The first in-depth assessment of ‘re-vision’ as a phenomenon in women’s drama, examining the diverse ways in which classical myth narratives have been reworked by women playwrights for the European stage. This study explores the ideological and aesthetic potential of such practice and silmultaneously exposes the tensions inherent in attempts to challenge narratives that have fundamentally shaped western thought.

From tracing the persistence of classical myths in contemporary culture and the significance of this in shaping gendered identities and opportunities, through to analysis of individual plays and productions, Babbage reveals how myths have served in the theatre as ‘pretexts’ for ideological debate; enabling exploration of the fragile borders between mythic and the everyday and how revision has been regarded, not unproblematically, as a route towards restructuring the self.

This makes compelling reading for anyone interested in women’s writing for the theatre or wider practices of adaptation in literature and performance.

Selective yet impressively comprehensive . . . Highly recommended.
J. Artman, CHOICE May 2012

This is a valuable contribution to the study of female playwrights . . . Teachers and students will find this a strong resource with its discrete sections on each play but Babbage’s study also offers a more detailed and sophisticated critique for those seeking a deeper engagement with a book rich in literary and theoretical perspectives.
Gilli Bush-Bailey, Theatre Research International, volume 37 issue 03, October 2012

Frances Babbage is Senior Lecturer in Theatre and Performance at the University of Sheffield.