The Golden Thread: Irish Women Playwrights, Volume 1 (1716-1992)

This two-volume edited collection highlights the valuable counter-canon of Irish womens playwriting with forty-two essays written by leading and emerging Irish theatre scholars and practitioners. It covers three hundred years of Irish theatre history from 1716 to 2016 and is the most comprehensive study of plays written by Irish women to date. Volume One covers plays by Irish women playwrights written between 1716 to 1992, while Volume Two covers plays by Irish women playwrights written between 1992 to 2016.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 344 pages
Publication date: 01 March 2024
Publisher: Liverpool University Press

This two-volume edited collection is a comprehensive exploration of Irish women's playwriting, spanning three hundred years of theatrical history from 1716 to 2016. Comprising forty-two essays written by renowned and emerging theatre scholars and practitioners, it sheds light on the valuable counter-canon of Irish women's plays. Volume One, covering plays by Irish women playwrights from 1716 to 1992, aims to address and rectify the historical underrepresentation of Irish female playwrights in theatre histories. It highlights the work of nine women playwrights from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as well as thirteen key writers of the twentieth century. The chapters in this volume delve into diverse themes such as the influence of space and place on identity, the strategic use of genre by women, and theatrical responses to political and cultural shifts in Ireland.

Contributors to this collection include Conrad Brunström, David Clare, Thomas Conway, Marguérite Corporaal, Mark Fitzgerald, Shirley-Anne Godfrey, Úna Kealy, Sonja Lawrenson, Cathy Leeney, Marc Mac Lochlainn, Kate McCarthy, Fiona McDonagh, Deirdre McFeely, Megan W. Minogue, Ciara Moloney, Justine Nakase, Patricia O Beirne, Kevin O Connor, Ciara O Dowd, Clíona Ó Gallchoir, Anna Pilz, Emilie Pine, Ruud van den Beuken, and Feargal Whelan.

This two-volume edited collection is a valuable resource for scholars, students, and theatre enthusiasts interested in Irish women's playwriting and the broader field of theatre studies. It provides a rich and diverse perspective on the contributions of Irish women to the theatrical canon, challenging traditional narratives and promoting greater recognition and appreciation of their work.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781802073720