Feminist Theatre - Then and Now

With an overview of half a century of women’s theatre, this book pays tribute to feminist theatre makers in the UK and Ireland. The pioneers, and leading lights of the newly energised feminist theatre movement, share their struggle to make their voices heard, have their work produced professionally, and promote social justice.

With 30+ essays and interviews and many rare photographs from historic productions, this book offers insight into the lived experience of women working in theatre, and what it takes to rise in an industry where race, class, gender, and parenthood can be serious obstacles to success.

Introduction by Elaine Aston

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

The Women in Theatre Lab by Polly Kemp and Jennifer Tuckett

Interview with Hannah Khalil

Persistence, Expression and Evolution by Peta Lily

Interview with Roberta Livingston

Ecofeminism in Theatre by Bibi Lucille

The Third World of Irish Women by Jaki McCarrick

Monstrous Regiment by Mary McCusker

Open Clasp Theatre Company 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

Stellar Quines & After by Gerda Stevenson

Differences Matter by SuAndi

Theatre from a Lesbian Perspective by Clare Summerskill

Interview with Imy Wyatt Corner

Elaine Aston is Professor of Theatre at Lancaster University. She has a distinguished record of publication in the field of feminism, theatre, theory and performance. Her first monograph, a biography of the nineteenth-century actress, Sarah Bernhardt, appeared in 1989, and was followed by Feminism and Theatre (1995); Caryl Churchill (1997; 2001; 2010); Feminist Theatre Practice (1999); Feminist Views on the English Stage: Women Playwrights, 1990-2000 (2003); Performance Practice and Process: Contemporary [Women] Practitioners (2007; with Gerry Harris) and A Good Night Out, for the Girls (2012; with Gerry Harris). She is co-author of the highly influential text on theatre semiotics: Theatre as Sign-System (1991; with George Savona). Elaine has edited two collections of plays for the Women’s Theatre Group (Her story Volumes 1 & 2, 1991). Other collections include the Cambridge Companions to Modern British Women Playwrights (2000; with Janelle Reinelt) and to Caryl Churchill (2009; with Elin Diamond); Feminist Futures?: Theatre, Performance, Theory (2006; with Gerry Harris); and Staging International Feminisms (2007; with Sue-Ellen Case). With Mark O’Thomas she published the first full-length study devoted to the work of the Royal Court’s International department: Royal Court International (2015).

Elaine is a founding member of the Feminist Research Working Group of the International Federation of Theatre Research (IFTR), and has co-convened the group with Professor Sue-Ellen Case (UCLA). She was the Senior Editor of the IFTR journal Theatre Research International (2010 to 2012) and went on to be elected Vice President of IFTR for Publications and Internalisation. With Professor Brian Singleton (Trinity College, Dublin) she is the co-series editor for ’Contemporary Performance InterActions’ (Palgrave Macmillan).

In 2014 Elaine was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Stockholm University.