Seven Plays by Women

Description

Female Voices, Fighting Lives: Seven Plays by Women

Edited by Cheryl Robson

Winner of The Raymond Williams Prize

Plays by Ayshe Raif, Cheryl Robson, April De Angelis, Nina Rapi, Eva Lewin, Jan Rupee, Jean Abbott.

 

“A testimony to the work and debate going on among women, an inspiring document.” Whats On

 

Contents

1. Introduction by Cheryl Robson
2. “Looking Through, Looking Beyond” by Sian Evans
3. “Zofia Kalinska and the Demonic Woman: work in progress” by Betty Caplan
4. “The Next Stage: devaluation, revaluation and after” by Diane Speakman
5. “The Salon at Paines Plough” by Anna Furse and April de Angelis
6. “Speaking in Tongues but in whose language? In Search of a Female Aesthetics” by Nina Rapi
7. “Director Training for Women” by Anna Birch
8. “The Status of Women in Theatre” by Caroline Gardiner

 

The Plays

Cochon Flambe by Eva Lewin: Explores the sexual politics of waitressing in a comic, one-woman play.

Crux by April De Angelis: Four women who follow their own doctrine of pleasure and hedonism in opposition to the stifling dictates of the Church.

Cut It Out by Jan Rupee: A sharp blend of humour and pathos, tells the story of Laura, a self-lacerator.

Ithaka by Nina Rapi: “Theatrically inventive, often surreal, witty and funny… sensitive charting of a woman’s quest for love and freedom.” Bush Theatre

Forced Out by Jean Abbott: A lesbian teacher’s confrontation with her community’s prejudices, unleashed by a newspaper’s gay witch hunt.

Fail/Safe by Ayshe Raif: “…a most disturbing lament for the way that some family ties become chains from which there will never be escape…” The Guardian

The Taking Of Liberty by Cheryl Robson:  France: 13th century. Heresy, blood and burnings. The Doctrine of the Free Spirit celebrates pleasure, passion and freedom from guilt. A corrupt and hypocritical Pope crushes the women who live this outrage. “We are born. We are. Our flesh is beautiful, more beautiful than cake or the stars.” – “…the French Revolution: a women’s protest…escalates into savage retribution.” What’s On