The true story of ruthlessly competitive MADGE SYERS. Driven by the shame of a feckless father and possessed by an insatiable desire to win, Madge discovers skating – a graceful, ladylike way to be her true self (a sporting savage) while rescuing her family from utter disgrace.
After instigating a hostile invasion of the fusty and formerly men-only sport of Victorian figure-skating, snatching all the silverware and bruising numerous male egos, Madge becomes a celebrated figure in London society and scores a lasting victory for females in the sport when, in 1908, she becomes the first woman to win Olympic skating gold.
SKATING FOR LADIES is a bullish, fast-paced comic trip through the early days of a sport which you thought you knew well, but really don’t. It’s a satire of the historical biopic, taking shots at our modern-day urge to cast every triumphant woman from the past as a selfless feminist icon. Let’s strip back the romantic nonsense, strap on our knee-high skate boots, and learn how to Salchow jump like they did in 1905…
* With Early Development Funding from BFI NETWORK *
Script Editor: Sarah Dempster
Skating Consultant: Robin Cousins
