Feminist Theatre Then & Now — Celebrating 50 Years of women theatre makers in the UK and Ireland and their battle to make their voices heard, have their work produced professionally, and promote social justice. Here, the pioneers and leading lights of the newly energised feminist theatre movement continue to fight for an equitable, diverse and inclusive theatre which speaks for all. In 30+ essays, covering three generations, the interviews and essays in this book give important insight into the lived experience of women working in theatre and what it takes to rise in an industry where race, gender, class and parenthood can be serious obstacles to success.

Interviews and essays by playwrights, directors, producers and actors including:

Asian Women’s Theatre in Britain by Rukhsana Ahmad
Derby Theatre by Sarah Brigham
Interview with Moira Buffini
Intersectional Feminism at Work by Kelly Burke
The Personal was very Political by Clair Chapwell
Behind The Lines by Alison Child
How Feminism has Influenced my Playwriting by April de Angelis
Interview with Suzanne Gorman
Clean Break by Anna Herrmann
Interview with Hannah Khalil
The Women in Theatre Lab by Polly Kemp and Jennifer Tuckett
Persistence, Expression and Evolution by Peta Lily
Interview with Roberta Livingston
Ecofeminism by Bibi Lucille
The Third World of Irish Women by Jaki McCarrick
Monstrous Regiment by Mary McCusker
Open Clasp Theatre by Catrina McHugh
Interview with Suzie Miller
Interview with Ann Mitchell
Interview with Rebecca Mordan
Interview with Amy Ng
Untold Stories by Maeve O’Neill
Girls’ Night Out by Rachel O’Regan
Interview with Kaite O’Reilly
Sphinx by Sue Parrish and Susan McGoun
Interview with Julia Pascal
Out of the Attic — WTW by Cheryl Robson and Anna Birch
Scylla’s Bite by Rebekah Smith and Abbie Lowe
Interview with Dame Rosemary Squire
Women in their own Words by Lucy Stevens
Stella Quines & After by Gerda Stevenson
Differences Matter by SuAndi
Theatre from a Lesbian Perspective by Clare Summerskill
Interview with Imy Wyatt Corner
Index

Reviews

“On the 50th anniversary of the first Women’s Theatre festival and the explosion of work by women that has built in quantity, wealth and diversity since then this is an important new book celebrating and giving voice to many of the key contributors to that rich history and exciting present. “ — Susan Croft, Director — Unfinished Histories

“Fascinating histories and perspectives from a selection of feminist theatre practitioners fighting to achieve equality over half a century of patriarchy.” — Lisa Goldman, Writer & Director

“A necessary read for drama students and anyone interested in our cultural history. Highly recommended.”
— Beatie Edney, Actor & Director

“The interview and essay structure of the book makes its near 300 pages easily digestible and the editor has quite carefully avoided a chronological structure. The intermingled ‘then’ and ‘now’ approach works remarkably well, a continual reminder of how past, present and future are feeding into one another all the time. While the book is strong on the impacts of earlier feminist theatremakers, the very similar or partially evolved restrictions that today’s women are still facing are given equivalent weight.

It becomes a meaningful arrangement in which a wide range of voices are heard without singling out or forgetting eras or areas of the industry, making room for everything from clowning to lesbian theatre, exploring how all forms of feminist theatre from West End platforms to grassroots activism always blends the political and the personal onstage and off.”

— Maryam Philpott, The Reviews Hub

Sue Parrish

Books