Headshots, left to right: photo of Dr. Anna Hájková, copyright seed9; photo of Erika Hughes, courtesy of same; photo of Dr. Phoebe Rumsey, courtesy of same; photo of Ayse Evans, courtesy of same. Production photographs from The Amazing Life of Margot Heuman by Erika Hughes.
DESCRIPTION
Born in 1928 in Germany, Margot Heuman is a survivor of the Theresienstadt ghetto and the Auschwitz, Neuengamme, and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. She is perhaps the first lesbian survivor of the Holocaust to relay her story. The Amazing Life of Margot Heuman is a new play that draws on interviews conducted by Warwick University historian Anna Hájková. The play offers a poignant look at the coming of age of a Jewish queer woman in the concentration camps and reflects on love; choices; sexual violence and sexual barter; homophobia; and survival. Moving, funny, pragmatic and original, Margot Heuman reminds us of humanity within the society of Holocaust victims, but also of the stories that have been erased by homophobia. Join us for a screening of this work of documentary theater that layers Heuman’s testimony with archival imagery and projection, originally streamed online for its premiere at the Brighton Fringe Festival in June 2021. The screening will be followed by a conversation with playwright and interviewer Anna Hájková and director Erika Hughes. This event is being cosponsored by the Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) Holocaust Center.
SPEAKERS
Ayse Evans (she/her/hers) portrays Margot in the recorded film of The Amazing Life of Margot Heuman. She is a writer, performer and facilitator. Her acting credits include Scattering Salt at the Brighton Fringe Festival and After the Flood at DarkFest. Ayse is an alum of the Royal Court introduction to playwrighting program and has been supported by both Mrs. C’s Collective and the London Playwrights Workshop.
Dr. Anna Hájková (she/her/hers) is associate professor of history at the University of Warwick. She is the author of The Last Ghetto: An Everyday History of Theresienstadt. She is a pioneer of queer Holocaust history.
Dr. Erika Hughes (she/her/hers) is the director and co-author of The Amazing Life of Margot Heuman. She is reader in performance at the University of Portsmouth. She is the author of the forthcoming book Holocaust Memory and Youth Performance. Her work as a director has been seen on stages in the United States, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Israel and Germany.
Dr. Phoebe Rumsey (she/her/hers) portrays Anna in the recorded film of The Amazing Life of Margot Heuman. She is Senior Lecturer in Musical Theatre at the University of Portsmouth. She is the author of the forthcoming book Embodied Nostalgia and has worked extensively as a dancer, choreographer, and performer in Canada, the United States, and Japan.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
This event will take place online. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with a link and instructions on how to join.
ADMISSION
Free | $5 suggested donation
Register online here: https://bit.ly/3B1LzSh
ASL INTERPRETATION
ASL interpretation provided upon request. Please write at least three days in advance of event to leigh@glbthistory.org.
JOIN THE GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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