FEMALE writers, performers and artists from all over the South West will perform in wedding dresses at Exeter Phoenix next month.

They will stage Women Are Revolting, a series of short individual and group performances that aim to explode myths about women.

The production will be performed by art collective The Temple of Nothing on Thursday, July 16, and will be filmed and later screened on internet social networking sites.

The Temple of Nothing was set up by Belinda Harris-Reid, Josephine Larsen and Rachel Vowles to make art accessible. Now the collective has 77 members, performers and artists across a range of genres.

Performing Women Are Revolting will be 15 script writers, playwrights, film-makers, comedy writers and conceptual artists aged from 18 to their late 50s, from Exeter and further afield. Together, they devised the production, which was inspired by Josephine Larsen's play The Virgin Mary Is Revolting.

The production brings individual performers together. "We almost formed a community," said Belinda, 45, from St Thomas, Exeter. "We have created a play on stage, with each person taking a personal, emotional and physical journey.

"It was more than creating theatre — for us, it was creating a community of strong, impassioned women. It's about what's going on in the 21st century and what it means to be women."

Despite the production being about women, Belinda believes men will also enjoy it. "It's not a case of 'this is for women, by women'," she said.

"This is about inclusion. I want men to come and laugh. I want to see a very broad audience. I don't want people to think 'only artists can come and see this'."

Nicci Wonnacott, an international artist and lecturer in fine art, who curated and hosted International Women's Day in Exeter, is also part of the production.

The 48-year-old from Newton St Cyres said: "It's about having a voice in future change. It's about the woman's voice especially. In one of my pieces, I don't speak — I am silent. That says something about the woman's voice as well."

Belinda said: "Each woman individually is looking at women speaking their truth. It's providing a voice for the voiceless. People need to start speaking about what they are unhappy about."

The production also aims to challenge preconceptions of what women should be. Belinda said: "It's about being a Barbie doll, Greek warriors, goddesses, capitalism. It's about social constructions that we are trying to break out of. It's about laughing, it's about Lady Macbeth.

"Primarily for me, it's about creating change. It's about women individually as artists trying to make change within their own art practice. We need to rethink how women are portrayed. We need to think about how we put ourselves out there in the world."

She added: "I want people to come along and then go away thinking 'wow — that was amazing'. I hope they go away with a smile on their faces. I hope it's moving and touching. I hope it empowers people and they see there can be a different way.

"It's about revolution. It's about saying we can make change in a very personal way by making small changes in our lives. We all make a world."

The production is suitable for ages 16 and over and starts at 8pm. Details: 01392 667080.