Radium Girls at Lane Cove

Lane Cove Theatre Company presents Radium Girls from August 9 to 25, 2024 at The Performance Space @ St Aidan’s in Longueville.

Directed by Kathy Petrakis, the company describes Radium Girls as an emotionally charged historical tale with implications for today’s world.

In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage, until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls, written by D.W. Gregory, follows the story of Grace Fryer, a dial painter in Orange, New Jersey, as she fights for her day in court.

Based on real events unfolding in the 1920s, the play tells the stories of young women employed in the watch factories featuring timepieces with the newly popular luminous dials.  The glow-in-the-dark watch faces are popular and fashionable, and the women hold well-paying positions. All seems to be pointing to hopeful futures for the women, but soon they begin to fall ill with a mysterious illness which has terrifying symptoms. The play is inspired by Grace Fryer, herself a dial painter, whose efforts to fight for her day in court are blocked by her idealistic former employer who cannot bring himself to believe the same element which shrinks tumours can possibly be causing the suffering of his employees. The play calls into focus issues of corporate responsibility and environmental safety, which are just as important today.

By arrangement with Origin Theatrical Australia.

9-25 August 2024 at The Performance Space @ St Aidan's

1 Christina Street, Longueville

Tickets $30 / $25 conc / $23 groups 10+ / add $10 cheeseplate/$8 dessertplate

Online booking   https://www.trybooking.com/CNBYI