Frank and Fearless

Take a journey through the life of a true trailblazing Queensland woman, Merle Thornton—an Australian feminist activist, author and academic.

Merle made history when she and Rosalie Bogner famously chained themselves to a bar rail to protest the refusal of drinks service to women in public bars. At the vanguard of the equalist movement in Australia, whilst rearing her children in the 50s, Merle helped establish the very first Women’s Studies course at the University of Queensland in 1973 and founded the Equal Opportunities for Women Association in Brisbane.
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Join Merle in conversation with her daughter and beloved Australian actress Sigrid Thornton on this delightful and insightful journey into the stories of the extraordinary women that helped pave the way for the freedoms women enjoy today.
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Interspersed with the songs that made Merle’s life, played on stage by emerging all female neo-soul outfit Pink Matter with special guest vocalist Tiana Khasi, this meeting of minds promises to go down in history!

Featuring:
Merle Thornton
Sigrid Thornton
Pink Matter
Tiana Khasi