Bechdel Theatre Podcast

Little Miss Burden with Matilda Ibini

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 23:56:14 +0000

Matilda Ibini is a playwright and screen-writer from East London. She is the writer of Little Miss Burden, a five-star-reviewed coming-of-age tale that smashes together 90s nostalgia, Nigerian family, East London and Sailor Moon to tell the sometimes tricky, often funny truth about growing up with a physical impairment.

Matilda also recently worked as dramaturg on Eve Leigh's Midnight Movie, a new play exploring what it is like to have a digital body, when your physical body is always glitching and letting you down.

Little Miss Burden is at The Bunker until Dec 21

Midnight Movie is at The Royal Court until Dec 21

Matilda's #FeministFaves were Triple Cripples podcast

Crutchesandspice.com by American activist Imani Barbarin

Jillian Macardo - model and actor (currently in the new series of The L Word)

Kelechi Okafor - actor, pole/twerking teacher and her podcast Say Your Mind

Danielle Dash - writer and TV executive.

Pippa's #FeministFaves were YouTubers - Jessica Kellgren-Fozard &

Molly Burke.

Beth's #FeministFave was the podcast Dolly Parton's America.

More recommendations...

The Girl With Glitter In Her Eye The Bunker Jan 12 -13, 19 - 20, 26 - 27

Scenes With Girls The Royal Court Jan 15 - Feb 22

The Undefinable Camden People's Theatre Dec 10 – 21

Pecsmas The Yard until Dec 20

The Family Jewels NYE Y2K House Party DIY Space Dec 31

Fairview Young Vic until Jan 23

Christmas At The Snowglobe Shakespeare's Globe Dec 19 - 23

Swive Sam Wanamaker Playhouse Dec 7 - Feb 15

Islamophobia and Trojan Horse with Madiha Ansari

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 21:16:52 +0000

Madiha Ansari specialises in cultural engagement, specifically for communities of South Asian women. She is the founder and director of arts-based social enterprise The Cultural Ecology Project which aims to make art accessible to those in the most deprived and vulnerable areas of society.

You can contact her at madiha@lungtheatre.co.uk or follow her at @AnsariMadiha.

Madiha's #feministfaves were the Muslim Women's Council, Cate Blanchet and the Pakistani movie Cake.

Pippa's is Leslie Feinberg's Stone Butch Blues.

Beth's is Samira Ahmed.

More recommendations...

And So The Choir Gathers The Bunker Nov 17 & 18

i will still be whole (when you rip me in half) & Before I Was A Bear is on until 23rd November. Use ticket discount BECHDEL10 to join us for our audience discussion on Thursday 21 November.

Little Miss Burden The Bunker Dec 4 - 21

Midnight Movie Royal Court Nov 27 - Dec 21

Post Popular Soho Theatre Dec 3 - 14

Bitch on Heat Soho Theatre Dec 5 - 14

Venus Soho Theatre Jan 13 - 18

Three Sisters National Theatre Dec 3 - Feb 19

OH YES OH NO Battersea Arts Centre until Nov 23

EASY Blue Elephant until Nov 23

Aladdin and the Feast of Wonders The Vaults until Jan 15

Red Palace

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 00:40:29 +0000

Porscha Present is a singer, pianist, performer, and tutor currently playing Mermaid, Baba Yaga in Red Palace.

Camilla Harding is a performer, actor, and drag-dabbler currently playing Prince, Wolf, and an unnamed mystery character in Red Palace.

Red Palace is a Shotgun Carousel production, written by Cressida Peever and directed by Celine Lowenthal. It's running at The Vaults until January 12.

Porscha's #FeministFaves are femmes with facial hair, the Gurls Talk online community founded by Adwoa Aboah, and the model Sophia Hadjipanteli.

Milly's #FeministFave is the tattoo artist Mani.Tattoo who focuses on tattooing as a sacred and ancient art, and often tattoos darker skin and people of colour.

Beth's #FeministFaves are the apocalyptic zombie movie The Girl With All The Gifts netflix, and the documentary about women running for congress Knock Down The House netflix.

Pippa's #FeministFaves are lesbian activist singer-songwriter Grace Petrie and her song Black Tie, plus a series of articles about Butch identities recently published on Refinery29: Butch Is Beautiful, and A Butch Dandy & A Trans Man Get Real About The Intersection Of Their Identities.

More recommendations...

The Pleasance Theatre's Best of Edinburgh Fringe including:

Bible John & Honeybee Nov 2 - 3

Madame Ovary Nov 8 - 10

A History of Water In The Middle East The Royal Court until Nov 16

i will still be whole (when you rip me in half) bunker The Bunker Nov 12 - 23

(Read Pippa's blog response to i will still be whole, and listen to our podcast episode with writer Ava Wong Davies)

Before I Was A Bear The Bunker Nov 12 - 23

(Use the discount code BECHDEL10 for a cheap ticket and join us for a post-show audience conversation about Before I Was A Bear on Thurs Nov 21)

Girl From Nowhere at The Bedford Nov 13 - 14

I'm A Phoenix, Bitch at HOME Manchester Nov 26 - 30

Plant Fetish at HOME Manchester Nov 27 - 30

Abortion Rights Abortion Cabaret at Bethnal Green Working Men's Club on Nov 6.

Fokin' Bring It On Lads at Rosemary Branch Nov 6 - 9

[Blank] The Donmar Warehouse until Nov 30.

Burgerz on tour, tickets available in Warwick, Birmingham, Bristol, and Cambridge, until Dec 1.

(Listen to our podcast episode with Travis Alabanza)

Queens of Sheba touring to Bristol, Warwick, Battersea, Essex & Leicester. Until Nov 29.

(Listen to our podcast episode talking about Queens of Sheba)

Trojan Horse touring to Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Halifax, Liverpool, Huddersfield, Doncaster, Hull, Lancaster, Norwich, Mold, Bradford, London, and Birmingham. Until Nov 21.

It's True, It's True, It's True touring to Manchester, Doncaster, Sheffield, Nottingham, Newcastle, East Riding, Warwick, Salisbury York, Plymouth, Oxford, Halifax and Leeds. Until Nov 23.

Desiree's Coming Early Soho Theatre Nov 11 – 23

Since U Been Gone Camden People's Theatre Nov 19 – 20

(Listen to our podcast episode with Teddy Lamb)

I, AmDram Camden People's Theatre Nov 26 – 30.

Parakeet with Brigitte Aphrodite & Michelle Tiwo

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 11:16:42 +0000

This is the fourth episode in a series of podcasts covering Edinburgh Fringe 2019.

