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Feisty Women of the Everyman
In its 60-year history and its 13 Artistic Directors, the Everyman has only had two female Artistic Directors (along with Jo Beddoe, the Executive Producer who successfully negotiated the merger between the Everyman and the Playhouse in 2000). But both have stayed for a number of years and have left an indelible mark on the theatre.
Glen Walford took the helm in 1983 when the city had some of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Convinced that if you lived in a tower block, you knew how miserable life can be, she created shows that were celebratory, joyful and theatrical, staging Tosca (1985) and a series of Shakespeare productions that drew on circus, the far east and a glass orchestra specially made by Pilkington’s. Unafraid of bold ideas and confrontation, she envisioned a theatre run by a ‘Gang of 40’ and caused a stir with a punk-styled poster for Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera (1984). As actor Eithnne Hannigan remembered, ‘Glen Walford used to costume herself for rehearsals. When she came in wearing short skirts, suspenders and high boots, we knew it was fun time. On the other hand, the full combat outfit struck fear into our hearts.’
Musical Director, Paddy Cunneen, who collaborated with her during her 6 years in Liverpool, offered actors this advice:
Be children, be free. Play and enjoy playing. Be grown up – the work is important. Be robust in your understanding of such acting notes as ‘up and down like a bride’s nighty’. There are worse figures of speech in her repertoire.
Gemma Bodinetz arrived in 2003, the year Liverpool was named European Capital of Culture and stayed for 17 years. Alongside Literary Manager Suzanne Bell and Executive Producer Deborah Aydon, she revitalized the theatre as space for vibrant new work premiering over 22 new locally written plays under the banner ‘Made in Liverpool’. Lizzie Nunnery, then a 24-year-old writer in the young writers’ group, described her as ‘all hair and heels and attitude and ideas’ and was delighted that Gemma came to talk to them to see what they wanted to do. Bodinetz went on to direct two of Nunnery’s plays: Intemperance (2007) and The Sum (2017). She also made the bold decision to return the Everyman to its company roots, introducing two repertory seasons where the actors played in all four shows in the season. For Gemma, ‘You can do it at the Everyman. Anything.’
The theatre has always championed new women writers, actors and plays featuring strong female leads. There are lots of examples in the archives to choose from but these two examples use fighting sport to frame the women. In the first, a boxing ring is centre stage as Bessie Braddock MP for Liverpool Exchange for twenty-five years, affectionately known as Battling Bessie or the Amazon of St Annes, fights it out over 15 rounds against the city council, her electoral opponents, ‘Winston’ and ‘Adolf’. The first new documentary musical commissioned by Alan Dosser The Braddocks Time (1970) was written by Stephen Fagan and featured Gillian Hanna, who put on two stone to play the role.
Tuebrook Tanzi (1978) by Claire Luckham, designed to tour pubs and clubs, opened at Eric’s. Here the audience were faced with a wrestling ring as Tanzi, using her famous Venus Flytrap move, fought ten rounds against her parents who were determined she should be a ‘good’ girl, her sexist lover/husband Dean Rebel and ultimately against society’s attempts to confine women to traditional roles. This landmark play about women’s liberation went on to become Trafford Tanzi when it opened in Manchester in 1980 and subsequently Tarzana Tanzi, Texas Tanzi and Turbo Tanzi, becoming a seminal work on female empowerment.
These feisty women and their groundbreaking contributions continue to inspire and shape the Everyman’s legacy.
