VOTE at the Edinburgh Fringe

My name is Phoebe Perry, and at 14 years old, I had a dream—an ambitious dream to write a musical. While this was already a challenging task, the next step was deciding what I wanted it to be about.

It quickly became clear to me that the story had to focus on the Suffragettes. This movement is often overshadowed and surrounded by misconceptions. When I first began this project, I had very little knowledge of their struggles. I knew the name Emmeline Pankhurst and a vague account of someone being killed by the King’s horse, but I was unaware of the daily hardships and sacrifices the Suffragettes endured. Looking back now, I feel a deep sense of regret for how little I knew about their pivotal role in shaping the rights we enjoy today.

VOTE is important because it sheds light on the darker, often hidden aspects of the Suffragette movement. It delves deeper than the well-known stories of force-feeding, exploring issues like sexual and verbal abuse, and the relentless battle against ingrained male prejudice. Sadly, many of these issues still persist in our modern society, which makes VOTE more relevant than ever.

I first directed VOTE at my school with a cast of 18. It featured 10 original songs and ran for an hour. After two successful performances—both ending in standing ovations—I felt a strong desire to take the project further. During my gap year, I plan to travel to Berlin to expand VOTE into a full-length musical, featuring 17 songs and bridging the gap between historical accuracy and emotional storytelling. My ultimate goal is to bring VOTE to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2025.

This is where your support would mean the world to us. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the largest arts festival in the world and an incredible platform for emerging talent. It’s the perfect environment to introduce VOTE to a wider audience. However, the costs of participating in the festival are significant. Your kind donations would help cover vital expenses such as accommodation for the cast, performance space, travel, technical support, and the festival registration fee.

I strongly believe in the importance of preserving and retelling our history—especially stories that continue to resonate in today’s world. In many places around the globe, the rights the Suffragettes fought for are still under threat. It is our responsibility to honor their legacy and remain vigilant in protecting the freedoms we are so fortunate to have.

If you’d like to learn more about VOTE, I’ve created a 10-minute documentary that I’ll link below.

Thank you for taking the time to engage with this project. If you have any questions or would like to reach out, our email address is:

Your generosity and support mean everything. Sometimes, with a little help, dreams really do come true.

With gratitude,