Listen back to the previous episodes with Mika Johnson & Teddy Lamb, Travis Alabanza, and Emily Aboud & Charlotte Dowding, and look out on our social media for tour dates to see their shows.

You can now support Bechdel Theatre on Patreon with a monthly donation of $1.

Brigitte Aphrodite is a punk poet, musician, writer, theatre maker and feminist showgirl. Brigitte is the writer of Parakeet, and performs as a parakeet underscoring the show.

Michelle Tiwo is an actor, poet and model, and the lead performer in Parakeet.

Brigitte's #FeministFaves are…

Music: Pink Suits, Self Esteem, Big Joanie, The Tuts, Dream Wife, Kate Nash, Lunatraktors

Books: Period Power by Maisie Hill, Laura Dockrill's books for children & young adults.

Poet: Neelam Saredia-Brayley

Michelle's #FeministFaves are...

Travis Alabanza & their writing about Edinburgh Fringe

Ruth Sutoye & Bald Black Girls

Tobi Kyeremateng & The Black Ticket Project

Poetry & art from: Touching Bass, Steam Down, Andrea Phillips, Vanessa Kisuule, Rachael Young, Theresa Lola, The Rap Party, Belinda Zhawi & Born::Free

Michelle & Brigitte's Edinburgh show recommendations...

Pink Lemonade by Mika Johnson

How To Be Brave by Dirty Protest

Out by Rachael Young

Splintered by Emily Aboud

Burgerz by Travis Alabanza (Autumn tour includes: Dublin, Newcastle, Glasgow, Warwick, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge & London)

The End & One by Bert & Nasi (One is coming to Battersea Arts Centre in October)

Civilization by Antler Theatre

Class & Fat Blokes By Scottee (Class is coming to Home in Manchester in Oct & touring in 2020)

Hearty by Emma Frankland

"Carnival is Gay as Shit" in Splintered with Emily Aboud & Charlotte Dowding

Thu, 08 Aug 2019 19:22:22 +0000

Emily Aboud is the director and writer of Splintered.

Charlotte Dowding is one of the three performers in Splintered.

Splintered is a Lagahoo Theatre production which uses cabaret, carnival, and recorded interviews with LGBTQ+ people in Trinidad and Tobago to tell the stories of Queer people in the Caribbean. It's on every night during Edinburgh Fringe, at Bedlam Theatre 21:30.

Emily's #FeministFaves are soca artist Nailah Blackman & dancehall artist Shenseea.

Charlotte's #FeministFave is The Slumflower, and her book What A Time To Be Alone.

Other #EdFringe shows mentioned in this episode...

Girl Scouts vs Aliens at Assembly George Square at 12:10

Pink Lemonade at Assembly Roxy at 15:45 every other day (listen to our previous episode featuring Pink Lemonade writer/performer Mika Johnson)

Typical at Pleasance Courtyard 16:30

Burgerz with Travis Alabanza

Sun, 04 Aug 2019 15:44:13 +0000

Travis Alabanza is a performer, writer and theatre-maker based in London (via Bristol). Their show BURGERZ is on at the Traverse Theatre at varying times until August 25th (except the 5th, 12th & 19th), and then on tour, going to Dublin, Newcastle, Glasgow, Warwick, Birmingham, Bristol, and London's Southbank Centre.

Travis' #FeministFave is community activist, writer, trainer & facilitator Nim Ralph.

Pippa's #FeministFave is singer-songwriter King Princess.

Beth's #FeministFave is the organisers of BiFest, Bi Pride, and #BwiththeT.

Travis' #EdFringe show recommendations are...

Black Holes Zoo Southside 14:20 (Aug 19-25th)

Nightclubbing/OUT Summerhall 15:45

Pink Lemonade & Since U Been Gone Assembly Roxy 15:45

(listen to our interview with Mika Johnson & Teddy Lamb on our first EdFringe2019 podcast)

Class Assembly Roxy 16:05

Crystal Rasmussen Underbelly Cowgate 17:50

Sex Education Summerhall 19:10

Sofie Hagen: The Bumswing Pleasance Dome 19:00

Sophie Duker: Venus Pleasance Courtyard 19:00

Lucy McCormick: Post Popular Pleasance Courtyard 20:00

Shit Theatre Drink Rum With Expats Summerhall 20:05

Splintered Bedlam Theatre 21:30

The Queer House Double Bill with Mika Johnson & Teddy Lamb

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 12:00:49 +0000

This episode is the first Bechdel Theatre podcast from Edinburgh Fringe 2019!

Follow us on instagram & twitter, and read our blog for constant updates of EdFringe shows to see. If you want to support our work at Edinburgh you can still do so via our GoFundMe, Ko-Fi, and Patreon pages.

Mika Johnson is a writer and performer from Nottingham. Their show Pink Lemonade is on at Assembly Roxy at 15:45 on odd dates. Help fund Mika's Top Surgery

Teddy Lamb is a playwright and theatre-maker from Warwickshire. Their show Since U Been Gone is on at Assembly Roxy at 15:45 on even dates.

Mika and Teddy's shows are both being co-produced by The Queer House and HighTide Theatre. The Queer House is an agency and production company for LGBTQIA+ actors, performers and theatre-makers.

Teddy's #FeministFave is writer/podcaster Bethany Rutter and her debut novel No Big Deal.

Mika's #FemininstFave is the book Kings Queens and Inbetweens by Tanya Boteju.

Beth's #FeministFave is Cerys Bradley's podcast The Coming Out Tapes.

Pippa's #FeministFave is the Channel 4 TV show Drag SOS.

ALL the recommendations featured on this episode can be found on our latest blog post: Shows to see at Edinburgh Fringe 2019.

Salt with Selina Thompson and Rochelle Rose

Wed, 29 May 2019 12:35:00 +0000

Selina Thompson is an artist and performer based in Leeds, who has been creating autobiographical work since 2014.

salt. Is part of a wider body of Selina's work looking at Black British identity. It focuses on grief, home, Afro-pessimism, the Black Atlantic, the forgetting of the UK's colonial history and the impact that has on the daily life of Caribbean communities in the UK today.

Rochelle Rose is an actor and singer who is playing the role of The Woman in salt. for the show's Royal Court run.

You can see salt. at the Royal Court until June 1st. We also recommend checking out Selina's Reading List for salt. which includes books, films, music, and twitter accounts to follow.

Selina's #FeministFave is Rebecca Sugar's cartoon series Steven Universe.

