After the Ball

<p>We are what we do; what we do can never be undone; our acts have ripple (or explosive) effects long after the act itself; women and men are entirely equal; individual and state violence to other human beings is unforgiveable.</p><p>In <em>After the Ball</em> we follow a south London family from 1914 to 1971. A similar tale could be told about any European city family who suffered and persevered through the catastrophic wars of the 20<sup>th</sup> century. It’s a story of resilience in the face of personal trauma. It’s a story of political and social bonds that get stretched beyond breaking point.   It’s story of female liberation and political emancipation and the triumphs and challenges these bring. <em>After the Ball</em> comes to the stage in the centenary anniversary year of the end of the First World War; on the centenary of the first votes for women in British political history; and opened on International Women’s Day March 8<sup>th</sup>.</p><p>The play emphasises the role of the individual within a social and political context – we see women and men campaigning for the right to vote for equality in society and for their ability to choose a way of life. We see women and men falling in love making good and bad decisions working as best they can to survive in a society pummelled twice in 30 years by world war. Within that framework is the key theme – that we are all individually responsible for our own actions.</p>