Sunday 10 September saw Blazing Saddles perform on Bexhill seafront, next to the newly refurbished, Coronation Bandstand. Performances were introduced by the Mayor of Bexhill, Cllr Lynn Brailsford, Ian Hollidge of Bexhill Wheelers, & KP Projects Director.
Amazing images were taken by several photographers, with big spreads in the Bexhill/Battle Observer; the Hastings/Rye Observer, on the front page, page 3 and page 24 & the Sussex Express click HERE
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A blistering September day in Worthing, one of the hottest of 2023, saw Blazing Saddles perform on the promenade in front of Worthing Pavilion, as part of Spin Out Festival. The heat took its toll on audience numbers but, you can see from the images, it was watched by a diverse audience, of approximately 100 people watching each show.
Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects 2023
Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects 2023
SBS ran a stall giving out hundreds of flyers, information about the project & how to get involved. And, Stitch It Don’t Ditch It set up a table & demonstrated making a pair of bloomers from men’s old shirts.
We were delighted to see some of The BMWs (Brighton Multi-Cultural Women’s Cycling Club) in the audience, along with a group from Breeze women’s cycling network who had ridden over from Worthing.
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The Bicycle Ballet Co’s Blazing Saddles show was performed in our four partner locations as part of Sussex Blazing Saddles, with Taster Workshops in Newhaven & Brighton.
Click on the images for more:
Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects CIC 2024
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click on the images to read the newsletters
Autumn 2024 – the final SBS newsletter with details of the online exhibition, an SBS film & thanks to everyone
Late summer 2024 – September events, SBS pop up exhibitions; talks; Tasters, Re-Imagining & Re-Making workshops
Summer 24 – Costume archive training, Re-Imagining, Re-Making workshops, updates, events & favourite discoveries from the archives.
Spring 24 – FREE activites, events & additional funding; archive visits & update – the bloomer backlash, Sussex Suffragists & the Great Pilgrimage
Winter 23 – Early ladies cycling clubs, indispensible hair pins, Blazing Saddles performances in Worthing & Bexhill & a Taster workshop in Newhaven for Heritage Open Days; & how to get involved
Summer 2023 – forthcoming events & workshops for Heritage Open Days; 1890s fashion inventions, innovations & national sensations & opportunities to get involved
Our First Newsletter, June 2023 – introducing the SBS logo & project; archive research discoveries – the first Brighton ladies cycling club & Skirts vs Knickerbockers – project news & events
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KP Projects’ Creative Director, Karen Poley, delivered a series of talks about the Sussex Blazing Saddles project in partner locations across Sussex:
Bexhill Museum Talk, 16 June 2pm, TN29 3HL
Better Bike Social Talk, 10 June, 7pm, Brighton
Newhaven Historical Society Talk, 3 September 7.30pm, Hillcrest Centre, BN9 9LH
Jubilee Library Talk, 14 September 11am, Brighton, BN1 1GE
In addition:
– Over 30 short talks were given to introduce the project, & explain the importance of the heritage of women & cycling, at all the workshops, events & activities across the project, &
– 4 Radio interviews &
– 2 online video interviews
Scroll down to watch & hear some of these below:
Talks
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TRANSCRIPT –
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Interview with Melita Dennett, Radio Reverb 6.8.24, starting at 05.04 on the heritage of women cycling, pop up exhibition, workshops & performances in Brighton
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Interview on Radio Reverb with Melita Dennett, 22.8.23, starting at 13.21
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Interview on Seahaven FM 4.8.23 Introducing SBS, Newhaven element & Grace Chrismas
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Starting at 09.50, interview with Melita Dennett, Radio Reverb 22.11.22, introducing SBS project
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All the info for various elements of the project are here – https://linktr.ee/sussexblazingsaddles & the project website is www.sussexblazingsaddles.co.uk
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The 8 & 9 September weekend rehearsals & shows in Newhaven was severly hit by strong winds & intermittent driving rain.
Rehearsals, Saturday 8th – Two courageous local participants braved the weather with their bicycles. Sadly not enough for the show but they were treated to an impromptu, if rather wet, workshop. The rest of the day was spent rehearsing in wet spaces along a riverside route between Newhaven Skate Park & The Sidings, occasionally in a shower.
On Sunday 9th, show day, the forecast was for torrential downpours during the 2-4pm show time, so we decided to cancel the ride route & run static shows at The Sidings. After a flurry of contingency planning, comms & rehearsals, two mostly dry shows took place at 2pm & 4pm. Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects CIC 2024
Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects CIC 2024
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Below is the show promotion & information for potential participants.
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The Show:
Blazing Saddles is a unique outdoor performance telling the little known story of the moment bicycles first became widely available & women transformed their clothing to be able to ride.
Evolving from a contemporary choreography, the show is a visual narrative, using movement, character & humour, clowning, costume & cake to to tell the story of a group of women caught up in the excitement & possibility of travel, freedom & independence.
The show is performed in a variety of sequences along a short, slow ride or walk in locations between Newhaven Skatepark & Pumptrack, & The Sidings, including a 30 min picnic break on the Riverside.
Follow the route to watch the show or drop in to different locations – timings available soon.
Perform in the Show
In Newhaven, Blazing Saddles will be performed by a cast of professional & local performers and their bikes. Come & perform with us!
Gain a unique insight into the show’s choreographic structures, have loads of fun & develop a few skills on your bike. The show is created with participants over the weekend of 7 & 8 September leading to the performance, all the info you’ll need & sign up details at this link – https://bit.ly/GetInvolvedSBS
Watch a short film of the show:
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More info on the overall project: www.sussexblazingsaddles.co.uk
Follow us on socials: @kpprojectscic & @bicycleballet for the latest news & information
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Blazing Saddles by Brighton based The Bicycle Ballet Co, created by Artistic Director Karen Poley & Choreographer Janine Fletcher, with costumes by Holly Murray, sound by Ollie Alymer, & performed by Kate Evans, Typhaine Delaup, Ella Fleetwood, Jo Dyer & Jo Gale.
The performance is presented as part of Sussex Blazing Saddles, a National Lottery Heritage Funded project exploring the impact of the bicycle on women from the 1890s -1928, when women eventually won the vote. Also in September, the Sussex Blazing Saddles touring exhibition will be at Newhaven Library from 1-15 September. The project is also supported by Creative Newhaven, Newhaven Festival & Newhaven Museum.
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On a rainy Saturday 21 September 2024, 12 brave women gathered with the Blazing Saddles performers & the team to rehearse, have fun & meet new friends. Over two days they learned the show & performed it to over 400 people in two shows in St Peter’s Square, Brighton as part of Car Free Day & Kidical Mass events. Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects 2023
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Rehearsals
Above, in Carlton Hill School hall at the weekend start. Every time we stepped out, the rain came down!! And below, a sunburn afternoon in St Peter’s Square.
Final rehearsal & run in Carlton Hill School field
Photos © Raysto Images / KP Projects 2023
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Below is the show promotion & information for potential participants.
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Blazing Saddles is a unique outdoor performance telling the little known story of the moment bicycles first became widely available & women transformed their clothing to be able to ride. It links into issues around women & cycling today, looking back to look forward, to interrupt stereotypes & encourage more women to cycle.
Evolving from a contemporary choreography, the show is a visual narrative, using movement, character & humour, clowning, costume & cake to to tell the story of a group of women caught up in the excitement & possibility of travel, freedom & independence.
Perform in the Show
Brighton Blazing Saddles will be performed by a cast of professional & local performers & their bikes. Come & perform with us!
Gain a unique insight into the show’s choreographic structures, have loads of fun & develop a few skills on your bike. The show is created with participants over the weekend of 21 & 22 September leading to the performance. All the info & sign up HERE
All ages welcome & no experience necessary, just the ability to cycle safely with one hand, equivalent to Bikeability Level 2.
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More info on the overall project: www.sussexblazingsaddles.co.uk
Follow us on socials: @kpprojectscic & @bicycleballet
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Blazing Saddles by Brighton based The Bicycle Ballet Co, created by Artistic Director Karen Poley & Choreographer Janine Fletcher, with costumes by Holly Murray, sound by Ollie Alymer, & performed by Kate Evans, Typhaine Delaup, Ella Fleetwood, Jo Dyer & Jo Gale.
The performance is presented as part of Sussex Blazing Saddles, a National Lottery Heritage Funded project exploring the impact of the bicycle on women from the 1890s -1928, when women eventually won the vote. Also in September, the Sussex Blazing Saddles touring exhibition will be at Jubilee Library from 16-29 September. The project is also supported by Brighton & Hove City Council’s Shared Purpose fund.
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“Miss Reynold’s, I am well assured, is but the forerunner of a big movement–the stormy petrel heralding the storm of revolt against the petticoat.” George Lacey Hillier, cycling writer and director of Herne Hill cycle track, Bicycling News, 30 Sept 1893.
“I think Miss Reynold’s costume is undoubtedly the cycling costume of the future, and I feel sure feminine cycling will reach, with its general adoption, to heights which are at present impossible for it. I congratulate Miss Reynolds on her courage in being an apostate of the movement.” Violet Lorne, editor of Ladies section, Bicycling News, 30 Sept 1893. Credit – The National Cycling Archive, Warwick University
“You have no doubt heard of my riding in knickerbockers. I should like to know your opinion on this costume for ladies. I find mine very comfortable and convenient”.
“I have received many applications for patterns of my suit from ladies… I have not a pattern for it, as I cut it out and make it entirely from my idea of what was wanted. Tessie Reynolds, letter to Bicycling News, 30 Sept 1893. Credit – The National Cycling Archive, Warwick University
After her ride: “Miss Reynolds was afterwards examined by a medical man, who announced that she had sustained no ill effects from her ride.”
“I have nothing but admiration for her pluck and splendid constitution which enabled her to place on record such an excellent performance, and for her courage in daring to appear in public in a new, novel, and at the same time, sensible costume.” John Keen, champion racing cyclist, Cycling Magazine, 30 Sept 1893. Credit – The National Cycling Archive, Warwick University
“On Thursday evening a number of ladies interested in the healthful and recreative pastime of cycling, met at the invitation of Miss T. Reynolds, at her residence, No 19 Bristol Road, to discuss the advisability of forming a Ladies’ Cyclist Club for Brighton and district…..” Brighton Gazette, 26 May 1894
Credit- British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk), and The British Library Board “The members of the Brighton and District Ladies’ Cycling Club are growing ambitious, we are told. Recently they had a ride to Worthing and found the journey far too short!” Worthing Gazette, 27 June 1894. Credit- British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk), and The British Library Board
“Every cyclist who truly loves the sport, every lady rider who has striven…to spread the gospel of the wheel amongst her sisters…will hear with real pain, not unmixed with disgust…to what we call a lamentable incident, that took place on the Brighton Road early last Sunday.” Cycling Magazine, 16 Sept 1893. Credit – The National Cycling Archive, Warwick University
Tessie’s costume was “Of a most unnecessary masculine nature and scantiness…which no woman possessed of the instincts of a true lady would care to appear in public with, let alone, ride through London streets.” Cycling Magazine, 16 Sept 1893. Credit – The National Cycling Archive, Warwick University
More coming soon….
More coming soon….