Today was the launch of Bechdel Theatre Festival, a year-long programme of events highlighting theatre that represents women as complex, diverse and not defined by men.
For the next year (until March 2017) we will be holding pop-up conversations inspired by (and in association with) productions that pass the Bechdel Test with flying colours. Events will encourage audiences and theatre-makers to talk to each other about what we love to see (and want to see more of) when women are present on stage.
All events will be free, informal, and aimed at capturing the optimism surrounding increasing representation for women in theatre, and using it to spread the word from committed feminist theatre-lovers and creators to new audiences who may have been put off by theatre's elitist reputation.
The festival is be a celebration of the best work representing women, appreciating theatre of any style and scale, from the biggest West End hit to the smallest fringe show, from brand new work to ancient plays revived, as long as the women on stage represent women in life, with a range of ages, races, shapes, sizes, sexualities, disabilities, backgrounds, jobs and relationships.
For more information about the launch and festival events, see our new website: bechdeltheatre.com and keep up-to-date with twitter.com/bechdeltheatre.
