It’s Pretty Clear.
by Jane
Adam Cook comments on the lack of female writers and directors in the state theatre companies.
Interview with Cook, 18/3/2011, from The Barefoot Review. Listen here. Quoted from 15:00, talking about the vision for the State Theatre Company:
I make lists. And you write: New Australian; Comedies; Classics; Radical; Imported Foreign Hit – you know, because there is always one of those, whether it’s God Of Carnage… this year in Sydney and Melbourne it’s a play called The Vibrator Play, there is always a brand new play from overseas that people are all doing or all considering because it’s a terrific play.
So that’s sort of how it happens. And then working out what opportunities I can create for local directors. I don’t import anybody. Everybody who works here is from here. Because I think you can’t turn up and bring your mates when you come to a new city. And not even your mates, but people you esteem and admire from other cities.
So when we get criticisms about the lack of opportunities for woman directors: there aren’t any living here who’ve earned their stripes except for Catherine Fitzgerald.
People think just because they want to direct that they should be in a 600 seat theatre working with us, and David Mealor has earned it. You know? He’s so entrepreneurial, he’s so gifted. He’s done lots of work off his own back. I had him assisting me on two shows last year specifically for that reason, so that I could have a better sense of him and how he works and how he thinks so I could give him a job on the main stage. And he’s earned it.
So you know, there is a lot of talk in the cultural community at the moment about woman directors and woman playwrights and the lack of representation in State companies.
Q: Coming off the back of BossLady?
Well, before that. Last year was all about woman directors and where are they, and this belief, frankly, that there was this conspiracy amongst male directors to keep women out. And I was at a forum in Melbourne, which was a two day forum, and I was one of the few men there, but I thought I’m very interested in all of this and to hear it all and to put our point, and what I didn’t have the guts to say, but I’ll say to you, is that there is no conspiracy, you just have to be talented, and the people who would hire you have to agree that you are.
And that is the blunt fact of getting a job. You just have to be good. And the same with playwrights, they think “why aren’t you doing my plays?” Well, I don’t think it’s very good. There’s always one answer, isn’t there? Why isn’t someone dating you, why isn’t someone returning your call or your text, whatever. It’s pretty clear.
No Plain Jane 
Isn’t it depressing to have it confirmed that State’s season is programmed to formula. Not to any form of theatrical agenda or an attempt to build a narrative, but a tick box formula.
in terms of ‘earning it’? i suppose that means that dee easton and daisy brown haven’t despite a long list of successful productions (Ruby Bruise, No Hello, Autobahn etc etc). and playwrights? well, you’d be more inclined to believe the ‘simply not good enough’ excuses if the company had a single female playwright under commission.
disappointing, depressing and dispiriting.
Yeah, it’s pretty clear.
Easton and Brown; how about Netta Yashchin and Sarah John – both of who have worked/are currently working at Belvoir? Apparently stripes run fainter in Sydney…
And let alone a no female playwrights under commission – there is not one female playwright in the history of writing for the stage in the world which was “good enough” for State this year?
And let us not forget someone like Rosalba Clemente who not only lives here, still directs work for professional production, she was also the last AD of the State Theate Company for goodness sake so has she earned her stripes yet?? How can he not acknowledge her contribution to the very company he has taken over?!
I find what Adam has said absolutely appalling … not because I want more stage time because I don’t necessarily (although earning royalties is always nice) but because it is such an arrogant and ignorant position to take. Personally I let the audience now decide if I have a place by going completely independent in my practice, but have had main stage productions of my “plays” in the past … I am done with battling such depressing attitudes. Sigh.
Should the winner of this year’s AWG Playwright Residency be a woman, and there’s quite a few on the shortlist… will she get produced by Griffin and be recognised beyond that?
http://www.awg.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=374%3Aipr-shortlist&catid=1%3Alatest-news&Itemid=328
“So when we get criticisms about the lack of opportunities for woman directors: there aren’t any living here who’ve earned their stripes except for Catherine Fitzgerald.”
Catherine Fitzgerald is an appalling director! She is a total ham, and a bully. What about Rosalba Clemente? Sarah John? Daisy Brown? Toni Main? Nescha Jelk? Adam Cook is totally deluded.
Is this for real? Catherine is the best Adelaide can come up with? Adam needs to get his head out of the sand and see some real theatre.
Catherine Fitzgerald? Oh come on!
Psst, Adam… over here….
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/shining-light-in-theatre-direction/story-fn6br97j-1226059899505
Nescha Jelk’s production of The Lesson was excellent. I thought Catherine Fitzgerald’s production of The Female of the Species completely killed an excellent play.
Great article on Ms. Jelk. I love that she wants to create theatre for young people!
I thought Female of the Species was OK, but The Give and Take was just a bit gross and loud.
Has anyone seen November?
Was November directed by Adam Cook or Catherine Fitzgerald?
Cook.
Thanks.
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