Women in the (Alternative) West End: two walks
Cheek by Jowl arrive at Theatre Space, founded by Ann Fenn
Theatre Space will form part of the West End South walk
Book now for two walks (each scheduled twice) taking place Tuesday 12th to Friday 15th March 2024, celebrating International Women’s Week/ Women’s History Month.
Photo: Prue Grice
The walks will be led by Susan Croft with Polly Waldron and will cover a range of venues and women who helped create the alternative theatre movement or were active in women’s theatre including programmers, producers, playwrights, performers and designers. Primarily focused on the 1960s, 70s and 80s the tour will nod towards earlier and more recent histories (including suffrage theatre) and, while focusing on the small-scale, will also touch on some more mainstream West End figures, recognising that the changes brought about by women’s activism in theatre to open up career prospects has impacted the whole sector. At the same time we will look at the radical, experimental and ground-breaking work of women like Jane Arden, Verity Bargate, and the women who staged the very first Women’s Theatre Festival at the end of 1973 at the Almost Free Theatre.
The first walk: North runs from Holborn Underground station West and North via Drury Lane and Chenies St to the Soho Poly in Riding House St, with an optional extra of a visit by bus to Rupert St, W1. It takes place on Tues 12th at 2 pm and Wed 13th at 11 am
The second walk: South, starts from the Oscar Wilde statue near the Strand, touches the edges of Covent Garden before moving West into Soho and then South to the ICA. It takes place on Thurs 14th at 2 pm and Fri 15th at 11 am.
All those who book will receive a map and a CD.
Tickets are charged on a Pay What You Can basis.
If there is enough demand we may try to programme the walks again for later in the year.