Where have all the good men gone?

Many War Plays, like "Breaker Morant" are predominantly male casts. BTW, Breaker is the play Kizza is referring to. Then there are numerous Aussie plays, those 'Blokey' plays which a very dominant male presence.

Then there are authors like Anthony Booth who writes plays quite frequently for all female casts. Most of these are One Act Plays, but still...

Continuing the thread Mr Ayckbourne (British Playwright) has written several productions where a female has the lead role in a equitable gender cast. "A Woman in Mind" comes to mind.

J.M.Barrie (author of "Peter Pan") Wrote several plays were females dominated e.g. "Quality Street", and then he wrote others where men dominated ("Peter Pan" being one of them.)

Some of the Stock Plays that we see each and every year "The Importance of Being Earnest", "Pride and Prejudice", "Rent", G&S, Shakespeare, and so forth have a very good spread across the genders and frequently for not have a dominate presence.

Mr Walter Plingefunkster, I think the issue is more that there are simply less men actively engaged in theatre at a community level. It has very little to with the type of plays being played. The problem comes to casting a play. More often than not, you can easily cast your female roles but have to go on a scavenger hunt for men.

From personal experience, I could have my pick of plays. I certainly have an easier time than some of the Female Performers I have worked with. That I do believe is due at least in part to the high demand for men and the low supply.

An interesting anecdotal bit of info, before King Charles (the 2nd?) decreed that women could perform on stage, theatre was nothing but men. Men playing men, men playing women and girls. Men playing dogs!!! After the decree, the number of men in theatre DROPPED!! It didn't remain constant to the rising number of women, it actually dropped. Men who had played female parts all their lives were suddenly out a job. More men preferred to watch women on stage then to actually be on stage themselves. Theatre took on a completely new and strongly sexual aspect that previously had been absent. This may have even led to the Men's only clubs we see today, although I think this was more a combination of prostitution practises at the time along with the ability to perform on-stage. There had been a strong female performance underground for many years prior to the decree.

I think the truth is that most men would prefer to watch then participate. In the days were they couldn't watch (females on stage that is) they portrayed, but why portray when the real thing is there? Theatre is generally looked down upon by "men" these days. I know my parents were never too keen about my interest in theatre. It is simply not a "man's" world anymore.

Men are voyeuristic creatures most of the time. Take the stereotype. Comes home from work, kicks of the shoes and turns on the telly to watch sport, the news, whatever. Women on the whole prefer to be actually doing things.

That apathy generates a lack of participating numbers, and take into account that a similar lack would exist in professional theatre. The ease for men to go from Community to Professional is slightly higher than that of women because there is a call for more men. Notice I say slightly higher. They do not want to white wash the market with average talent.

But I think the pendulum is beginning to swing the other way. I believe there has been a growing number of men joining the ranks of theatre participants. It is still under represented but it is growing. The number of High Profile, or Role Model Men in Theatre is growing. New generations are seeing people like Kevin Spacey, Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and many many more strutting about on-stage, apparently making good money, and obviously enjoying it also. This encouragement is the prime driving factor in the growing trend, a return of men to theatre.

I have no idea how this is going to read. It was a stream of conscious diatribe. How you can understand it.

Absit invidia

Jeff Watkins
Perth based Actor/Performer
who can also sing and dance
Fight/Sword Choreographer
Virgin Director
UPstageWA Rep

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