Rochelle's #FeministFave is her Grandmothers.

Beth's #FeministFave is the TV series Pose, which is currently available to watch in the UK on BBC iPlayer.

Pippa's #FeministFave is the Olympic Gold-medallist Caster Semenya. Follow and support her on twitter & instagram.

Selina's show recommendations…

Travis Alabanza's Burgerz (touring throughout 2019, including Edinburgh throughout August)

Sue MacLaine's Vessel

Alexandrina Hemsley & Seke Chimutengwende's Black Holes

Rachael Young's Nightclubbing (Folkestone on June 15, then Edinburgh until August 11)

Demi Nandhra's Life Is No Laughing Matter

Unfolding Theatre's Hold On Let Go (Battersea Arts Centre, then Edinburgh throughout August)

Tim Etchells' To Move In Time

Beth & Pippa are hosting an audience discussion after Kill Climate Deniers at The Pleasance on June 8th - use the code BECHDEL12 to get a discount ticket and join the conversation.

Bechdel Theatre is going to Edinburgh Fringe to record our podcast, support artists, and find shows that pass the Bechdel test with flying colours!

Support our work for £5 on GoFundMe, £3 on Ko-Fi, or $1 a month on Patreon.

Wondrous Vulva & The Vagina Museum

Sat, 25 May 2019 14:41:38 +0000

Florence Schechter is the founder of the Vagina Museum, which will be the first ever bricks-and-mortar museum dedicated to vaginas, vulvas and the gynaecological anatomy. You can donate to the Vagina Museum's Crowdfunder Page to help them make the museum a physical reality.

Rejoicing At Her Wondrous Vulva The Young Woman Applauded Herself is Bella Heesom's second collaboration with director Donnacadh O'Briain and co-performer Sara Alexander. You can listen to our interview with Bella about her previous show My World Has Exploded A Little Bit in episode 2 of our podcast.

Florence's #FeministFave is Second Shelf bookshop in the West End which sells rare and antiquarian books, modern first editions, ephemera, manuscripts, and rediscovered works by women.

Beth's #FeministFave is Lizzo's new album Cuz I Love You

Pippa's #FeministFave is the book Fierce Femmes and Notorius Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom

Funeral Flowers Bernie Grant Arts Centre May 29 - June 1

Salt. Royal Court until June 1

Does My Bomb Look Big In This Soho Theatre until June 8

Yvette The Bush Theatre until June 4 & Manchester Royal Exchange June 6 - 8

Firecracker (First Bite) Ovalhouse June 6 - 8

Sweat The Gielgud June 7 - Jul 20

Fantabulosa! Touring outdoor festivals across England until September

Kill Climate Deniers The Pleasance June 4 - 28

(including a Bechdel Theatre post-show audience discussion on June 8)

Live at VAULT 2019 with Lyn Gardner and Ava Wong Davies

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 12:37:35 +0000

This episode was sponsored by Stagedoor.

Lyn Gardner is the critic for the Stagedoor app. In the past she has written theatre reviews for The Guardian, The Stage and The Independent. She also writes children's novels.

Ava Wong Davies writes about theatre for Exeunt Magazine, The Stage, and on her own blog. Her debut as a playwright: i will still be whole (when you rip me in half) was at VAULT Festival this year.

Read what Lyn wrote about Ava's play i will still be whole (when you rip me in half) on Stagedoor, and Pippa's piece of embedded criticism about the play on our blog.

Ava's #FeministFave was her friend Eve Allin, who writes about theatre, art and music.

Lyn's #FeministFave was American poet and essayist Adrienne Rich.

Audience #FeministFaves were:

Jasmine Paris - a runner who became the first woman to win the 268 mile ultra-marathon Spine Race while breastfeeding.

Carol Christ - an academic who writes about women in religion and Goddess Feminism.

Claudia Jones - the Trinidad-born political activist and community leader who founded Notting Hill Carnival.

Beth's #FeministFave was art critic duo The White Pube.

Pippa #FeministFave was menstrual product activist Amika George.

Recommendations...

Dismantle this Room Royal Court Apr 6 - 27

White Pearl Royal Court May 10 - Jun 15

Salt Royal Court May 14 - Jun 1

A Piece of The Continent The Actor's Centre until Apr 27

I'm Here, Where Are You? Cambridge Junction Apr 26 - 27

Out Of Water Orange Tree Theatre Apr 27 - Jun 1

Rebel Season The Albany Apr 11 - Jun 1

Funeral Flowers The Bunker Apr 15 - May 4

Fuck You Pay Me The Bunker May 7 - 19

A Life Sentence at Cat's Back Theatre (Wandsworth Arts Festival) May 5 - 6

Ad Libido Soho Theatre May 7 - 11

Rejoicing At Her Wondrous Vulva The Young Woman Applauded Herself Ovalhouse

May 9 - 25

The Party Somewhere Else Nottingham Playhouse May 14 - 18

Calm Down Dear Camden People's Theatre from May 27

Rotterdam on tour to locations including: Oxford, Manchester, Eastbourne, Southampton, Birmingham until Jun 22

The Amber Trap Theatre503 Apr 24 - May 18

J'Ouvert Theatre503 May 29 - Jun 22

BEATing the system with Chi Thai

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 13:28:31 +0000

Chi Thai is a Vietnamese born, British raised filmmaker. She has been a Cannes Lions finalist three times and her work has competed at Academy accredited festivals. She is part of the Guiding Lights alumnus & listed in Creative England's Top 50 companies. She is currently in production with Automat, a new film starring Sophie Wu.

Chi is one of the founders of BEATS: a not-for-profit organisation founded by British East Asians working in Theatre and across the Screen industry seeking to humanise British East Asians, increase the visibility of British East Asians on stage and screen, and advocate for the use of the term British East Asian.

Chi's #FeministFave is White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo. The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality.

Recommendations...

The Ridiculous Darkness The Gate Theatre until Mar 23

Us Against Whatever Hull Truck Mar 27 - Apr 3

Homegrown Festival: Occupy Battersea Arts Centre Mar 19 - Apr 12

The Phlebotomist Hampstead Theatre Mar 19 - Apr 20

Pah-La The Royal Court Apr 3 - 27

Going Through The Bush Mar 28 - Apr 27

Small Island National Theatre Apr 17 - Aug 10

Waitress Adelphi Theatre until Oct 2019

Sex Sex Men Men with Thrustin' Limbersnake

Mon, 04 Mar 2019 12:20:07 +0000

Lauren Steele is a drag king, burlesque performer and activist. She is a founding member of Pecs drag king collective, and performs as Thrustin' Limbersnake.

