About

"There are no good parts in Shakespeare for older women."

Artemis Turret sets out to refute these words in her final lecture to the local U3A. Her old chum, national treasure Dame Bunti Smart, has promised to give 'her' vengeful Queen Margaret, 'her' tough-loving Paulina, 'her' tragi-comic Mistress Quickly…However, Dame Bunti has a more pressing engagement, and Prof Turret is forced to throw away her notes, dust down her theatrical talent, and let the words take her. She warms to the task, discovering first-hand the full power, and glory, of Shakespeare's crones.

The Power Behind The Crone is one of four plays written and performed by Alison Skilbeck. It premiered in 2016 at the RADA Festival and had a successful 5 star reviewed season at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe playing at Assembly. Alison returns to the OSO Arts Centre after presenting her critically acclaimed Alison Skilbeck's Uncommon Ground in July. Other critically acclaimed shows from Skilbeck include Mrs Roosevelt Flies to London, which had a near sold out 2016 and 2022 Edinburgh Fringe seasons at Assembly, toured the UK, Ireland and to France, and gained her an Offie Nomination for Best Actress, and Are There More of You? which also received 5 star reviews.

Skilbeck's theatre work began with five years with Sir Alan Ayckbourn in Scarborough, where she created roles in six of his plays. She has played the West End, toured the US in Shakespeare, and Europe, Morocco, and Hong Kong for the British Council. Television credits include Sherlock Holmes, The Beiderbecke Affair, Soldier Soldier, New Tricks, Doctor Who, Lovejoy, Midsomer Murders, and Call The Midwife. She plays Lady Elton in Series 5 of The Crown. Films include 'Phantom of the Opera', 'Holmes and Watson', and 'Florence Foster Jenkins' with Meryl Streep. She plays Agatha Doyle in the cult podcast series Wooden Overcoats and was notably Polly Perks in The Archers until the character was killed off. She has worked at RADA as a freelance Associate Teacher for over 30 years.