The year is 1569, and in a cold, stone room in a Staffordshire castle, a group of women sew elaborate tapestries. Rich or poor, at home or held against their will, four women’s lives intersect on the point of a needle. Embroidery is their escape, their sanity, and their expression: of love, loss, artistry and power. For these women’s stitches have the power to change not just their own lives, but the course of English history. "Captures the palpable frustration of women who, while strong in mind and will, are nonetheless held back by the machinations of men… tells a good story in a lively way that, if anything, makes [its] message all the more poignant." — Drama Magazine (2018-10-19) "Warm, intelligent, exciting and accessible historicised drama… an exciting story refreshingly told which places independent women of all classes centre stage." — Teaching Drama (2018-10-19) Beth Flintoff is a playwright, dramaturg, and theatre director. Her plays include: The Ballad of Maria Marten (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, and UK tour, 2020/21); Rebellious Women (Attic Theatre Company, 2018, as The Rebellious Women of Wimbledon ); and The Glove Thief (2017, commissioned by Tonic Theatre Company as part of their Platform scheme in association with Nick Hern Books), among many others. She is an associate playwright and young writers associate at the Royal Court Theatre, London. She is also an associate artist at Rabble Theatre Company, for whom she has written plays including Henry I , Matilda the Empress , Henry II , and The Last Abbot .