Anne Chamberlain is a performer/writer/producer. Anne's recent project is EGLANTYNE an inspiring solo play about Eglantyne Jebb, a passionate visionary human rights pioneer. EGLANTYNE launched in New Zealand and has toured widely in the UK, Australia, Geneva, Beirut, and Africa. In 2019, Anne played Louise in The Pink Hammer at Circa Theatre, Wellington.
Organisation/Company
Name: Freelance
My Role: Producer/Performer/Writer
Ms Chamberlain Presents produces and tours EGLANTYNE. Producer/Writer/Performer Anne Chamberlain created and launched EGLANTYNE in New Zealand. Anne has since toured EGLANTYNE extensively internationally including to Adelaide, Melbourne, London, Cambridge, Brighton, Buxton, Birmingham, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, RSC’s The Other Place Stratford-Upon-Avon, Beirut, Geneva, Zurich, Nairobi, Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi. In 2021 EGLANTYNE was part of Auckland's Summer at Q Festival. KC Kelly directed EGLANTYNE.
Iwi affiliation
My ancestors are Scottish and English, mainly Scottish.
Rohe
I was born in Christchurch, grew up in Canterbury, studied at Otago University, and have spent many years living in London. I'm now based in Wellington.
Media Uploads
Synopsis
EGLANTYNE is a vibrant inspiring solo play exploring the courageous and visionary life of Eglantyne Jebb, the passionate, social reformer, human rights pioneer and founder of Save the Children. Eglantyne was one of the most influential women of the 20th century, yet one of the least known. In 1923, Eglantyne drafted the Rights of the Child which evolved into the current United Nations Convention. The show follows Eglantyne from her idyliic Shropshire childhood, to Oxford University, social work in Cambridge, Bloomsbury parties, heartbreaks, suffrage rallies, spiritualism, the Balkans, arrest in Trafalgar Square and pioneering children;s rights.
Creative Team and Crew
Writer/Performer/Producer : Anne Chamberlain
Director : KC Kelly
Lighting Design : Phil Blackburn
Number of People in the Touring Party
2
Previous Seasons
EGLANTYNE Touring 2014 - 2021
In 2021 EGLANTYNE was in Q Theatre’s Summer at Q Festival, supported by the University of Auckland, 10-13 Feb 2021, Q Theatre, Auckland www.qthreatre.co.nz
EGLANTYNE premiered in New Zealand on 1 May 2014 in Geraldine and toured to Timaru, Ashburton, Christchurch, Wellington and New Plymouth.
In 2015 EGLANTYNE toured in the UK playing in Ellesmere, Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Hereford, Cambridge and Richmond, North Yorkshire.
In 2016 EGLANTYNE premiered in Australia at the Adelaide Fringe at Holden Street Theatres. EGLANTYNE also toured to New Zealand secondary schools in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Timaru.
In 2017 EGLANTYNE played at London's Tristan Bates Theatre Festival of Solo Performance, Brighton Fringe, London’s Central Family Court and Melbourne’s Rippon Lea Historic National Trust House.
In 2018 EGLANTYNE was performed at New Zealand’s Government House, Underground Venues Buxton Fringe, and at the Gilded Balloon Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
IN 2019 EGLANTYNE toured to:
Fri 3 May, 8pm - Hepscott Parish Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland www.highlightsnorth.co.uk
Sat 4 May, 7.30pm - Shap Memorial Hall, Cumbria www.highlightsnorth.co.uk
Sun 5 May, 7.30pm - The Witham, Barnard Castle, County Durham www.highlightsnorth.co.uk
Sat 11 May, 7pm – Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon www.rsc.org.uk/eglantyne (Fundraiser for Save the Children)
Thu 16 - Sat 18 May - Beirut, presented by Save the Children Lebanon
Wed 22 May, 7pm - Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham www.macbirmingham.co.uk
Sat 25 May, 4pm -The Lyth,Ellesmere, Shropshire - Eglantyne Jebb’s Childhood Home (Fundraiser for Save the Children)
Tue 28 May, 7pm - Cobham Notre Dame School (Fundraiser for Save the Children)
Fri 7 June, 7pm - St Peter’s Church, Marlborough (Fundraiser for Save the Children)
Tue 18 June, 2pm & 6pm – Humanitarium, International Red Cross (ICRC) Geneva, presented by International Red Cross (ICRC) and Save the Children Switzerland
Fri 28 June, 7.30pm - The Swallow Theatre, Moss Park, Ravenstone, Whithorn, Newton Stewart, Scotland www.swallowtheatre.co.uk
Wed 10 - Thu 11 July - Little Theatre, Dar Es Salaam, presented by Save the Children Tanzania
Thu 1 August, 4pm - Melbourne Town Hall, Australia
Tue 22 - Sat 26 October, 6.30pm - BATS Theatre, 1 Kent Terrace, Wellington www.bats.co.nz presented in association with Save the Children New Zealand
Tue 19 November, 7pm - Palais de L’Athénée, presented by Save the Children Switzerland
Thu 21 November, 6.30pm - Weisser Wind, Zurich, presented by Save the Children Switzerland (100th Performance of EGLANTYNE)
Tue 26 - Wed 27 November, 6pm - Alliance Française, Nairobi, presented by Save the Children Kenya
Tue 3 December, 5pm - AFECC Gloria Hotel, Maputo, presented by Save the Children Mozambique
Thu 5 December - Lilongwe, Malawi, presented by Save the Children Malawi
Reviews and Quotes
Compelling delivery that is strong, colourful and sympathetic … Do not miss seeing this account of the life of a monumental woman told with such authenticity, it was as if Eglantyne herself was in the room!
– Sarah Wallace, The Plus Ones – Melbourne, August 2017
https://theplusones.com/melbourne/2017/08/25/save-childrens-founder-honoured-biographical-play-eglantyne/
Outstanding performance, engaging and endearing in equal measure … Not only is this a great show, it’s also a really important story of an incredible life. A love letter to a woman that changed the lives of so many around the world, and whose legacy continues to do good to this day – Bethan Highgate-Betts, The Reviews Hub – Brighton Fringe, May 2017
http://www.thereviewshub.com/brighton-fringe-eglantyne-sweet-venues-waterfront-1/
Chamberlain filets Jebb’s thorny story with wit and a light champagne brilliance of presentation …This could not be conceived better as a one woman show … enlightening and moving in equal measure
– Simon Jenner, Fringe Review – Brighton Fringe, May 2017
http://fringereview.co.uk/review/brighton-fringe/2017/eglantyne/
Written with wit and buoyancy, delivered in fine style
– Lindsay Clark, Theatreview – Christchurch, New Zealand, May 2014
https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php
Studied and heartfelt portrayal … engaging, informative and very entertaining
– Ewen Coleman, The Dominion Post – Wellington, New Zealand, May 2014
https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.
The Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market is New Zealand's premiere event for artists, producers, presenters and industry leaders from across the performing arts sector.