Chapter Two: Women as Martyrs to Heterosexual Love
Grace Barnes - Her Turn on Stage, pg. 42
"But the main problem with a traditional interpretation of a romantic coupling is that it designates the female as passive. Women wait for love; men bring it."
What musicals do not fit this description?
“Anything But Lonely” from Aspects of Love
“Old Maid” from 110 in the Shade
“Something like Phantom - it’s basically trashy, romantic fiction. This beautiful woman who is in the control of this hideous man who behaves utterly appallingly, who is violent, manipulative and aggressive — he kidnaps her, for God’s sake — and at the end of it we’re all supposed to go, “Oh, wouldn’t it be so great if she stayed with the Phantom".” I mean, please.”
Anneke Harrison, pg. 49
What type of women stories would you like to see on stage?
“You know, it’s usually men who make the decisions, usually men who produce the shows. There are women producers but not very many, not many female directors, or choreographers. So your question was, why aren’t there more shows like Wicked and Mamma Mia! which have great role models for women. Well that’s not in men’s interests really, is it? To have that. It’s a male-dominated world.”
- Geraldine Turner, pg. 55
“I personally would love to buy a ticket to a musical that presented me with an independent, powerful woman who is not obsessed by the men in her life at the core of the story. But where would I find it?“
- Grace Barnes, pg. 55
