Plays read so far include
(alternative theatre plays in bold, New Women plays in italics)
14/4/20 Go West Young Woman by Pam Gems (The Women’s Company, Roundhouse, 1974)
21/4/20 Act I of The Finding of Nancy (1902) by Netta Syrett; Cousin Mary (1912) by Catherine Dawson-Scott; The Common Round (1917) by Katherine Mansfield; Miss Tassey (1910) by Elizabeth Baker
28/4/20 Friends of Alice Wheeldon by Sheila Rowbotham (DAC Theatre, 1980)
5/5 Chains of Dew (1922) and Trifles (1916) by Susan Glaspell (US)
12/5 Son of a Gun by John Burrows (Sidewalk Theatre, 1976)
19/5/20 Cicely Hamilton’s Just to Get Married (Little Theatre, 1910)
2/6/20 Wyre’s Cross by Peta Master and Geraldine Griffiths (Mrs Worthington’s Daughters’ Daughters, 1982) pt 1
9/6/20 Wyre’s Cross by Peta Master and Geraldine Griffiths (Mrs Worthington’s Daughters’ Daughters, 1982) pt 2
16/6/20 The Parasites by Rose Mathews (UK, 1908) and A Man’s Own by Sophie Treadwell (US, 1905)
23/6/20 Loaded Questions by Neil Hornick and Joel Cutrara (Phantom Captain 1976).
30/6/20 Leaguers and Peelers (1911) by Susan L Mitchell and Not Made in Heaven by Mary Costello (1909), both Irish
6/7/20 A Bright Room Called Day by Tony Kushner (Bush Theatre, 1988)
14/7/20 Material from Her Inside: Women in the Lockdown including April De Angelis’s Breathless (1986), Nicola Werenowska’s Behind Doors (2020), Margaret Wynne Nevinson’s monologue A Daughter of the State (c1911), Susan the Indispensable by Evelyn Sharp (1890s)
24/11/20 The Komagata Maru Incident by Sharon Pollock (Half Moon, 1976)
10/12/20 Karin by Alfhild Agrell (translated by Florence Bell, 1892), Swedish
22/12/20 Betty’s Wonderful Christmas by Pam Gems (Cockpit Theatre, 1972)
7/1/21 Fanny Whittington and her Glorious Pussy by Sue Frumin (Oval House, 1988)
21/1/21 Miss Lulu Bett by Zona Gale (US, 1920)
4/2/21 Squat Now While Stock Last by Rough Theatre and Squat by James Saunders (Richmond Fringe at the Orange Tree, 1976)
18/2/21 Rejected Addresses (1882) and Careers (1883) by Emily Susan Ford
[On 26th February 2021 Unfinished Histories co-produced Sus, Barrie Keeffe’s 1979 play, originally produced at the Soho Poly as a public staged reading in conjunction with University of Westminster Difference festival. See here for further information]
4/03/21 Out! On the Costa del Trico (1977) devised by Women’s Theatre Group
25/03/21 Readings from Her Inside: Women in the Lockdown including In the Workhouse (1911) by Margaret Wynne Nevinson, April De Angelis’s Breathless (1986) and Nicola Werenowska’s Behind Doors (2020), plus poems, short stories and music. This was a live performance on zoom as part of Women’s History Month. Watch this space for information on viewing. Go here to explore and contribute to Her Inside: Women in the Lockdown
29/4/21 The Searchlight (1903) by Mrs. W. K. (Lucy Lane) Clifford and Luck of War (1917) by Gwen John
13/5/21 Care and Control by Gay Sweatshop Women’s Company, scripted by Michelene Wandor
27/5/21: Women’s Honor (1918), The Outside (1917) and Suppressed Desires (1914) by Susan Glaspell
10/6/21 The Chambermaids (1987) by Kathleen McCreery
24/6/21 Ophelia (1979) by Melissa Murray (Hormone Imbalance)
8/7/21 Smash Z by Michael Almaz
22/7/21 The Finding of Nancy (1902) by Netta Syrett (full play)
The group then broke for the summer, restarting in late September 2021 where the programme for Autumn 2021 and Spring 2022 can be found here.
See Interviewees section for Interviews with playwrights Michael Almaz, Neil Hornick, Kathleen McCreery and Michelene Wandor
If you would like to take part or if you have a play from the alternative theatre movement or a New Woman play you would like to submit / suggest we read, please email contact@unfinishedhistories.com with Playreadings in the subject line.
If you would be interested in accessing copies of plays read for your own reading or production or would like further information about them, please email contact@unfinishedhistories.com for details. Where relevant, this will depend on the agreement of playwrights/ copyright-holders.
We also with a separate community group:
27/4/20 How the Vote was Won and The Pot and the Kettle by Cicely Hamilton and Christopher St John;
May 2020 One of the Old Guard by Constance Campbell (1914) and Lady Geraldine’s Speech by Beatrice Harraden