Forgotten Lesbian Theatre Classic Returns After 40 Years With Four Women Pirates
Raising the Wreck: Revisited brings a pioneering lesbian theatre production back to Liverpool on 12 November, with a connection to Bernardine Evaristo.
A groundbreaking British theatre production that brought lesbian lives to the stage four decades ago is returning with four women pirates, a shipwreck and a story that moves between centuries.
Raising the Wreck: Revisited will be performed at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre on Thursday 12 November 2026, revisiting Sue Frumin’s original play, which was commissioned by Gay Sweatshop Theatre Company in the 1980s.
The original production was among the early British plays to feature a multiracial cast of women while placing lesbian experiences at the centre of its storytelling.
Why Was the Original Production Significant?
Gay Sweatshop was an influential LGBTQ+ theatre company established in 1974, creating productions that challenged the limited representation of gay and lesbian lives on British stages.
At a time when lesbian characters were frequently absent from mainstream theatre, Raising the Wreck presented women’s experiences through an ambitious combination of history, mythology and performance.
The production also featured Bernardine Evaristo in its original cast, years before she became internationally recognised as the Booker Prize-winning author of Girl, Woman, Other.
Evaristo has described the original work as groundbreaking for bringing lesbian experiences into public view, providing a direct connection between the development of queer theatre and her later literary career.
Four Pirates Return to a Changing World
The story follows Grace O’Malley, Aku, Mary Read and Zoa, four women pirates who have spent centuries aboard a wreck beneath the sea.
Their isolation was interrupted in 1985 when Jenny visited them, introducing the women to the concerns and experiences of the modern world.
In the new production, Jenny returns in 2026 carrying a mobile phone and questions about the society she now inhabits.
The premise allows the characters to compare different periods of history, exploring how women’s lives have been recorded, misunderstood or overlooked.
The revival combines humour, music and storytelling while examining the continuing relevance of the original production’s themes.
Who Is Behind the Revival?
The production is written by Sue Frumin, directed by Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder and designed by Lara Booth.
It forms part of Homotopia’s 2026 programme, We Come Together, which brings LGBTQ+ theatre, music, visual art and community events to Liverpool.
Selected venues will also host workshops connected to the production, exploring storytelling, maritime heritage and traditional sea shanties.
When and Where Can You Watch Raising the Wreck?
Raising the Wreck: Revisited is at Unity Theatre, Liverpool, on Thursday 12 November 2026 at 7.30pm.
Tickets cost £15, with £10 concessions, and the production is recommended for audiences aged 16 and over.
Readers can book directly through Unity Theatre, where access information and further production details are available.
