50 Women in Theatre

Book excerpt: Since 1660 when actresses first began performing on the English stage, women have forged bright careers in theatre, while men called the shots. Four hundred years of women playwrights, from Aphra Behn to Caryl Churchill, yet plays by women make up less than a quarter of staged productions in the UK, leading to a lack of central roles for women. At a time when many theatres have closed their doors and others are looking to re-open, will they choose to move with the times or fall back on the safety of a tired repertoire? With an overview of influential women in post-war theatre and 25 exclusive interviews with leading women theatre-makers, this book inspires us to create a truly equal and inclusive theatre today. Interviews with: Denise Gough; Vicky Ireland; Jude Kelly; Bryony Lavery; Katie Mitchell; Marsha Norman; Lynn Nottage; Winsome Pinnock; Emma Rice; Daryl Roth and many more.