Strings of Fire at the Rose Theatre

On 9 May 2025, I attended the press night of Marie and Rosetta at the Rose Theatre in Kingston — a sensational performance telling the story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight.

The production stars Beverley Knight in her professional play debut as Rosetta Tharpe and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Marie Knight. Their powerful performances honoured the legacy of two pioneering women in music.

I was proud to have my sculpture Strings of Fire displayed in the café area for the duration of the show. The piece captures Sister Rosetta mid-performance with her guitar and features tactile print, braille, and a QR code linking to an audio version of the inscription.

It was a joy to meet Beverley and Ntombizodwa in person and be photographed with them beside the sculpture.

Marie and Rosetta production stars Beverley Knight in her professional play debut as Rosetta Tharpe and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Marie Knight, photographed alongside the Strings of Fire Sculpture and artist, Maria Goldson

Strings of Fire will also be on display when the show moves to Chichester Festival Theatre from 25 June to 26 July 2025.

Thank you to Rose Theatre and Chichester for supporting the inclusion of accessible art in this important production.