Pecs latest show SEX SEX MEN MEN is on at The Yard until March 16. Watch the iconic trailer for the show now.

Lauren's #FeministFave is The LOL Word comedy, a collective made up of queer womxn and non-binary comics. They host regular nights at The Albany and have been performing a show at VAULT Festival with a 'prom night' theme.

Beth's #FeministFave is Generation Z, especially the teenagers taking part in the School Strike for Climate.

Pippa's #FeministFave is Jeanette Winterson's book Written on the Body.

Be in our audience: Bechdel Theatre Podcast is recording LIVE at VAULT Festival on Sunday March 10 at 16:45.

More recommendations…

Becoming– Stratford Circus Arts Centre March 6 – 9

I'm A Phoenix, Bitch – Battersea Arts Centre until March 9

The Paper Man – Soho Theatre until March 9

Boots – The Bunker until March 16

And The Rest Of Me Floats – The Bush until March 16

The Trick – The Bush until March 23

Inside Bitch – The Royal Court until March 23

Richard II – The Globe until April 21

Emilia – Vaudeville Theatre March 8 – June 15

A Hundred Words For Snow – Trafalgar Studios March 5 – 30

96 Festival – Clapham Omnibus until March 31

Smack That (A Conversation) – Ovalhouse until March 16 and touring to locations including Essex, London, Portsmouth, Oxford, Salford, Newcastle, and Salisbury throughout 2019.

Trailblazing Theatre Activists with Dr. Naomi Paxton

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 11:40:13 +0000

Dr Naomi Paxton is a performer and feminist theatre historian who wrote her PhD on the work of the Actresses' Franchise League. She has published two books of Suffrage plays with Methuen Drama, and is currently Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

Naomi is the curator of Dramatic Progress, an exhibition at the National Theatre, which runs until January 26.

Naomi also performs at comedy, cabaret and variety nights as her character Ada Campe.

Naomi's #feministfaves were Vik Groskop's How to Own the Room, Cicely Hamilton's Marriage as a Trade Elizabeth Robin's Way Stations

Pippa's was Claude Cahun

Beth's was the She's All Fat podcast.

Shows to see at VAULT Festival...

Inside Voices (Jan 23 – 27)

Juniper and Jules (Jan 23 – 27)

Dangerous Lenses (Jan 23 – 27)

Lola (Jan 23 – 27)

17 (Jan 23 – 27)

Salaam (Jan 30 – Feb 3)

Fatty Fat Fat (Jan 30 – Feb 3)

Hear Me Howl (Jan 30 – Feb 3)

Succubus (Feb 1)

The LOL Word (Jan 25, Feb 15, Mar 15)

Pecs: King for a Night (Feb 2)

Elf Lyons: Love Songs To Guinea Pigs (Feb 13 -15)

Shotgun Carousel: Eat Your Heart Out (Feb 16)

Smoke Weed Eat Pussy Every Day (Feb 22-23)

i will still be whole (when you rip me in half) (Feb 27 – 28)

Woman! Pilot! Pirate? (Feb 27 - Mar 3)

Galvanise (Feb 27 - Mar 3)

Brazilian Wax XXL Mar 2

The Family Jewels (Mar 8).

Can I Touch Your Hair? (Mar 8 – 9)

10 (Mar 13 – 17).

Aaand we have even MORE recommendations for 2019, including touring shows, and productions running throughout the year, which can all be found on our New Year Blog!

Ep 20 - Taking Up Space with Rubyyy Jones

Mon, 17 Dec 2018 13:46:17 +0000

Rubyyy Jones is is a Canadian-born London-based burlesque dancer, cabaret performer and theatre-maker best known as the Queen of Queerlesque. You can find out more about her upcoming appearances, and how to get involved with her courses and classes on her Facebook and Instagram pages.

Rubyyy is currently performing as part of an ensemble cast of 6 in Hole at The Royal Court. Hole is written by Ellie Kendrick, and directed by (previous podcast guests) Helen and Abi from RashDash. It's on until January 12th.

Rubyyy's #FeministFave is the Anti Diet Riot Club which hosts events and meet-ups, in London and the UK, that connect people struggling with diet-cycling, poor body image, and disordered eating. They spread the message of body acceptance, radical self-love and fatpositivity.

Beth's #FeministFave this month is Afua Hirsch's book Brit(ish).

Pippa's #FeministFave is Ariana Grande.

More recommendations...

Divine Proportions The Vaults until Jan 12

The Convert Young Vic until Jan 26

Nine Night Trafalgar Studios 1 Dec - 23 Feb

Head-Rot Holiday The Hope until Dec 22

Robin Hood The Watermill Theatre Newbury until Jan 5

Sleeping Beauty Theatre Royal Stratford East until Jan 12

Aladdin Hackney Empire until Jan 6

Rudolf MAC Birmingham Until December 31

Snow White and the Happy Ever After Beauty Salon Ovalhouse until Dec 30 & Theatre Royal Plymouth Jan 22 - 26

Ep 19 - VAGINAS with Isley Lynn

Sat, 06 Oct 2018 17:38:21 +0000

Isley Lynn is an American-born, London-based playwright and poet. Her play Skin A Cat opened at VAULT Festival in 2016, where it won Pick of the Year, and was nominated for four Off West End Awards for its transfer as inaugural production at The Bunker.

Skin A Cat's upcoming tour dates are The Other Room Cardiff Oct 8 - 13, Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarborough Oct 19-20, and Isley's adaptation of The War Of The Worlds (created in collaboration with Rhum and Clay) is at New Diorama London January 8-9.

Isley's #FeministFave is the singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco.

More recommendations...

Kingdom Camden People's Theatre Oct 9 - 11

Come As You Are Festival touring Derby, Peterborough, Exeter, and Poole until Dec 1

Divine Proportions The Vaults until Jan 12

Medusa Nuffield Theatre Southampton Oct 11 - 13

I'm a Phoenix Bitch Battersea Arts Centre Oct 3 - 20

Skate Hard Turn Left Battersea Arts Centre Oct 9 - 13

Britney Battersea Arts Centre Oct 16 - 17

Silence Mercury Theatre Colchester Oct 12 - 20

Burgerz Oct 23 - Nov 3

White Teeth Kiln Oct 26 - Dec 22

Blacktress season Tristan Bates Theatre Oct 4 - Dec 22

It's True, It's True, It's True New Diorama Theatre Oct 16 - Nov 10.

