Beverley Knight delivers standout vocals as Emmeline Pankhurst in Sylvia, a hip-hop, soul and R&B retelling of the suffragette movement now playing at The Lowry in Manchester until Saturday 24 October.
Sylvia, based on a book by Kate Prince and Priya Parmar, spans the 15-year period between 1913 and 1928, telling the story of the suffragette movement through song and dance. The production first premiered in London in 2023 before returning this year, opening in Leicester earlier this month, followed by shows in Birmingham and Edinburgh, and has now landed in Manchester.
A Focus on Sylvia Pankhurst
While Emmeline Pankhurst remains a focal character, the play centres mainly on her middle daughter, Sylvia, and how she continued the movement away from her famous Pankhurst relatives. Other children Christabel, Adela and Harry also get their own limelight, but Emmeline receives a slightly vilified character arc in this retelling.
The story reveals the conflict between Emmeline and her middle daughter, who eventually cut ties with one another before Emmeline joined the Conservative Party in 1926. The play opens with an introduction to the characters, quickly showing a romantic bond between Sylvia, played by Naomi Katiyo, and former leader of the Labour Party Keir Hardie, played by Tachia Newall.
Historical Events and Standout Performances
Sylvia takes the audience through key historical events such as Winston Churchill's opposition to the suffragette movement, the death of Emily Davison, and the first world war, all unfolding while a strong group of women fought with the government to win the right to vote.
Knight, known for Sister Act and The Bodyguard, reprised her role of Emmeline Pankhurst after winning the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for Sylvia back in 2023. Her stand-out vocals were particularly notable during "March Women March" at the end of Act One. Katiyo also boasted powerful vocals, and her emotive performance made the story feel more human than it might have if it had focused on the movement as a whole.
Design, Humour, and Impact
The set design by Ben Stones remained minimal, allowing the ensemble cast to fill the stage. Lighting by Natasha Chivers and Hector Murray helped make significant moments more poignant. Pockets of humour were woven into the play, including when Churchill, played by Castell Parker, met his future wife Clementine, played by Collette Guitart, and when Sir Almroth Wright, played by Ivano Turko, shared his 'scientific' research on why women are inferior.
Some moments designed to be emotional or powerful lost their impact, perhaps due to the length of the show and its sung-through style. Although the acting, dancing and singing was incredible, each score on its own was not massively memorable. Other than the powerful and impactful final two songs in Act One, the rest of the music felt repetitive.
Despite this, Sylvia is an engaging and emotive way of telling the story of a major UK movement, where a strong generation of women made life-altering sacrifices which positively impacted women across the whole of the country. It feels particularly special to hear northern voices on stage at The Lowry, telling a story that is so significant to Manchester's rich history and heritage.
Knight said ahead of Sylvia heading to The Lowry: "Salford is probably the most significant stop on the tour because it's so closely connected to the Pankhurst family and the birthplace of the suffragette movement." She added: "I think it'll be incredibly emotional performing the show there. Emmeline and Sylvia are such an integral part of Manchester's history."
