Video: Suffragettes' dramatic protest on the steps of the Revelstoke Museum & Archives

On May 6, the Revelstoke Museum & Archives hosted a dramatic presentation on the steps of the museum to celebrate a century since women won the right to vote in Canada.

Click on any image for an expanded view with captions.

: The actors gather on the steps after the show. They are joined by director Anita Hallewas (in mustard jacket).Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: The actors gather on the steps of the Revelstoke Museum & Archives. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: The actors gather on the steps of the Revelstoke Museum & Archives. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: A young protester. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: The member of the clergy on the left was a vocal opponent of the women’s vote. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: Organizers look on to the event. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: Many in the audience created their own costumes and signs for the afternoon tea. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: A young protester. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: A period paperboy. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: Actors playing proponents and opponents of women’s suffrage mix together. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: Graham Harper plays B.C. Premier Richard McBride. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

: File photo: Cathy English and Shannon Bollefer at the Suffragettes Tea at the Revelstoke Museum & Archives. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

Dozens of attendees dressed in period pieces were treated to a dramatic confrontation. The scene was a speech by then B.C. Premier Richard McBride — an opponent of female suffrage. Just as his speech was getting underway, a group of women protesters crashed it, vociferously demanding the right to vote.

The protesters voiced their views, while opponents of the vote, including the premier, a priest and others shouted out counter arguments. For example, that giving women the vote would mean ugly male candidates would get passed over for handsome ones, or that women didn’t really need the vote because they could just influence their husbands’ votes.

There are many great things to say about this performance and the people who made it happen, and I’m really glad we got the video. There was nobody recording the performance professionally, the second of two that day, so I broadcast it live on our Facebook page using an iPhone. Sorry, the first several seconds introducing actor Graham Harper as B.C. Premier Richard McBride is cut, and the phone powered itself off for no apparent reason with about half a minute left in Cathy English’s final words. Due to personal time constraints, I’ll have to leave it a saying it’s really worth watching: the performers do great work and look sharp in their period costumes. It’s also worth noting that a choir from the Shuswap was intended to be part of the performance, but a mudslide washout on the Trans-Canada Highway prevented them from getting to Revelstoke.

The presentation, which was staged in partnership with Anita Hallewas from Flying Arrow Productions, is well worth a look. Check out the two live videos embedded in this story. One is an interview with Revelstoke Museum & Archives curator Cathy English about the day’s festivities, the other is a video of the performance itself.

For more on the suffrage movement, see this story by Cathy English from the April/May issue of Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine.