The Methuen Drama Book of Suffrage Plays: Taking the Stage - (Methuen Drama Play Collections) (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The Methuen Drama Book of Suffrage Plays: Taking the Stage features a wide variety of short pieces and one-act plays written by female and male suffragist writers between 1908-1914.

Spanning different styles and genres they explore many issues that interested feminist and suffragist campaigners such as: the value of women's work, domestic and economic inequality, visibility in public space, direct action and its consequences, sexual double standards, and the influence of the media on public opinion.

Edited and introduced by Dr Naomi Paxton, the anthology is brimming with in-depth knowledge, photographs and contextual information of the period making for an informative and inspirational volume that's perfect for both performance and study.

Review Quotes

"A fine collection of eight plays of different genres created by members of the Actresses Franchise League (1909-1913), which are clever and often very comic. These unjustly neglected plays recall the passion and bravery of that remarkable political struggle." --The Lady (on The Methuen Drama Book of Suffrage Plays)

"The plays themselves offer a wide selection of themes ... There is a great deal of scope for using this book in the classroom for both Drama and PSHE. At all stages from key stage three to A level there are thought provoking texts for monologue, duologue, group performance or as stimulus for devising ... Highly recommended." --Teaching Drama

"[Woman This and Woman That has] such a poignant message amongst a wonderfully rhythmic beat. I couldn't help but think how fantastic it would be as a stimulus for both GCSE and A Level devised pieces ... I love the boldness and brashness of the writing [in the play Which]. This is a great one for empowering young girls." --Drama Magazine

"The book is a testament to the talent, tenacity and passion of those women artists who so ardently pushed the Votes for Women agenda." --Kate Kerrow, For Books' Sake (on The Methuen Drama Book of Suffrage Plays)

About the Author

Dr Naomi Paxton is a performer, researcher and suffrage historian. She trained at Goldsmiths College and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and her doctoral research, completed in 2015 at the University of Manchester, explored the work of theatre professionals in the suffrage campaign. Naomi regularly speaks about her research in the media and at a variety of events and festivals, and was one of the AHRC/BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers in 2014-15. She is an Associate Artist of the feminist production hub Scary Little Girls. Her other publications include The Methuen Drama Book of Suffrage Plays (Bloomsbury, 2013) and Stage Rights! The Actresses' Franchise League, activism and politics 1908-1958 (Manchester University Press, 2018).