Theatre/Live Music

It’s 1886 and 15 year old Marie Lloyd is about to become the “Queen of the Music Hall” but at what cost, and to whom…?

Meet Nelly Power - She's a big star with a life more dramatic offstage than on and she's about to lose everything thanks to her terrible taste in men and the machinations of an up and coming new teenage sensation.  

Nelly lived in Islington and that “up and coming” starlet was none other than the other local lass, Marie Lloyd, who probably played at the Rosemary Branch herself. In the true spirit of all comedy based on tragedy, Nelly tells the story of her life and career with amusing anecdotes and a wry sense of humour.   It is a funny and also poignant real-life tale of female empowerment in a patriarchal society, along with the ageism, sexism and many other things that haven’t changed in 150 years.  

In the centenary year of Marie Lloyd’s untimely death and just a week before what would be her 152nd birthday we’re going back in time to tell, through the eyes of the now forgotten Nelly, the story of how the Queen of the Music Hall came to fame.

All together now….