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Women and marginal identities: performing Shakespeare's male characters 2012-2020 Clare Marie Dyson (24170085) PUREID: 650398382 Shakespeare performance non-conventional casting women and gender marginality representation intersectional feminism Shakespeare's male characters This thesis examines thirteen ground-breaking Shakespeare productions (twelve in the U.K.and one in Ireland) in which women played traditionally male roles. Drawing upon my 30years’ experience of acting, directing and theatre making, my argument concerns issues ofrepresentation in contemporary theatre. My study explores how these performances challengedtraditional cultural representations, and became platforms for portraying identitiesmarginalised by gender, race, class, regionality, sexuality, body type, and disability. Using anintersectional lens, I analyse how each production reflected its political moment and engagedwith broader social issues. I argue that Shakespeare’s works and the modern stage serve aspowerful cultural platforms, shaping perceptions of who belongs in society. Theseperformances used Shakespeare’s national and cultural status to reimagine contemporaryvisions of society and nationhood. The project makes an original contribution to theatre andShakespeare performance studies by examining models of inclusivity and diversity put forwardby directors and institutions. Furthermore, I draw upon my own unique expertise to offer futuresuggestions for good practice. Thesis is embargoed until 31 December 2030. 2026-10-01T16:22:06Z Text Thesis 10.17034/32641581.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Women_and_marginal_identities_performing_Shakespeare_s_male_characters_2012-2020/32641581 All Rights Reserved Open Access after 2030-12-31