A NEW production marking the centenary of women being given the right to vote explores the stories of women behind the suffrage movement.

The regional premiere of Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s Her Naked Skin runs at Salisbury Playhouse from next Friday (October 5).

Lorna Fitzgerald, who played Abi Branning in EastEnders from 2005, stars as Eve, a working class suffragette. She says she couldn’t put the play down when she was sent it.

Lorna says: “She’s a great character. You definitely see the breaking points and how severe the cause actually was and what an impact it could have on the working class girls doing it. I just thought it was a great play and it would be amazing to be part of that.”

Jane How plays Florence and is returning to Salisbury Playhouse following her performance as Mrs Railton-Bell in the hit 2014 production of Separate Tables.

She recently appeared in the Chichester Festival Theatre and West End production of Half a Sixpence and is still remembered for her appearances as the mistress of Den Watts in BBC’s EastEnders.

Jane plays Florence and says she is “thrilled” to be part of Her Naked Skin.

“It is about suffragettes and everybody’s got different stories,” she says. “There’s a great emotional arch to the play.”

She continues: “Because Rebecca wrote this in 2008 and it is not a play that is written at the beginning of the last century she’s put a slight slant on it to make it relevant to today.”

She says it is a play looking at the women behind the suffragette movement.

Lorna and Jane say the play has “shocking” bits as well as some lighter and funny moments.

“It is like a movie, there are stunts,” says Lorna.

“You definitely won’t be bored.”

Jane adds: “It is a great love story and it questions so much, it questions marriage and love.”

Speaking of her time on EastEnders, Jane admits “it was very different” during her time on the show and often made headline news. She recalls going to Venice for filming and says they were “chased around” by the press.

Lorna, who was on the BBC soap for 12 years, says she “loved” the experience.

Earlier this year she made her professional stage debut in The Shadow Factory at Nuffield Southampton Theatres.

“It feels great [to be doing theatre and other projects], that’s what you get into acting for, to play different roles and just have a go at everything. I love doing theatre.

“Coming here is great, it is such a different play to the one I did before.”

Completing the cast is Abigail Cruttenden, Nathan Armarkwai-Laryea, Rebecca Cooper, Ewen Cummins, Christopher Ettridge, Simon Markey and Georgina Sutton.

Her Naked Skin is directed by Gareth Machin and runs until October 20. For tickets call 01722 320333 or go to wiltshirecreative.co.uk