One was branded a witch and hanged in the 17th Century. The other a missionary who travelled to China against all odds in the 20th Century.

Discover the lives of two very different Edmonton women Elizabeth Sawyer and Gladys Aylward in epic musical journey The Determined and Damned, the latest production by local theatre company InterACTion.

It is the groups most ambitious project to date, including especially written lyrics, a live band, films clips and animation, and stems from their desire to highlight the history of amazing women from the parish.

Artistic director of Face Front Inclusive Theatre, which runs the group, Annie Smol says: "They felt people view Edmonton in quite a negative way and they wanted to find some inspiration. so they did a lot of research and these were the two they really had a connection with.

"We felt the way these women dealt with what fate gave them was very interesting."

The group, which started in 2011, hunted for information to write the show at Enfield Museum, Archive and Library and it reenacts their search and first travels back to the 15th Century to tell the story of Elizabeth, the infamous Witch of Edmonton.

She was accused of witchcraft because of her penchant for making medicinal potions and tortured and shunned and group members researched her trial using transcripts from the court and tell her story from her teenage years to death.

Anne who is one of three actresses playing Elizabeth says: "It’s always more fun to act a wicked part, but in this case she was labelled a witch because she was different, alien, unusual.

"When I came to live in the area in 1959 my family was considered to be all these things and it was very lonely. "Being different gives us all the opportunity to benefit from our differences, change and enrich our lives.

"With InterACTion it’s all in the name. It is a total mix of youth, age, ability, colour, language, you name it."

Annie says: "A lot of our members are isolated in some way, they are older people or have disabilities or are young people who felt they are not listened to, so a lot of them felt akin to Elizabeth who was pushed aside and bullied."

The production features a cast of 25. The oldest actor taking to the stage is Lydia, 90, who is one of thee people playing Gladys and says: "Without this show and InterACTion, I would be at home by myself, still finding something to do."

Gladys was a dyslexic parlour maid who wanted to travel to China as a Christian missionary but was turned down by the church because of her lowly background so decided to go anyway in 1932.

The play charts her difficult solo journey and Annie says: "When she got there she learnt Chinese, quelled a prison riot, saved 100 orphans and was a foot binding inspector and helped a lot of women. What she achieved and her strength of will is really inspirational.

"It definitely inspired our members who are from all different religions."

She adds: "A lot of our work is about understanding other people and supporting each other."

Dugdale Centre, Thomas Hardy House, London Road, Enfield, October 28 and 29. Details: 020 8807 6680, dugdalecentre.co.uk