PADLOCKS and chains at the ready, amateur actors will be shackling themselves to Kendal library's railings to mark 100 years since women got the vote.

Dressed as suffragettes in purple, green and white sashes, and carrying 'Votes for women' placards, the male and female players will be chaining themselves to the library steps on Friday, April 6, to publicise a forthcoming street theatre festival.

Noisy heckling can be expected, says Kendal Community Theatre, as the campaigners are berated by fellow actors in the role of women's suffrage opponents.

"I can promise colour and passionate feeling on both sides," said press officer Stephen Lockwood. "Shoppers need not be alarmed but I’m sure will be surprised and interested ahead of this summer's festival."

The spectacle is being described as "just a bit of fun" ahead of a recruitment drive for the street theatre festival from July 18 to 28. Called The Trouble with Women, the celebration of women's suffrage will feature performances of five plays at locations around the town. On Saturday, July 21, actors will again be chaining themselves to the library railings, as well as the Birdcage and Kendal Town Hall, to mark the centenary of votes for women.

"I don't think we are planning on causing a disturbance of the peace," said Stephen. "We did a re-enactment of the 1715 Jacobite rebellion when Bonnie Prince Charlie came through Kendal. People were marching up and down streets with bagpipes, and shoppers were totally bemused to see people wearing kilts. I think the same sort of thing will happen with this."

Over a century ago, Westmorland was home to leading 'Votes for women' figures such as music festival founder Mary Wakefield, and Margaret Llewelyn Davies, of Kirkby Lonsdale.

"It's hard to imagine but the whole struggle for women's suffrage divided families," Stephen told the Gazette, "and would put parent against child, or husbands against wives. A lot of families felt differently over women's suffrage and it caused a lot of unhappiness at the time."

Caroline Moir, Kendal Community Theatre's publicity coordinator, said: "We will be very careful not to impact the public. We hope they will be sympathetic. We are used to being heckled; you have to develop a thick skin if you are going to be an actor in street theatre."

The plays to be performed in July are Greek tragedy Antigone; Handbagged, about encounters between The Queen and Margaret Thatcher; Big Fat Pig; How We Won the Vote; and Changing Times.

"We want people to talk about the plays, about women and power and about equality," added Caroline.

Everyone is welcome to Kendal Town Hall's Georgian Room on Thursday, April 26, at 7pm to find out more about the July festival. As well as actors, the group is seeking stage managers and crew, set builders, painters, costume makers, singers, musicians and help with front-of-house and publicity.

To sign up or find out more, call 01539-727424 or email info@kendalcommunitytheatre.com