Complicité partnered with the Barbican to produce Barking Nuns, a research project that looked at the role of women in religion, with a focus on Saint Ethelburga, the first female Abbess of Barking Abbey.

Barking Nuns was part of the Barbican's Change Makers project, a year-long artistic residency in one of Britain's largest secondary schools, Sydney Russell School in Dagenham.

Directed by Complicité's Joyce Henderson (performer in The Magic Flute and The Street of Crocodiles) we worked with 24 Year 10 Drama students. All the students embarked on 'research sessions' at Valance House for 3 weeks, which taught them how to search through archives and discover interesting facts. Ancient music specialist Belinda Sykes led a choir of school teachers for 6 weeks.

The group then worked together for 7 days to create a theatrical performance, which took place at the Broadway Theatre, Barking in June.

Film created by Mountain Way Pictures

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