HAVE you heard of Harriet Quimby? Maybe you have – but most likely you haven’t. So Middle-Weight Theatre Company’s new play tells a story you should hear. What’s Next?, at Dorchester Corn Exchange on 14th September at 8pm, is a solo show with actress Victoria Lucie, which brings overdue recognition for the life and achievements of Harriet Quimby (1875-1912), trail-blazing aviator, journalist and film screenwriter.

In 1911, she defied societal norms by becoming the first woman to earn a pilot’s license in the United States and in 1912 she was the first woman to fly across the English Channel. She died tragically young, at the age of 37, in a flying accident, but she strongly influenced the role of women in aviation.

The big question is: why haven’t you heard of her?

Fresh from the success of its critically acclaimed 2023 UK tour, ‘amendments: A Play On Words,’ Middle-Weight Theatre is on tour with What’s Next?, at the Alma Tavern in Bristol on 19th and 20th September, and at the Barnfield Theatre in Exeter from 24th to 26th October.