Pickle Jar Soho Theatre Oct 23 - Nov 10

Ear For Eye Royal Court Oct 25 - Nov 24

Still No Idea Royal Court Oct 31 - Nov 17

Ep 18 - #RepresentAsian with Katie Leung and Kae Alexander

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 13:36:07 +0000

Katie Leung began her career playing Cho Chang in the Harry Potter films, and has had screen and stage roles in Run on Channel 4, One Child on BBC, The World Of Extreme Happiness at The National Theatre, and Snow in Midsummer at The RSC.

Kae Alexander was most recently seen on stage in The Great Wave at The National Theatre. Her screen acting has included roles in Collateral, Fleabag, Game of Thrones, Bad Education and Ready Player One.

Katie and Kae are currently starring in the drama series Strangers which airs on Monday nights at 9pm on ITV.

Katie's #FeministFave is the My Body Back Project, which runs specialist services, including a cervical screening clinics in London and Glasgow designed especially for women who have experienced sexual violence so they feel safe, relaxed, and their individual needs are met.

Kae's #FeministFave and hero is her Mum, Kim.

More recommendations...

Hear Me Howl Old Red Lion until Sept 29th

Dance Nation Almeida until Oct 6

Queen Margaret Royal Exchange Manchester until Oct 6

Six The Arts Theatre until Oct 14

Skin A Cat is on tour until Oct 20

The Sweet Science of Bruising at Southwark Playhouse Oct 3 - 27

Twelfth Night Young Vic 2 Oct - Nov 17

Heathers Theatre Royal Haymarket until Nov 24

Everything I Am Camden People's Theatre 2-5 Oct Natasha Simone.

Ep 17 - Love Songs in Edinburgh with Alissa Anne Jeun Yi

Fri, 17 Aug 2018 17:09:07 +0000

Alissa Anne Jeun Yi has written and is performing in Love Songs at Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Underbelly Cowgate, 14:40, everyday until August 26th)

Alissa studied law at university before realising her true passion for creative writing. She has been performing spoken-word for a year, and Love Songs is her first full-length show: an autobiographical story told with poetry, music, and audience volunteers.

Alissa's #FeministFave shows at Edinburgh Fringe:

WHITE Pleasance Courtyard 11:30

WEIRD Pleasance Courtyard 13:45

Awakening Underbelly Bristo Square 14:35

Lost In Thought Underbelly Cowgate 18:40

More shows we recommended…

Sparks Pleasance Courtyard 11:30

Sticks & Stones, and Island Town Summerhall (times & dates vary)

Sarah Keyworth Pleasance Courtyard 17:30

Evelyn Mok Pleasance Courtyard 18:00

Yana Alana Assembly Checkpoint 20:00

Ep 16 - FYPM in Edinburgh with Joana Nastari

Thu, 09 Aug 2018 13:56:56 +0000

Joana Nastari has written and is performing in Fuck You Pay Me at Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Assembly Rooms, 15:25, every day except 14 & 21).

Fuck You Pay Me is a poetic, surreal, and no-holds-barred REAL love-letter to strippers. It follows a day in the life of Bea, a stripper whose Brazilian Catholic mother has just found out what she does for a living.

Other shows Joana recommended:

Illicit Thrill The Voodoo Rooms 23:35

(even) HOTTER Bedlam 21:30

Miss Venezuela Just The Tonic at The Mash House 22:10

Shows we recommended:

Baby Daddy Assembly Rooms 18:20 (until August 13)

Dangerous Giant Animals Underbelly Cowgate 12:00

Zoo Assembly George Square 11:00

Dominoes Assembly George Square 12:00

For Londoners not in Edinburgh:

Emilia at The Globe Aug 10 - Sept 1

Ep 15 - Fun Home & Hive City Legacy

Sat, 14 Jul 2018 00:17:23 +0000

Lisa Fa'alafi and Yami 'Rowdy' Lofvenberg are the Director and Assistant Director of Hive City Legacy: a riotous new show by a league of extraordinary Femmes Of Colour, created in association with legendary Australian performance collective Hot Brown Honey.

Hive City Legacy is at The Roundhouse until July 21.

Hot Brown Honey are performing their own show at London's Southbank Centre on July 24 - 28 and throughout August at Edinburgh Fringe.

Lisa's #FeministFave was Cocoa Butter Club, a queer cabaret collective of colour, who hold regular showcases at Her Upstairs, and are performing a show at Roundhouse after Hive City Legacy on July 20th.

Yami's #FeministFave was OSHUN, an independent Hip-Hop / Soul duo and the sonic manifestation of Afrofuturism. Their debut studio album, bittersweet vol 1, is out now.

Cherrelle Skeete is currently playing Joan in Fun Home at the Young Vic - the musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir of the same name. Cherrelle previously played Char in Ella Road's The Phlebotomist at Hampstead Theatre, and originated the role of Rose Granger-Weasley in Harry Potter and The Cursed Child in the West End.

Cherrelle is a founder of Blacktress UK, an organisation which supports Black Womxn actors in the UK through regular meet ups, workshops and events. You can keep up with Blacktress on Instagram (Black Womxn only), Twitter and Facebook.

Cherrelle's #FeministFaves were poet and activist Staceyann Chin; the writing of Audre Lorde (in particular Sister Outsider and The Cancer Journals); Sista! an anthology of writing about Same Gender Loving Black Women; and All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks.

All of our recommendations for August are listed on our pre-Edinburgh blog post.

Ep 14 - Three Sisters with RashDash

Tue, 29 May 2018 10:50:22 +0000

RashDash Theatre Company are Abbi Greenland, Becky Wilkie and Helen Goalen. They have been making shows together since 2009, and have been called "The punk princesses of late night theatre". Their new show Three Sisters (after Chekhov) is at The Yard London until June 9 and Tobacco Factory Bristol June 12 - 16

Helen's #FeministFave was playwright and RashDash collaborator Alice Birch.

Becky's #FeministFave was singer/songwriter Regina Spektor.

Abbi's #FeministFave was her follow members of RashDash (see above!).

Beth and Pippa's #FeministFaves this month were Reni Eddo-Lodge's podcast About Race, and the KOC (Kings of Colour) Initiative, founded by drag king Zayn Phallic.

More recommendations...

