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16
Jun

IRISH THEATRE INSTITUTE PUBLISHES FINDINGS REPORT ON GENDER BREAKDOWN IN NEW IRISH PLAYS 2006-2015

16 Jun 2017

As part of its ongoing PLAYOGRAPHYIreland research, ITI has published the Findings Report of the Irish Playography: Gender Breakdown, New Play Repertoire 2006-2015. The Findings Report examines the gender breakdown of key artistic roles* of the 737 new Irish plays produced professionally in this period. Key findings of the Report reiterate the findings of Gender Counts: An analysis of gender in Irish theatre 2006-2015 released by #WakingTheFeminists last week, however the ITI Report highlights some particularly interesting facts:

·      33% of single-authored new plays produced between 2006-2015 were written by female playwrights

·      39% of new plays premiered between 2006-2015 were directed by female directors

·      The average cast size of new Irish plays premiered between 2006-2015 is 5 – (2 female : 3 male actors)

Available as a downloadable PDF, the Findings Report provides a picture of the gender breakdown of the women and men writing and making the new Irish plays that our audiences see in our theatres, festivals and non-traditional spaces throughout Ireland. The statistics show that the breakdown is unequal and ITI will continue to research, document and report trends in Irish theatre as the sector moves toward the gender balance that is now the focus for the future.

 

While ITI’s PLAYOGRAPHY database is a catalogue focusing entirely on the premiere productions of new Irish plays, the analysis between the two reports unequivocally shows that the statistics for new plays corroborate the trends for the total plays produced in the period 2006 – 2015.

 

Created by Irish Theatre Institute (ITI), PLAYOGRAPHYIreland is a content-rich, searchable online catalogue of new Irish plays professionally produced since the foundation of the Abbey Theatre in 1904. It contains detailed information on over 4,000 new Irish plays and is publicly acclaimed as an invaluable resource for anyone with an interest in new Irish playwriting.

*Artistic Roles: Playwright, Director, Set Designer, Costume Designer, Lighting Designer, Sound Designer and Casts

 

FINDINGS REPORT OF THE IRISH PLAYOGRAPHY: GENDER BREAKDOWN, NEW PLAY REPERTOIRE 2006-2015

Edited by Siobhán Bourke and Jane Daly
Researched & compiled by Claire Keogh
Available to download at www.irishplayography.com

Irish Theatre Institute is a leading theatre resource organisation committed to continued support of the Irish theatre sector, leading in its development and creating opportunities for Irish theatre to be seen by audiences both in Ireland and abroad.

#WakingTheFeminists’ GENDER COUNTS: AN ANALYSIS OF GENDER IN IRISH THEATRE 2006-2015 (published 7th June 2017). Researchers Dr. Brenda Donohue, Dr. Ciara O’Dowd, Dr. Tanya Dean, Ciara Murphy, Kathleen Cawley & Kate Harris with the support of Irish Theatre Institute and the Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance at NUI Galway. The report was funded by The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon. It is available to download here.