The stories of two extraordinary local women are to be told at theatre performances this July.
Alison Utting, from Ellesmere, is a researcher, writer and performer who specialises in bringing half-forgotten stories of remarkable local women to life. She started in 2019, researching and sharing the back story of Eglantyne Jebb, the Ellesmere-born founder of Save The Children. Then came ‘Aggie’, adapted almost entirely from the memoirs of Dame Agnes Hunt and performed in character for delighted audiences. The story takes us from Agnes’s childhood, through adventures in Australia and Tasmania, to the beginnings of ‘The Baschurch Home’, which would later evolve into the famous orthopaedic hospital.
2025 saw the launch of ‘Miss Plymley Recollects’, adapted from the journals of Katherine Plymley of Longnor and giving an eye-witness account of life in Regency Shropshire and of the campaign for the Abolition of Slavery, with which Katherine was closely involved. Alison’s newest illustrated talk, ‘Ordinary Lives’, is a trip down Memory Lane, using first-hand accounts of life in Shropshire over the last century-and-a-half.
Audiences in the Oswestry area have enjoyed some of Alison’s performances over the last few years. Now there is an opportunity for everyone to experience two of her most popular shows. ‘Miss Plymley Recollects’ will be at Oswestry Community Centre, Lorne Street, on Friday 3 July starting at 7.30pm. The show lasts one hour, with a Q&A session and refreshments served afterwards (donations to the Centre). ‘Aggie’ will be performed at Theatre Severn on Saturday 18 July 7.30pm. Again, the show lasts one hour, to be followed by a Q&A session.
For booking links, please visit www.ashropshirelass.org, where you will also find contact details and more details of all the talks.
Alison Utting as Katherine Plymley.
Alison Utting as Dame Agnes Hunt.