The Yellow Wallpaper Clapham Omnibus 5 - 24 June

Leave Taking Bush Theatre until June 30

Spun Arcola Theatre 27 June–28 July

As You Like It & Hamlet Shakespeare's Globe until August 26

Fun Home The Young Vic June 18 - Sept 1

Ep 13 - Chinese Dreams and Different Women

Sun, 06 May 2018 20:47:45 +0000

Jennifer Tang is the director of Mountains: The Dreams of Lily Kwok, which is currently touring and can be seen this month in Derby, Watford, Sheffield, Hexham, and Coventry.

Jennifer's #FeministFave is performer and theatre-maker Lucy Ellinson, who was most recently seen on stage in Jubilee.

Ariane Barnes is an actor, singer, comedian, writer and founder of the Different Women Project, which is dedicated to celebrating diversity and difference in the performing arts.

Ariane's #FeministFave is Gina Torres, best known for her TV roles in Angel and Suits.

Beth's #FeministFave this month is Star Trek: Discovery.

Pippa's #FeministFave this month is Janelle Monae.

More recommendations...

The Year of The Rooster Monk The Pleasance May 22 - Jun 3

Use the code BECHDEL10 to get £10 tickets for any performance, if you book before May 22nd (we're going to see it on the 23rd!)

Tara Arts presents: I'll Say It Again! May 2 - June 2

A season of women's work at Wandsworth Fringe

Gracie The Finborough until May 15

Masterpieces The Finborough until May 19

RashDash's Three Sisters touring until June 15

Grotty The Bunker 1 - 26 May

Yvette on tour until May 23

Nightclubbing

Camden People's Theatre, London 8 – 12 May
Watch Out Festival, Cambridge Junction 26 May
Latitude Festival 13 July

Split Britches: UXO

15 - 19 May Barbican, London
26 May Take Me Somewhere Festival, Glasgow

Confidence Southwark Playhouse 23 May - 16 Jun

Othello Liverpool Everyman April 28 - 10 Jun

Shadows In Different Shades Sheffield May 24 - 25

Brighton Festival

Brighton Fringe

A Robot In Human Skin

Love Songs

Efemera

Boxes

Ep 12 - Journalism, journeys and 'Good Girl' with Lisa Francesca Nand

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 15:28:42 +0000

Lisa Francesca Nand is a journalist, travel writer and broadcaster. She was the first female presenter on TalkSPORT, and hosts her own podcast The Big Travel Podcast.

We went with Lisa to see Good Girl by Naomi Sheldon at VAULT Festival. The show has since transferred to Trafalgar Studios, where it is running until March 31st.

Lisa's #FeministFave is the book A Good Time To Be A Girl and its author Helena Morrissey: a City CEO, mother of nine, and founder of the influential 30% Club which campaigns for gender-balanced UK company boards.

More recommendations...

Coconut Ovalhouse 11 - 28 April, and touring until June 30.

Scene Camden People's Theatre 10 - 14 April.

Half-Breed Soho Theatre 16 - 21 Apr.

Chisholm 72 Barbican Cinema 18 Apr

Nine Night National Theatre 21 April to 26 May.

Mountains: Dreams of Lily Kwok UK tour until 2 June.

Our Country's Good Touring to Leeds, London, Sheffield and Birmingham, until 2 June.

Ep 11 - #BlackGirlMagic with Giselle Gant

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 16:47:52 +0000

Giselle Gant is an Emmy-winning actor, theatre-maker, and presenter (known for her 'Black To Life' series on BET Her). Giselle was born and raised in Manhatten.

Nathalie Adlam is Artistic Director of theatre company Les Foules, who won the VAULT Festival Origins Award for Outstanding New Work in 2015.

Giselle and Nathalie are the creators of The Year of The Rooster Monk, running at VAULT Festival March 7 - 11.

Giselle's #FeministFave is Shirley Chisholm, who was the United States first black congresswoman, and the first woman to run for President in 1972.

More recommendations...

So Many Reasons Ovalhouse Mar 6 - 10

Use the code BECHDEL12 to book for our special International Women's Day celebration on March 8th for a discounted ticket and free espresso martini!

Good Girl Trafalgar Studios throughout March.

Leftover Women Cockpit Theatre 11 Mar

Yvette WOW Festival Southbank Centre 10 & 11 Mar | UK Tour 16 April to 23 May

Electra The Bunker 27 Feb - 24 Mar

The Great Wave National Theatre 10 March to 14 April

Frankenstein The Space until March 10

Juniper and Jules Theatre503 Mar 18 - 19

Dollywould Soho Theatre Mar 19 - Apr 14

Tina The Musical Aldwych Theatre from March 21st

The Party Somewhere Else Nottingham Playhouse Mar 20 - 24

Strike A Light Festival Gloucester City 21 - 27 Mar

Boots VAULT Mar 7 - 11

Timothy VAULT Mar 14 - 18

Things That Do Not Count VAULT Mar 14 - 18

Ep 10 - Solace and Surrogacy in 'There or Here' with Rakhee Thakrar

Sun, 28 Jan 2018 12:27:56 +0000

Rakhee Thakrar is best known for her long-running role on Eastenders playing Shabnam Masood. Her theatre credits include: Astronauts of Hartlepool (Vaults Festival); Lalita's Big Fat Asian Wedding (Curve Leicester); Pyaar Hai (Rich Mix); Free Booze (Edinburgh Fringe)

Rakhee is currently starring in There or Here at the Park Theatre until Feb 17.

Bechdel Theatre are hosting a post-show after the evening performance of There or Here on Thu Feb 1st.

Rakhee's #FeministFaves:

Denise Gough

Amy Agnew and Caroline Dollman of Global Citizen.

Our #FeministFaves:

Reni Eddo-Lodge's book Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race.

Mary Beard's book Women in Power.

More recommendations...

Bechdel Theatre Actors Workshop at The Mono Box with guest director: Madelaine Moore of The Thelmas The Old Vic Workroom Jan 30

96 Festival Clapham Omnibus Feb 2 - 28

How The Vote Was Won The Bunker Feb 5

Jubilee Lyric Hammersmith 15 Feb ‐ Mar 10

Rejoicing At Her Wondrous Vulva The Young Woman Applauded Herself Ovalhouse Feb 21-23

Breaking Loose Festival Bread & Roses Theatre Feb 18 - 25

VAULT Festival

Fuck You Pay Me 24 - 28 Jan

The Breaks In You & I Jan 31 - Feb 4 (Post-show on Sat Feb 3)

50-50 1-4 Feb

Mary's Babies Jan 31 - Feb 1

Madonna Or Whore Jan 31 - Feb 4

Double Infemnity Jan 31 - 4 Feb

White Feb 4

The Cat's Mother Feb 7 - 8

The Internet Was Made for Adults Feb 7 - 11

Bicycles and Fish Feb 7 - 11

Joy 10 - 11

Finding Fassbender Feb 14 - 15

Surprise! Feb 14 - 15

The Vagina Dialogues Feb 14-18

I Have A Mouth And I Will Scream Feb 14-18

Elsa Feb 14 - 18

Egg: Static Feb 16

Frances Farmer: Zombie Movie Star Feb 17 - 18

Cooking With Juniper Feb 17

The Quantum Physics Of My Heart Feb 21 - 25

Conquest Feb 21 - 25

Borderline Feb 24

Ep 9 - Motherhood and Memories

Sun, 24 Dec 2017 11:42:04 +0000

Comfort Moye is an Anthropology student and her University's POC officer. We watched Apologia at Trafalgar Studios and Racheal Ofori's Portrait at Rich Mix.

