Feminist Theatre - Then and Now
Celebrating 50 years
by Elaine Aston, Rosemary Squire, Suzie Miller, Cheryl Robson, April de Angelis
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Pub Date May 25 2024 | Archive Date Oct 31 2024
Aurora Metro | Supernova Books
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Description
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
A Note From the Publisher
Many black and white photos included from historic productions.
Advance Praise
“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
FEMINIST THEATRE – THEN & NOW Out From Supernova Books On This May (broadwayworld.com)
Feminist Book Fortnight: Feminist Theatre Then & Now | Culture Calling
FEMINIST THEATRE THEN & NOW book launch 16th May 2024 | My London Times – My London Times
Feminist Theatre – Then and Now | Elaine Aston, Rosemary Squire, Suzie Miller, Cheryl Robson, April de Angelis | 9781913641382 | NetGalley
Win Feminist Theatre – Then & Now Books – Theatre News | Theatre-News.com
https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/feminist-theatr-23270
Marketing Plan
Book launch and performance at Books on the Rise as part of Feminist Book Fortnight on May 16th.
Written piece in The Observer about the impetus for the book.
Feature in Theatre News, The Stage, The Morning Star.
Social Media posting
Talk at theatre in central London tbc.
Publicist Deborah Goodman
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781913641382 |
| PRICE | $21.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 288 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Megan R, Reviewer
This was such a brilliant and beautiful collection. Feminist Theatre - Then and Now is a compelling collection of essays and interviews from women in theatre who see plays they have acted in or directed from a feminist perspective. Spanning from the 1970s to today, Feminist Theatre allows the women's voices to echo throughout their chapters and lets their individuality shine by giving new perspectives to popular plays and new creations.
I found the collection absolutely fascinating, reading the thoughts and emotions each director/actress felt in each production they discuss or how feminism has impacted them. It brings a new light to how one should see feminism; not just as a collective, but as an individual feeling and experience that no one can take away from the women as well as their audiences.
I highly recommend Feminist Theatre - Then and Now to anyone who wants to read more about feminist theatre and those who want to read further into feminist theory.
Thank you, NetGalley and Aurora Press for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Ra U, Reviewer
Thank you, NetGalley for providing this copy! I had heard of the book on the Guilty Feminist podcast and was eager to explore the ideas presented in "Feminist Theatre - Then and Now." While the content proved engaging and thought-provoking, the reading experience was hindered by the harsh white background in the Adobe digital edition. This design choice made it difficult for me to fully enjoy and appreciate the book's insights. Despite this setback, the strong and diverse perspectives showcased throughout the book contribute significantly to contemporary feminist discourse and holds great potential to enrich and enhance academic research within its respective field.
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The publisher requested that I "amend" my review above regarding the white background, stating that "the brightness is not controlled by us or by Adobe PDF but at your end".
However, neither Adobe Digital Editions nor the NetGalley app was offered adjustable view options, such as text size, background color, or dark mode, which affected my reading experience. The absence of a Kindle edition further highlights the need for broader digital compatibility.
I hope the publisher will consider providing more accessible digital formats and take all feedback into account to enhance the reading experience and foster trust within the literary community.
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