Workie Ticket Theatre and women across the Northeast Reclaiming the Night and calling on men’s allyship
By JoJo Kirtley
On Saturday, 30th November 2024, Workie Ticket Theatre proudly participated in Newcastle’s Reclaim the Night march and rally, organised by the TUC Northern Women’s Group in collaboration with local partners. The event united communities in reclaiming public spaces and standing together against misogyny.
As part of the rally, I (JoJo) co-created a spoken word piece inspired by stories shared during workshops with women in our community and young women from George Stephenson High School in Killingworth, Newcastle. These heartfelt narratives reflected resilience, challenges and hopes, while also calling for men to step forward as allies in creating a safer, more equal world. Seeing so many women come together from all walks of life, united in strength and solidarity, was truly incredible against the stunning backdrop of the River Tyne.
The final spoken word piece was delivered by Susan Dungworth, Northumbria Police & Crime Commissioner who was also given directing support from Tracy Gillman. It embodied everything Workie Ticket Theatre stands for: amplifying vital voices and supporting movements like Reclaim the Night, which inspire hope and collective change. A special thanks to Sue from Foundation Futures.
WE RECLAIM THE NIGHT
Co-created by JoJo Kirtley with Northeast women & girls
Together we reclaim the night… this is the spark of our rebellion:
The suffragettes pounded the Toon’s cobbled streets chanting, ‘Votes for
Women!’ we echo their strength and resilience.
Listening for footsteps echoing behind?
We reclaim the right to wear both headphones
losing outselves in our favourite songs.
We dream of dancing on these streets, to the soundtrack of our lives,
carefree, not looking over our shoulders.
Listening to Aretha’s Respect as we walk along the Tyne.
Florence & the Machine, Little Simz, a 90’s Cher album pulsing through our
veins as we stride along the Quayside, Little Mix’s Power, and one for the
Swifties, as we cross the Millennium Bridge.
What an amazing sight.
We reclaim the night.
Instead, walking home at night feels:
Uneasy. Hypervigilant. On edge. This is what the girls said.
Every shadow, every sound, a warning.
Public spaces stained with horror stories: whistles, catcalls “Whey, it’s
harmless, pet.” We grip our keys “just in case.”
Do our sons feel this burden, or only our daughters?
One in two women experiences harassment in public spaces,
And yet the weight of safety falls on us.
We reclaim the right to exist without fear and demand to feel secure
everywhere. Because - it’s safer to be a squirrel in a park than a woman.
And we’d rather face a bear than a man.
Surely, safety is our basic right.
We reclaim the night.
If we dare speak up, we’re labelled “difficult.”
The patriarchy looms large, unchallenged, unaccountable.
If our clothes are deemed provocative, we’re accused of “asking for it.”
We reclaim our bodies from traumas and Hollywood ideals, breaking free
from society’s expectations.
We reclaim our voices from rule makers, online trolls,
and demand the right to live on our own terms, celebrating our
individuality.
We refuse to shrink into corners, we reclaim our space, free from
manspreading.
Imagine a world without women’s voices: our laughter, erased/
The sound of your mam singing when she’s happy gone.
It’s happening now-women being silenced worldwide.
And we could be next-unless we fight.
We reclaim the night.
We reclaim respect from the sexism in our schools,
And demand teachers create learning environments free from “get back in
the kitchen.”
Taunts, from lads who mansplain the big bang theory,
Even though we study triple science-thank you very much.
We reclaim our right to play football-howay lasses!
To wear knee-length socks without anyone saying its inappropriate.
We reclaim our independence and to feel comfortable in our own skin,
To have periods without feeling ashamed or disgusting,
For our mental health and physical health to be taken seriously.
We want a workd where all our reproductive rights are safe and protected,
Wehere we can all wear summer dresses without comments like, “That’s a
bit too tight.”
We reclaim the night.
From the headwaters of the River Tyne, Tees and Wear to the shore of the
North Sea,
We stand for our own liberation.
No matter your race or faith, whether a Magpie or a Black Cat,
We will never forget the daughters lost:
Sarah. Alice. Sabina. Nicole. Bibaa. Sarah. Holly.
The list goes on, and the femicide continues.
We have to say, “Not all men”
And endure endless whataboutery.
We’re told the #MeToo movement has gone too far,
That it’s just “a few bad apples.”
We don’t want to take the night away from men.
We want to share the moon, the stars, the Northern Lights.
How about all men be our allies and stand with us?
For every woman, every girl, every voice silenced by violence-
We believe you.
As Gisele Pelicot said, “It’s not for us to have shame; it’s for them.”
The girls say these streets belong to us, we will continue to fight
RECLAIM THE NIGHT.
JoJo Kirtley is a proud Geordie, mam of three, writer, producer, campaigner, and Co-Director of Workie Ticket Theatre. To find out more about Workie Ticket Theatre’s work, go to www.workietickettheatre.com/