Class and the problem of inequality in theatre

Dave O'Brien

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Theatre stakes a claim to represent individuals, communities, and nations. Yet both the workforce and the audience are marked by significant inequalities. There are absences of people of colour and those from working-class origins, along with significant gender inequalities in specific roles and specific productions. Awareness of these issues has, in part, been driven by recent research from social science. The techniques from social science that make inequalities visible can be at odds with the preferred modes of understanding inequality favoured by theatre practitioners. This paper is situated at the intersection of social scientific and theatre practice, considering the potential and pitfalls of methods of making inequality visible. In doing so, it frames the discussions that follow in the special issue, as well as suggesting ways that theatre and social science might have productive working partnerships.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)242-250
Number of pages10
JournalStudies in Theatre and Performance
Volume40
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Jan 2021

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • class
  • inequality
  • cultural and creative industries

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