Comfort's #FeministFaves are Plantation Memories book by Grada Kilomba, and the TV series Girlfriends.

More recommendations...

Six at The Arts 18 December, 8 January, 15 January and 22 January

Calm Down Dear at CPT 16^th January – 4^th February

Led by Racheal Ofori and Heather Agyepong's So Many Reasons.

There or Here The Park 23 Jan - 17 Feb

Collective Rage 24 Jan - 17 Feb

Rita, Sue and Bob Too Royal Court Jan 9 - 27

& The Andrea Project Sat 20 Jan

My Mum's A Twat Royal Court Jan 8 - 20

Bechdel Theatre Workshop at The Mono Box Jan 30th

VAULT Festival begins Jan 24th, including The Breaks In You & I 31 Jan — 04 Feb

Ep 8 - Feminist Witches with The Famous Lauren Barri Holstein

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 17:47:43 +0000

The Famous Lauren Barri Holstein also known as 'The Famous,' is a New York-raised, London-based feminist performance maker who holds a PhD on 'The Agency of the Displayed Female Body: The Political Potential of Negative Affects in Contemporary Feminism and Performance'

Lauren's #FeministFaves are Sara Ahmed's book 'The Promise of Happiness, Lauren Berlant, Nao Bustamante, Ann Liv Young, Julia Bardsley, Kira O'Reilly, Lois Weaver and Split Britches.

Michelle Barwood is an actor, writer, shit feminist, bad vegan, witch. Michelle watched Queens of Sheba, produced by Nouveau Riche at Camden People's Theatre, and In Event of Moone Disaster at Theatre503.

Michelle's #FeministFave is Eve Ensler's One Billion Rising project.

More recommendations...

Jubilee

Manchester Royal Exchange until Nov 18.

& Lyric Hammersmith in Feb.

Damsel Develops

The Bunker Nov 13 - 19.

The Butch Monologues

Soho Theatre Nov 21 - 24th

We Are The Lions, Mr Manager!

TARA Theatre Nov 21 - 25

and touring until May.

Pecs

Soho Theatre 4 - 9 December

Bad Roads

Royal Court Wed 15 Nov - Sat 23 Dec

Ep 7 - Whitewashing in "Angel" at the Arcola Theatre featuring Tutku Barbaros

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 13:49:48 +0000

Tutku Barbaros is an actor, writer, and member of Plunge Theatre. Tutku's review of Angel at The Arcola was published in The Tung and Sister-hood.

Tutku's #FeministFaves are Mona Eltahawy, Deeya Khan, Leyla Hussain (Three #FeministFaves who also featured in Epsiode 3!), the essay collection Nasty Women, and the sitcom My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Other recommendations...

A Dangerous Woman & Elsa

Soho Theatre Nov 4

Wings

Young Vic til Nov 4

Portrait by Racheal Ofori

UK Tour Nov 1 - 12

Apologia

Trafalgar Studios until Nov 18

Notorious created and performed by The Famous Lauren Barri Holstein

UK tour Oct 20 - Nov 23

White by Koko Brown

Ovalhouse Nov 15 - 25

No Place Like Hope

The Old Red Lion Nov 7 - 26

Muvvahood by Libby Liburd

London Tour 3 Nov to 1 Dec

Contractions produced by Deafinitely Theatre

New Diorama

Nov 1 - 29

Ep 6 - Come As You Are Festival

Sat, 16 Sep 2017 14:25:13 +0000

Lucy J Skilbeck (aka Leo) is one of the founders of award-winning theatre company Milk Presents, and writer and director of BULLISH: a new mythical play with songs, negotiating ancient and new territories in trans-masculine gender and identity. BULLISH is headlining Camden People's Theatre's Come As You Are festival of performance that interrogates and celebrates gender from cis to trans, from binary to beyond.

Lucy Parkinson is one of the four performers in BULLISH and stars in JOAN, also written by Skilbeck, which won critical acclaim (and a Bechdel Theatre sticker) at Edinburgh Fringe last year, and has been touring for the past year.

Leo's #FeministFave is performance artist David Hoyle, whose legendary anti-drag persona The Divine David became an alternative LGBTQ cult icon in the 90s, and who continues to make performances and films which address class and social issues, mainstream gay culture, and his own mental health.

Lucy Parkinson's #FeministFave is their Mum, who's not on Wikipedia or social media (as far as we know), but apparently goes to see all their shows, so if you want to maximise chances of crossing paths with said Mother, we recommend you book to see Parkinson in JOAN on tour, or performing as Drag King LoUis CYfer, as well as catching BULLISH at CPT.

Amie Taylor is the founder of LGBTQ Arts, a review website which has recently launched Raising Our Voices, an initiative to support and showcase up-and-coming LBT+ writers. Read her article on Huffington Post about why LGBTQ+ representation can't mean just cis gay men.

Amie's #FeministFave is actor and comedian Jessica Williams, who is the star of Netflix original romantic comedy film The Incredible Jessica James. Jessica is also one half of the brilliant 2 Dope Queens podcast.

Bullish is at Camden People's Theatre until Sat 30 Sept

Raising Our Voices is at Camden People's Theatre on the 20th & 27th Sept

(You can buy tickets to see both of these in one night with CPT's 2 shows for £16 deal!)

Also recommended:

Half-Breed at Soho Theatre until Sept 30th.

Boudica at The Globe on until Oct 1st.

Turkey at The Hope Theatre 26th Sept - 14th Oct

Ep 5 - Live from Edinburgh! With Tanya Loretta Dee, Charly Clive, Ellen Robertson, and Rebecca Humphries

Thu, 24 Aug 2017 14:29:31 +0000

For more Fringe tips, our blog has a long list of Edinburgh shows we recommend seeing, and a shorter but more detailed list of our Fringe #FeministFaves.

