King's Head Theatre kick off Who Runs the World? season celebrating new female playwrights

If the last year in box-office smashing mega-media has taught us anything, it’s that catering to a singular group won’t cut it anymore.

The response to Black Panther, Wonder Woman and Call Me By Your Name sent a strong message that representing the diversity of audiences works.

Female voices on stage are still under-represented, and as a direct response to this, the King’s Head Theatre is launching their female playwrights season this week: Who Runs The World?.

The King’s Head’s senior producer Louisa Davis asks: “Why is it that female voices are struggling to be heard? Why is it that the people who can influence these decisions don't actively open doors and be part of a positive change?”

Hoping to be a part of this change, they have lined up five plays from emerging playwrights who are overturning the male narrative of theatre.

Tumble Tuck by Sarah Milton

Following its success at Edinburgh Fringe, Tumble Tuck comes to headline the season. Written and performed by Sarah Milton, the play is about the pressure placed on young people, particularly women, to make quantifiable achievements. Inspired by her own experiences of regulating mental health with swimming, she plays Daisy, a young woman whose front crawl is “a bit f*cking feminine”. She asks why the medal matters more than the hard work and effort that goes into getting it.

April 24 to May 12

Everything I Am by Natasha Brown

Tired of holding her tongue, Natasha Brown’s one-woman show talks about how she is often silenced as a queer, black woman. Taking inspiration from Kanye West, she knows everything will change when she gets to uni. She’s going to start speaking her mind. Everything I Am delves into the intersections of identity, belonging and idolising Kanye West.

April 30

Baby Box by Laura McGrady

Endometriosis affects 10 per cent of the female population but often goes undiagnosed for a long time - an average of seven to eight years. Laura McGrady’s script tackles attitudes towards female pain ranging from “it’s all in your head” to “just wait until you have children, you’ll be too busy to be in pain”. Following a pair of sisters, Baby Box is a darkly humorous look at unconditional sibling love and society’s attitudes towards female sexual experience.

May 1 to 6

Voices from the Deep by Verity Fine Hosken, Rachel Archer, Samia Djilli, Jenny Richards

All-female theatre collective Paperclip Theatre use Shakespearean verse to talk about lives laced with hostility, violence, sexual intrigue and boredom. In shorts ranging from cheeky comedy to tragic drama to sharp satire, these pieces of new writing show a range of voices you might have missed.

May 7

NOF*CKSGIVEN by Daisy King

This anti-slut-shaming story questions the double standard around sexuality, which allows men to pursue sex for pleasure but vilifies women for doing the same thing. Debut writer Daisy King’s script, created with Bruised Sky Productions, takes a look at what it means to be an independent woman, with the need to be liked.

May 8 to 12

Who Runs the World? is at the King's Head Theatre until May 12. For more information go to kingsheadtheatre.com