A PLAY about three extraordinary women will be performed to coincide with International Women’s Day.

Bookshop owner Andrew Rutherford has written Counting the Birches, a prison drama about women incarcerated in eastern Siberia on a single day in 1885.

International Women’s Day is on Sunday March 8 and the play will be performed at the Bridport Arts Centre on March 8 at 7.30pm.

The play is set in the Kara prison complex of eastern Siberia.

Andrew said: “The play is really about the human experience of these women.

“It fits in very well with International Women’s Day because this was a time in Russia when women couldn’t go to university and were held back in all sorts of ways.

“Things develop when the characters encounter an American journalist called George.”

The play’s title comes from the phrase ‘counting the birches’, which would be used to describe someone who has been exiled, Andrew said.

This is the second play that Andrew - who owns Wild and Homeless Books in Bridport - has written.

He said: “In June last year I did a play called Blind Spot which was about the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly.

“It was a full house in the arts centre and it did very well.

“It was a fundraiser for the arts centre so I was very pleased.”

Former law professor Andrew moved to Bridport nine years ago and opened his shop seven years ago.

Counting the Birches has a cast of six people.

Andrew said: “It’s one of the strongest groups of amateur actors possible.

“The play will be performed in-the-round and the audience will get a feel for being in Siberia.”

Ticket proceeds will go to the arts centre.

Contact the arts centre for tickets.