If you're not in Edinburgh, never fear! The majority of the shows that do well at the Fringe will tour across the country, so make sure you get them on your radar ahead of their inevitable future success.

Tanya Loretta Dee is starring in Offside by Sabrina Mahfouz and Hollie McNish @ Pleasance Courtyard 15:40

Tanya's #FeministFave is The Color Purple, originally a book by Alice Walker, adapted into a film in 1985 starring Whoopi Goldberg, and a Broadway musical, which is touring the US later this year.

Comedy duo 'Britney', aka Charly Clive and Ellen Robertson, are starring in Britney in: John @ Bedlam Theatre 18:30

We talked about Britney's previous show on Episode 2: Live from Vault Festival.

Rebecca Humphries is the writer of Prom Kween @ Underbelly Cowgate 20:35

Rebecca's #FeministFave is Julia Davis: comedian, actress, writer, director and producer, most famously creator and star of the comedy series Nighty Night.

This episode was recorded far from home (and our usual recording equipment) so please forgive the variable sound quality.

Thanks to Funny Women, The Gilded Balloon and Apex Hotel for our locations.

Ep 4 Yolanda Mercy, Jade Lewis, Quarter Life Crisis, Edinburgh Fringe & Summer Shows

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 11:16:25 +0000

Interview with Yolanda Mercy and Jade Lewis: writer/performer and director of 'Quarter Life Crisis', plus our recommendations for Underbelly Cowgate at Edinburgh Fringe, and shows opening in London and touring this summer.

Yolanda Mercy is a London based Actor and Playwright. She trained at the renowned Brit school, Laban and Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Yolanda is a winner of the Rich Mix Small Story Big City Award and Associate Artist at OvalHouse Theatre.

Jade Lewis is a director who has worked at Southwark Playhouse, The Bush Theatre and The Royal Court (where she assisted debbie tucker green). Jade is a Creative Associate at The Gate Theatre and Emerging Artist at Ovalhouse Theatre, and also runs workshops in schools and youth groups.

Yolanda's #FeministFaves: The Secret book by Rhonda Byrne, Lilly Singh Youtuber.

Jade's #FeministFaves: Nina Simone and Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce

We also talked about...

The Scar Test by Hannah Khalil - The Place Theatre, Bedford June 21st, The Bohemian Balcony Swindon June 26-27th, and Soho Theatre July 5-22nd.

Anatomy of a Suicide at the Royal Court June 3 - July 8th Alice Birch and Katie Mitchell collaborate again after last year's production of Ophelia's Zimmer, with a play about 3 generations of women.

Rotterdam at The Arts Theatre June 21 - July 15th

The Globe's Summer of Love, including Emma Rice's Twelfth Night, until August 5th

Herstory Feminist Theatre Festival at Balham N16, including Lekhani Chirwa peforming 'Can I Touch Your Hair?' June 18-19th

Bechdel Testing Life at The Bunker. Four short plays based on real conversations by Isley Lynn, Guleraana Mir, Rabiah Hussain and Lizzie Milton. July 22-23rd.

Underbelly Cowgate at Edinburgh Fringe recommendations...

Quarter Life Crisis 14:40

Joan (August 21-27th) 19:20

Prom Kween 20:35

Ep 3. Homegrown and The Diary of A Hounslow Girl with Firdos Ali and Shaneela Rowah Al-Qamar

Tue, 04 Apr 2017 14:56:10 +0000

Episode 3 - #BringAFeministFriend special on representations of Muslim girls, with Firdos Ali and Shaneela Rowah Al-Qamar talking about Homegrown and Hounslow Girl.

Firdos Ali is a playwright, currently writing a musical which will be previewed at Theatre Royal Stratford East. Firdos is co-curator of the Bunker Without Borders, and has 2 pieces of work being staged at the Bunker on April 4th and 8th.

Firdos' #FeministFaves were Deeya Khan of sister-hood.com, Edna Adan who founded a hospital for women and children in Somaliland, and anti-FGM campaigner Layla Hussein.

Shaneela Rowah Al-Qamar is a business woman, founder of perfume company

The Scented Souq and writer of several books on Arabian and Islamic history.

Shaneela's #FeministFave was Mona Eltahawy.

We watched

The Inconvenient Muslim - An Evening to Launch Homegrown at Conway Hall.

Some of the publicity around the cancellation of the National Youth Theatre's production: The Guardian, Telegraph, Channel 4 and BBC.

The Diary of a Hounslow Girl by Ambreen Razia at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre. Featuring Nyla Levy, directed by Sophie Moniram.

We also watched a rehearsed reading of Coconut by Guleraana Mir, work in progress to look out for, which we'll be talking about more in the future.

Live from VAULT Festival

Sat, 11 Feb 2017 20:38:47 +0000

This week join Beth and Pippa for their very special second episode from deep in the underground at Vault Festival!

Our special guests include Bella Heesom who talks about her autobiographical play My World Has Exploded A Little Bit, Lekhani Chirwa actor and host of the Creative Juice Podcast and Georgina Bobb, our #bringafeministfriend guest who is a TV production co-ordinator, managing director of TV Jobs UK and Bipolar activist.

We question what can TV and Theatre can learn from each other? Is Dreamgirls ground-breaking or stuck in the past? And how far do we still have to go in representing minorities on stage?

PLUS in our final segment we invite our audience to share some of their feminists faves AND we recommend some upcoming plays that we think will pass the Bechdel Test!

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Welcome to Bechdel Theatre!

Sat, 17 Dec 2016 17:04:42 +0000

Originally created as a Twitter campaign in 2015 by Beth Watson and now a 50-minute women-in-theatre audible feast!

Bechdel Theatre is directly inspired by the famous Bechdel Test which looks at gender representation in film - only now british theatre is under the microscope.

In this first episode Beth and her co-host Pippa discuss whether subverting gender on stage, as seen in Panto, can still pass the Bechdel Test requirements...

Also discussed is Emma Rice's departure from Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, an interview with the Donmar Trilogy's Jade Anouka and introducing #BringAFeministFriend.

Plus expect chat on "Oil" at the Almeida Theatre AS WELL AS what to look forward to in 2017...

@bechdeltheatre

bechdeltheatre.com

AND if you want to be in with the chance of winning Dame Harriet Walter's book Brutus and Other Heriones send in your Bechdel-passing conversations (about absolutely ANYTHING) to

bechdeltheatre@gmail.com

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