College Honors Program

Violence on Stage and in the Streets: Women Reflect on the Troubles in 1980’s Northern Irish Theatre

Date of Creation

5-17-2024

Document Type

Campus Access Only

First Advisor

Mary Conley

Abstract

In 1980s Northern Ireland, women’s experiences were often overshadowed by the male-centered violence of the Troubles. While social histories of women’s lives during this period have sought to reclaim those voices through important first-person accounts and records from social movements, other historical methods that examine women’s cultural production during this period can help us to understand how some women not only find their voice but also found alternative strategies to navigate the political impasse of the Troubles. By examining the histories of Northern Irish women’s theatre in the 1980s, we can realize the unique, dynamic, and gendered role that contemporary women’s theatre played within the war-ridden society of Belfast. Theatre was one of the only platforms that allowed women to share their experiences. While Protestant and Catholic women faced distinct hardships, female theatre groups produced works that challenged the common practice of sensationalizing violence on stage. The first chapter covers the historical context of women’s place in Northern Irish society and the development of Northern Irish theatre. The second chapter focuses on Charabanc Theatre Company and their first production, Lay Up Your Ends, to highlight the impact of community-oriented theatre and the presentation of labor issues through text inspired by female oral histories. In the third chapter, an analysis of Marie Jones’ play, Somewhere Over the Balcony, is included to explore the psychological and emotional effects of civic violence in women’s lives. The fourth chapter examines how sectarian violence plays a role within domestic and familial settings by analyzing Ourselves Alone by Anne Devlin. By examining this period of history alongside these texts, the multifaceted meaning of violence will be uncovered in Northern Irish society to highlight the unsung experiences of women.

Comments

Reader: Paige Reynolds

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