Cornwall Woman

It's 20 years since the feminist production hub launched itself onto the world. Since then they have staged countless performances, ushered new female voices into the limelight and brought classic works screaming into the 21^st century. Hear from the women who are making it happen. Find out what a Mayven is – are you one? And hear from other key women in Cornwall's cultural scene.

Produced and Presented by Karen Pirie for...

International focus is on Mary as she takes the lead in Mark Jenkin's highly anticipated follow-up to Bait – Enys Men. She's appeared in countless theatre productions across Cornwall and was a core member of Kneehigh Theatre in the 90s. And she's been seen on our small screens in everything from Eastenders to Poldark. Mary talks about the challenge of taking on the intense role, the responsibility of being a leading lady in her 50s...

Yasmine is a world class fencer, one of the leaders of Truro's Black Lives Matter protests and she has helped feed many of Falmouth's homeless people. She's currently studying international politics at Exeter University's Penryn campus.

She talks candidly about the shocking racism she has experienced since moving here and the education campaign she's hoping will help turn the tide on racism in Cornwall. 

George Floyd's death made Y...

Rebecca runs her own proudly feminist theatre company which aims to level the playing field for women in theatre, champion the lost women of history and make women in the audience leave feeling great about themselves. She believes that Cornwall's outdoor theatre network will see us leading the way in the return to live theatre. She's also spearheading a national project to celebrate and archive testimony from the fearless women of ...

As a single woman, research suggests that writer Jane Pugh should be miserable and expect a curtailed lifespan. But the richness of her creative life in Cornwall, and the enjoyment she shares with friends and family makes her happier than many married people. She talks about sea swimming in winter, how to write convincingly, and why she quit her job in TV drama. And she reads from her acclaimed short story "Life Girl" which is by t...

Rachel has been teaching foraging on the coast paths and beaches of Cornwall for more than 11 years. She shares her knowledge of the unfamiliar but delicious tastes, nutritional value and ecological importance of seaweed. She talks about how foraging keeps her in touch with nature and the seasons and how, in today's busy world, it helps her think about the way she uses time. Join us on a bright and blustery autumn day on a stony be...

A Hallowe'en special with village wise women Cassandra and Laetitia. Cassandra was Britain's first ever tax-paying witch! They talk about magic spells, historic witch-hunts and their black cat, a keen hunter of ingredients for their cabinet of curiosities.

Find out more about the history of Cornwall's pagan festivals, their favourite potent Cornish locations and their involvement in the All Hallow's "Dark Gathering" at Boscastle. 

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