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 ...
Dec 09, 2019•1 hr 5 min
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...
Nov 15, 2019•1 hr 15 min
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...
Oct 31, 2019•1 hr 18 min
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 perform...
Aug 26, 2019•44 min
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 T...
Aug 08, 2019•56 min
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...
Aug 04, 2019•51 min
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 W...
Aug 02, 2019•1 hr 5 min
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 r...
May 29, 2019•1 hr 7 min
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 ...
May 25, 2019•57 min
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 ha...
Apr 22, 2019•1 hr 10 min
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 hum...
Mar 15, 2019•45 min
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 #Fe...
Mar 04, 2019•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 22
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 #feminis...
Jan 25, 2019•1 hr 2 min
Rubyyy Jone s 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...
Dec 17, 2018•59 min•Ep. 20
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...
Oct 06, 2018•1 hr 10 min
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 St...
Sep 24, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 18
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 Plea...
Aug 17, 2018•47 min•Ep. 17
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...
Aug 09, 2018•42 min•Ep. 16
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 ...
Jul 14, 2018•59 min•Ep. 15
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 Rash...
May 29, 2018•41 min•Ep. 14
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 ...
May 06, 2018•1 hr 15 min
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 campa...
Mar 21, 2018•1 hr 7 min
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...
Mar 07, 2018•59 min
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 a...
Jan 28, 2018•48 min
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 16th January – 4th February Led by Racheal Ofori and Heather Agyepong’s So Many Reasons. There or Here The Park 23 Jan - 17 Feb...
Dec 24, 2017•57 min•Ep. 9
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, sh...
Nov 13, 2017•1 hr 14 min
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 Apolog...
Oct 31, 2017•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 7
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 writt...
Sep 16, 2017•48 min•Ep. 6
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...
Aug 24, 2017•48 min
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...
Jun 12, 2017•55 min
