Gas Girls, was created to commemorate the centenary of World War I in 2014. The show was devised & performed by a cast of 20 local people, previewed at the acta centre in March, and toured to Bristol communities in June.

It was fantastic, such an incredible story, and performed with sensitivity and an enthusiastic talented cast.

Wonderfully produced & staged, as well as telling a terrible, touching & affecting story.

The whole play was captivating.

Photographs from the show are available to view here.

The Gas Girls book was launched at the preview performances in March, and sold throughout the tour (Avonmouth – University of Bristol – Withywood – Horfield.) A few copies remain, and are available online or from the acta office, priced at £5. There is also an exhibition available.

The Gas Girls blog, updated throughout the project (see below), tells some of the stories from the research and the discoveries that went into creating the book and the touring show.

The show was watched by nearly 1,000 people, two thirds of whom were not regular theatre-goers. As well as offering a new piece of community theatre to our established audience in Bristol, it successfully engaged a new audience to acta; for two thirds of the audience it was their first ever acta show.

The sell-out tour attracted a very local audience in each of the community venues:

• 1 in 5 audience members lived in the local community.
• 2 in 5 audience members lived in a neighbouring community.

Wonderful show, but quite horrific.

Surprised it went on so close to home.

A fantastic portrayal of a real life story.

Very powerful, the more so because it was true.

brilliantly conceived… authentic… poignant … deeply moving… thought-provoking… haunting… made me cry…

The project was supported by lottery funding from Arts Council England and Heritage Lottery Fund.