The Woman Who Tamed Lightning
The untold story of a trailblazer and a summer of sisterhood, sanctuary and stardust.
“I hope being here will bring you all some peace, Irène. I hope that I can bring you all a little peace.”
A remarkable true story is coming to the stage
Tickets are now on sale for StoneCrabs Theatre’s brand-new production, The Woman Who Tamed Lightning: an imaginative one-person show about pioneering women, an extraordinary friendship and the summer on the Isle of Wight when everything felt possible.
Book your tickets here:
Friday 16 October 2026 | Ventnor Exchange Arena, Sandham Gardens | 7.30pm
Saturday 17 October 2026 | Ventnor Exchange Arena, Sandham Gardens | 2pm
27 November 2026 | Department, Ryde | 8pm
Read on for more details…
What is it about?
In the summer of 1912, fourteen-year-old Irène Curie arrives on the Isle of Wight with her mother, Marie Curie, and Hertha Ayrton, her mother’s strange, brilliant friend.
Irène doesn’t yet know that Hertha has spent her life outsmarting a world that doubted her.
She just knows this is the summer everything felt possible. A story of one unforgettable holiday and the possibilities that open up when the world finally gives you room to dream.
Where can you see it?
The Woman Who Tamed Lightning will be performed at two exciting venues on the Isle of Wight. Two performances will take place at the brand-new touring Ventnor Exchange Arena at Sandham Gardens. There will then be a smaller, more intimate performance at Department in Ryde.
Ventnor Exchange Arena, Sandham Gardens
Friday 16 October 2026 | 7.30pm
Saturday 17 October 2026 | 2pm
Tickets for Sandown, Sandham Gardens performances are available from the Ventnor Exchange website.
Discounted tickets are available for large groups and families. There is also a £2 discount from Ventnor Exchange for under 25s.
Department, Ryde
27 November 2026 | 8pm
Tickets for the Ryde performance are available from Department’s website.
Why should you see it?
With StoneCrabs Theatre’s signature visual imagination and physically striking performance style, the show transforms the Island into a world of discovery, friendship and possibility, revealing the extraordinary women behind the science and the summer that gave two trailblazers space to breathe, dream and change the world.
This inventive one-person show reveals the extraordinary women behind the science and celebrates the summer that gave two trailblazers the freedom to breathe, dream and imagine a different future.
Exploring female activism, friendship and solidarity, the play places women in science firmly centre stage. It is a story of courage, resistance and resilience, but also one filled with warmth, whimsy, humour and hope.
By joining us, you will be supporting local theatre and the brand-new Ventnor Exchange Arena, an exciting touring venue from the creators of Ventnor Fringe.
Who is involved?
The production comes from a talented team of creatives based on the Isle of Wight. The play is written by up-and-coming writer Cody Pevreall, directed by the award-winning Franko Figueiredo, and designed by artist Teresa Grimaldi.
We are proud partners of CAN YOU HEAR US?, Creative Island’s six-week celebration of creativity and culture across the Isle of Wight.
Discover the women behind the science. Step into the summer when everything felt possible.
Don’t miss it! Book your tickets today.