A walk through Soho in the west end of London exploring and celebrating some of the locations and women that transformed theatre in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The route will include the original site of Inter-Action’s Almost Free Theatre on Rupert St, the location of the first Women’s Theatre Festival in Britain that took place 50 years ago in Autumn 1973.
Over the course of two walks, we will visit a range of key venues and spaces that were part of the history of the alternative theatre movement in the 1960s, 70s and 80s in terms of their connection to women and the emergence of feminist theatre (with nods towards the earlier history of suffrage theatre). Focused on the West End, they will look at how women have been key to the work of innovative spaces, programming, writing, producing, directing and designing work, including lunchtime theatre, experimental work, new writing, LGBTQ+ theatre and street performance.
Led by Dr Susan Croft, Director of Unfinished Histories and former Senior Curator (Contemporary Performance) at the V&A Theatre Museum.
Dates
Women In The (Alternative) West End Tues 12 March - Fri 15 March 2024
