A new documentary which seeks to expose and examine gender inequality in Irish Theatre and the Arts is currently in production. Inspired by the #WakingTheFeminists movement, Thems The Breaks critiques and explores the many reasons and ways women have been forgotten both in our national history and on our national stage.
One female artist out of ten programmed for The Abbey Theatre’s Waking The Nation centenary programme, demonstrating an overwhelming 90% favour towards male artists’ work. According to figures by Brenda Donohue, of 320 plays staged in our National Theatre between the years 1995-2014, only 36 were written by women (full production single author).
What does this say about the importance placed on women’s stories and voices in Ireland, past and present? One hundred years since the 1916 Rising, and women’s stories and experiences are still being airbrushed out. Equality is a word like any other. Some people use it, some people don’t. Thems The Breaks seeks to examine why this is and ask how we, as a progressive society may begin to create a more inclusive and equal Ireland.
The team behind the film is Sarah Barr (Producer), Sarah Corcoran (Director), Stephen Elliott (Writer) and Aoife Kelly (Producer).
You can support the production here
Comments
About time the Abbey produced bad plays by women instead of more good ones by men. That’s quality folks!