London theatre to stage its own Pussy Riot protest

Pussy Riot sacked lawyer (EPA)

Taking inspiration from Russia's feminist punk band, the Royal Court Theatre will host its own Pussy Riot protest in early November.

Three members of the feminist punk band were jailed in August for hooliganism after stating an anti-Putin "punk prayer" in Moscow's main cathedral. One of the women, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was freed on appeal last week but judges ruled the other two women, Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, would have to serve their full two-year jail sentences.

Their sentences have sparked outrage - and artistic protest- around the world. The Royal Court has invited writers and artists to the venue's Wilson Studio "for an afternoon of anarchic artistic expression, inspired by Pussy Riot’s iconic protest" on Saturday 3 November.

Playwright E.V. Crowe, whose play Hero opens at the theatre on 23 November, came up with idea to create an event dedicated to Pussy Riot.

"Pussy Riot's political art woke up sleeping feminists all over the world. They forced me to ask myself, am I a bit less 'Pussy Riot' and a bit more just pussy?" she said.

"It feels imperative to learn from their defiance, to respond actively, and above all else to not go back to sleep."

Participants will include British and Russian playwrights Crowe, Yaroslava Pulinovich, Penelope Skinner, Hayley Squires and Yulia Yakovleva - as well as performances of material from the Pussy Riot courtroom trial.

Tickets costs £15 from www.royalcourttheatre.com