vote. This production is a stunning retelling of the Suffragette movement, focusing on the fiery personal and political dynamics within my family. With only a few years until the Centenary of Equal Franchise in 2028, this might seem like a story of the past and of one extraordinary family, but the themes it explores are as relevant and topical as ever.”
Sylvia Pankhurst – fearless, flawed, and unforgettable. The untold story of the rebellious middle child of Emmeline Pankhurst takes centre stage in this irresistible hip hop, funk and soul musical that moves your feet and fires your spirit. Whilst her mother and sister battled for women’s suffrage, Sylvia ignited a revolution for the forgotten: working women, the impoverished, the silenced. Caught between her family and her beliefs, Sylvia risked it all to bring change to millions.
Following its sellout world premiere production at The Old Vic in 2023, Sylvia will visit Leicester Curve (24 Sep – 3 Oct), followed by Birmingham Hippodrome (6 – 10 Oct), Edinburgh Festival Theatre (12 – 17 Oct), Salford Lowry (19 – 24 Oct), Norwich Theatre (28 – 31 Oct), Canterbury Marlowe (2 – 7 Nov) before heading into the Royal Albert Hall on 13, 14 and 15 November 2026.
The Olivier Award-winning electrifying musical is fuelled by an irresistible soundtrack by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde that joyously unites hip hop, funk, and soul, and is brought to life by world-renowned choreographer and storyteller Kate Prince (ZooNation). The full creative team includes: Kate Prince (Book and Lyrics, Director and Choreographer), Priya Parmar (Book), Josh Cohen and DJ Walde (Music), Ben Stones (Set and Costume), Natasha Chivers (Lighting), Tony Gayle (Sound), Andrzej Goulding (Video and Animation), Cynthia De La Rosa (Wigs, Hair and Make-up), Lolita Chakrabarti (Dramaturgy) and Sean Green (Music Supervisor).