'Feisty' female gang heading to Exeter

Stowaway Theatre, a dynamic female-led actor-musician theatre company, has announced the premiere of their debut original show '40 Elephants.

Set in the heart of the 1920s, this captivating production is inspired by true historical stories and written by company founder Lizi Bennett.

It delves into the notorious exploits of Britain's first female crime syndicate - The 40 Elephants.

In a world of glamour, violence, feisty female gangs, music, and mayhem, '40 Elephants' invites audiences to step back in time to 1927. Alice Diamond, former leader of the 40 Elephants, has just been released from prison and is ready to share the true tales of the gang's rise and fall.

Witness the rules, raids, consequences and betrayals as these women, born into poverty, strive to escape their circumstances by any means necessary.

Founded in 2023, Stowaway Theatre is based in Devon. The company is dedicated to creating exciting and inspiring theatre that brings historical true stories to life, stories that have either been lost, forgotten, or overlooked.

Company founder Lizi Bennett is an alumni of Rose Bruford College (MA Actor-Musicianship) and Exeter University (BA Hons Drama), with her work recognised and supported by Arts Council England.

An original piece of writing by Lizi, the show’s concept began while she was researching for her dissertation at Rose Bruford. With a drive to make a piece of theatre based on a strong female-focused story, Lizi researched the story of this female gang from a book called ‘Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants’ by Brian McDonald which delves into the fascinating, and often unknown, true stories of this gang.

40 Elephants will be playing at the Barnfield Theatre in Exeter from Thursday February 22 to Saturday February 24 2024 - Barnfield Theatre, Exeter, 8pm.

There is a BSL performance on Friday Feb 23. For tickets, go to: exeternorthcott.co.uk