The Amazing Lucas Girls is a beautiful story of women courageously and caringly banding together in adversity. Herstory Arts Festival invites you to their art display and readings in poetry, short story, memoir and essay in the foyer one hour prior to performances.

After sellout audiences of Forgotten (based on the Parramatta female convict rebellion) and Sivvy Plath’s Birthday Present (on the life of the iconic second wave feminist) by acclaimed playwright Cate Whittaker, Lost Voices Australia Inc NFP premieres Whittaker’s new Australian play on the true events of the Ballarat Lucas factory girls in WWI led by the indefatigable, irrepressible, hilarious Tilly Thompson.

As Tilly with the rest of Ballarat proudly cheers off its men to war, her younger sister Clara despairs, and desperately tries to stop her fiancé Wilf and brother Frank following. Sadly, her fears are founded as Ballarat rapidly turns black at the death knell of the Telegram Boy’s bicycle bell. When war is hungry for more men and a conscription referendum is called, the Lucas Girls under Clara’s courageous leadership make their mark. But it’s older sister Tilly’s compassion for her distraught, disintegrating town that directs the girls into the most amazing achievement.

This inspirational tale of ordinary women in the too often forgotten home-front’s darkest days doing extraordinary things to bring hope, when no hope seems possible.