There are more women here than men today. Locally, nationally and internationally, there are…
- Convenor:
- Jan Watts
- Attendees:
- Tracey Briggs, Saujan Kent and Alex Jones.
- Description:
There are more women here than men today. Locally, nationally and internationally, there are fewer parts for women and plays written by women are less likely to be produced on Main Stages. Why?
• Only 4 people came to this – over 500 at the Sphinx Theatre hosted ‘Vamps, Vixens and Feminists’ Conference at the National in the summer – is it because it is seen as a political subject?
• Chauvinist, sexist, ageist, sizeist.
• Older women playwrights who are not established find it particularly difficult.
• There are very few parts for older women.
• Many women write using ‘male’ names – G L Horton and Gareth Spitz
• There is a myth that women write plays particularly suitable for studio theatres.
• The group thought without any research that there were more women writing plays than men – are they being produced?
• Research in the US suggests that less women are being produced, but they are more successful commercially than plays written by men.
• Having more women in literary and artistic director positions doesn’t necessarily help make more work for women.
• Do festivals help? There is a SWAN Day proposed in Cheltenham and maybe Birmingham in 2010 – SUPPORT WOMEN ARTISTS NOW.NB – for an Action Plan
The International Centre for Women Playwrights are planning a pilot scheme with Birmingham REP to promote women writers – this scheme will hopefully expand into schemes with other theatres across the world.