About

Joan’s enchanted shoe shop has appeared overnight and portals through time are hidden in the shoeboxes on the shelves. Will you take a walk In Her Shoes?

In Her Shoes, delivered by Blown Fuse Theatre, is an immersive installation experience exploring the concepts of identity, stereotypes and relationship to home.

Your 20-minute adventure begins as you step inside a shoe shop built for one. With former Bata Shoes employee Joan as your guide, you’re transported through time and, along the way, you’ll meet real women from Essex, past and present.

As if by magic, the shoeboxes will transport you to the Bata Shoe Factory & Estate, the Marconi Factory, Kynochtown and the Thames Explosive Works. You’ll visit Zimbabwe, Jamaica and Southend Seafront in an intimate adventure that asks you: what is an Essex Girl? Will you take a walk In Her Shoes?

Learn even more about women from Essex and add your voice to the conversation at the In Her Shoes ‘Story Station’. Interact with prompts that surround the installation, read about other women from Essex and record your own story for our growing archive.

This experience in Colchester is delivered with funding from Colchester Borough Council (CBC) and in partnership with the Mercury Theatre.

In Her Shoes has been made possible through Arts Council of England funding, with thanks to the National Lottery players for further funding from National Heritage Fund and support from Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch.

With additional thanks to Joanne Aldridge, Valina Bowman-Burns, Pam Purkiss, The Thurrock Local History Society, Mike Tarbard, Ciara Phipps, Vittorio Ricchetti, Sammy Oxford & Katie Deverell for all their support throughout.

Audience Accessibility

In Her Shoes has been created for one audience member at a time. If you want to discuss any access requirements that may affect or hinder your performance experience, please email Roxanne Carney (Executive Producer) at roxannefaithcarney@gmail.com.

Disclaimers

In Her Shoes is a solo experience that takes place in an enclosed space that can sometimes be dark. You will be asked to wear headphones for the duration.

The installation works on a rolling basis and restarts every 20 minutes. As such, it is important that you arrive at least 5-10 minutes before your time slot to ensure you start your experience exactly on time. We cannot admit latecomers and it is not a guarantee that we will be able to re-book your slot.

To keep the magic alive and to keep the secrets of the shop safe, photography and video recording once inside the installation is strictly prohibited. For your safety, CCTV is in operation within the installation at all times.