Leeds-based children’s writer and illustrator Kate Pankhurst's book Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World is now a stage musical

Fittingly, the show has been created by a talented all-female creative team – the script is by Sheffield-born playwright Chris Bush with songs by songwriter Miranda Cooper and it is directed by Amy Hodge. The designer, lighting designer and sound designer are also all women. “The whole journey of watching this amazing team of women and how they have brought the story to the stage has been fascinating,” says Pankhurst. “It’s been great to have been part of that process and to provide a springboard for other people’s creativity.”

The production first went out on tour in 2021-2022 and up to the Edinburgh Fringe to great critical acclaim – the Times called it ‘a pop-fueled, upbeat feminist hit’ while the Guardian described it as ‘a zippy guide to the great women of history that sets… young minds alight’. It is about to embark on another tour starting this week and will be stopping off at Leeds Grand Theatre in February. Like Pankhurst’s beautifully illustrated book, it features remarkable – and often overlooked or forgotten – women from history including civil rights activist Rosa Parks, aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, scientist Marie Curie, nurse Mary Seacole, artist Frida Kahlo, palaeontologist Mary Anning, novelist Jane Austen and the author’s own distant relative suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst.

The Edwardian women’s rights campaigner was Pankhurst’s great, great, grandfather’s brother’s, son’s wife, and her life and work has been a significant influence – it prompted the first book of her Fantastically Great Women series. “The initial spark for it was a conversation I had with someone about the Pankhurst connection – I didn’t grow up knowing much about it – and it took me a while to join the dots and see that there was an idea staring me in the face,” she says. “When I started to look into it, I was surprised that there weren’t really any books about all these amazing women for younger readers. So, I thought, this has to happen and Emmeline’s story was the starting point.” In her research Pankhurst interviewed women in a variety of areas – from science, to the arts and politics and activism. “I wanted it to be as diverse as possible and to inspire young girls with positive role models,” she says. “I have learnt about so many amazing female historical figures I would never have heard of by speaking to lots of women in different fields.”

Drawing has been an important part of Pankhurst’s life ever since she was a young child. “I was always the kid in the corner of the classroom doodling,” she says. “I loved comics in particular and the Beano was a big inspiration for me – it was so accessible, easy to read and fun and you could copy the characters.” In fact, she was so inspired by the Beano that, at the age of just eight, she made a number of comics herself. “My mum still has them in her loft,” she says, laughing. “Although my work has changed a lot since then, I still love speech bubbles and telling stories sequentially.” Doodling is central to her creative practice. “Most of my books have started with a doodle, then it snowballs,” she says. “I try to draw every day and allow myself to be playful – I feel I do my best work when I give myself space to get lost in doodles.”

Pankhurst has recently launched a new series of books – the first, We Are All Astronauts, came out in August and she is currently working on the follow-up We Are All Inventors. “It is continuing the theme of female empowerment and investigating more overlooked stories,” she says. “This time focusing on the area of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.” And she is looking forward to seeing Fantastically Great Women back on stage again. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity to celebrate these women who really did change the world we live in,” she says. “And it has important messages to share with children, young people and adults in a fun, uplifting and inspiring way.”

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World, Leeds Grand Theatre, February 28-March 3. Recommended for ages 7+ leedsheritagetheatres.com