Grantham Guildhall Arts Centre is to host a memorable programme of headline events as part of the town's Thatcher Fest, marking 100 years since the birth Margaret Thatcher - Britain's first female Prime Minister - in Grantham.
South Kesteven District Council is one of several collaborators on the commemorative project, which covers history, conflict and the divisive politics of her time in power.
Events at the Guildhall include the smash hit Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho (13th October), continuing an odyssey following five sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, UK tours and a West End season.
Starring Matt Tedford as The Iron Lady, the show reimagines the eve of the Section 28 vote, with Maggie getting lost in Soho and accidentally becoming a cabaret superstar. Find out if she changes her mind about the controversial bill, which prohibited “promotion of homosexuality” in schools, in a show described as “Gloriously camp with political punch.”
Also at the Guildhall, former Junior Health Minister Edwina Currie is hosting an evening of chat and memories of her time at the heart of government (14th October).
Then later the same week, TV personality, author and former MP Gyles Brandreth hosts Quite A Centenary, celebrating three British icons: Margaret Thatcher, Elizabeth II and Winnie the Pooh (17th October).
An evening in the Ballroom brings York St John University professor, Dr James Cooper, to Grantham for Thatcher, Reagan, Gorbachev: Power, Politics, and the end of the Cold War (15th October).
All tickets available via www.guildhallartscentre.com or from the Guildhall Box Office.
Other ticketed events through the Guildhall Website include:
- Walking Talks: The Thatcher Years - guided walks of Grantham - various dates in October
- The Iron Lady: cinema screening at Kesteven and Grantham Girls School - 13th and 16th October
- Living Over the Shop: Grantham Dramatic Society present a gossip's view of Margaret Thatcher at Christ Church, Finkin Street/Grantham Museum - 15th and 18th October
- Margaret Thatcher: Alternative Voices - Music and poetry at Grantham Museum 18th October
Unticketed events:
- Thatcher Postcard Exhibition: Union Street Gallery hosts a large and diverse collection covering various side of the story, political moments, and illustrated images - throughout October
- Margaret Thatcher display: Discover her early life, legacy, and local roots at Grantham Library, 13-18 October
- Grantham in the 1920s and 1930s - local history talk at Christ Church Finkin Street, 14th October 4pm
Full details on these and further events are online at www.guildhallartscentre.com