Celebrating Cornwall’s women of Greenham Common
An evening of cabaret, community and creative protest is coming to Cornwall as Scary Little Girls joins forces with Greenham Women Everywhere to honour the extraordinary contribution Cornish women made to the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp.
In September 1981, women marched from Cardiff to protest the siting of American cruise missiles at RAF Greenham Common. What began as a ten-day walk became a 19-year occupation that reshaped the landscape of peaceful protest and women’s activism in Britain.
Women from Cornwall were among those who left their homes and families to live at the Peace Camp, facing arrest, eviction and hostility - united by the belief that collective, creative resistance could change the world.
Now their stories return home in Kernewek Keskesow Cabaret - an evening of theatre and music, performed in both Cornish and English, telling the stories of Cornish women and women based in Cornwall and their experiences at the peace camp.
The cabaret features Rebecca Mordan, Bec Applebee, Fiona O’Cleirigh, Fi Read and Claire Ingleheart, combining first-hand testimony with song to create a powerful and uplifting night of performance. They’ll be joined by The Revellers who will be singing at each event - a local feel-good a capella group of women who love putting a twist on folk, world music and protest songs.
With projected lyrics enabling audiences to follow along and join in, the event promises an evening of entertainment and celebration, as well as an opportunity to reflect on what the Greenham Women achieved over forty years ago.
Rebecca Mordan, artistic director of Scary Little Girls and co-founder of the Greenham Women Everywhere archive project, said: “Greenham isn’t just history to me - my mum was one of the women who went to the Peace Camp. I grew up understanding that ordinary women can do extraordinary things when they stand together.
“Bringing these stories back to Cornwall feels deeply personal. So many Cornish women were part of this movement, and their courage, humour and determination deserve to be celebrated loudly and proudly.”
Development work for the project has included workshops with Cornwall Youth Theatre and the Next Stage Group - part of Hall for Cornwall - who learned and explored the songs of Greenham as part of the creative process. Ahead of each evening performance, school and community groups will also take part in daytime workshops, connecting younger generations with this important chapter of activism and community history.
Before the 7.30pm cabaret, audiences are invited to step into the spirit of peaceful protest at a free drop-in exhibition and printmaking workshop.
Inside the Karavan - Scary Little Girls’ magical mobile archive of Cornish stories - visitors can explore a dedicated exhibition highlighting the impact Cornish women had on the wider peace movement. Alongside this, participants can create and print their own protest poster to take home, drawing inspiration from the bold visual language and creativity of the camp.
Whether staying for the cabaret or simply dropping by during the day, all are welcome. Entry to the printmaking workshop is free, but the Cabaret events are paid, ticketed evening events.
Tour Dates & Ticket Information
Helston: Old Chapel on Friday 24 April
Bude: Bude Library on Saturday 25 April
St Agnes: St Agnes Library, Monday 27 April
Penzance: Redwing Arts, Tuesday 8 April
Bodmin: Shire House with intoBodmin on Wednesday 29 April
Liskeard: Sterts Arts and Environmental Centre on Thursday 30 April
All ticket information can be found here:
Scary Little Girls is a feminist theatre company, started over twenty years ago by artistic director Rebecca Mordan. Set up to provide opportunities for women in the creative arts and challenge sexism, their mission is to tell underrepresented stories and to give a platform to the voices less heard.
They also run the Greenham Women Everywhere project - bringing a hugely important piece of feminist heritage into public access. This National Lottery-funded project saw the team interview over 200 of the women who formed the Greenham Common Peace Camp between 1981 and 2000.
Over the years, Scary Little Girls has carved out a unique space within the national arts agenda. One of the few feminist theatre companies in the UK and at 25 years old, one of the oldest, the production company has provided opportunities for hundreds of women to continue their careers in the creative arts. Scary Little Girls has, on average per year over their 26 years, worked with over 100 creative arts freelancers across the UK, with a 98% female freelance workforce.
To discover more about the work of Scary Little Girls, visit:
