LABOUR MP Jess Phillips will join the writing team for the world première of Women In Power Director of Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Samuel Hodges has announced.

The production sees some of the UK’s most influential female voices, including Wendy Cope, Jenny Eclair, Suhayla El-Bushra, Natalie Haynes, Shappi Khorsandi and Brona C Titley, come together to write this musical comedy based on the Greek classic, The Assembly Women. Directed by NST Associate Director Blanche McIntyre, the production opens on 6 September at NST City and runs until 29 September.

Jess said: “I'm delighted to be taking part in this project with so many brilliant women. Women in Power is what my political career has all been about; what a pleasure to be able to be part of something so creative as a new way of fighting the good fight.”

The drama is set in 350 BC. Athens. The country is in political turmoil. Recent wars and alliances have left Athenians no option but to take the most extreme action. The most radical: a government of women!

Praxagora masterminds and leads a daring coup d’état, outlining her utopian vision of total equality to her crowd of cross-dressing collaborators. A world where power imbalance is eradicated and with it debt, greed and theft. But this has unintended and hilarious consequences.

A raucous new comedy, and a reimagining of the original, by a team of leading female writers from the world of poetry, broadcasting, theatre and stand up. Combined with an exceptional comic cast and led by NST Associate Blanche McIntyre, Aristophanes’ Women in Power is turned into a celebration of sketches with songs, dance, music and women taking the lead.