Author Archives

I am a writer and educator in Drama and Theatre Studies. My specialist areas are Shakespeare, particularly with regard to the female characters, dramaturgy and theatre history. Raising a little boy also gives me plenty of cause to reflect on parenting and social justice issues. I also blog at Hoyden About Town, under the handle Orlando.

• BFTP Friday Hoyden: Ching Shih

  By Anna on 2016-11-04 • ( 0 )

  

  Feminist Frequency in its new series, #OrdinaryWomen: Daring to Defy History, is continuing its run of making awesome little profiles of awesome women who we’ve already profiled here at some time in the distant past. This time it’s nineteenth century… Read More ›

• Quick Hit: Digital Writers’ Festival

  By Anna on 2016-11-01 • ( 1 )

  

  Just started, and running until 11 November. All online. Jane Howard, Michaela McGuire and Kate Callingham are at the helm, and the lineup is amazing. It really is extraordinary how much they’re packing in, it must have been a phenomenal feat of… Read More ›

• BFTP Friday Hoyden: Emma Goldman

  By Anna on 2016-09-16 • ( 1 )

  

  Anita Sarkeesian and Feminist Frequency have launched a terrific new series called #OrdinaryWomen: Daring to Defy History. The first episode is just up, and it’s about legendary political activist Emma Goldman. This makes it seem like a good time to… Read More ›

• BFTP: Funding Humanities Research

  By Anna on 2016-08-25 • ( 2 )

  

  Once again our government, which should be in the business of supporting and promoting the work of our universities and high-end intellectual workers, has chosen to launch an attack on the very concept of employing people to do research in… Read More ›

• The Wrong Conversation? No, Doctors Don’t Need to Mention Weight Loss More

  By Anna on 2016-08-17 • ( 11 )

  

  An article has appeared in today’s Conversation suggesting that doctors need training to feel confident in bringing up their patients’ “excess weight”, so they can broach the topic more, including with patients who have come to see them for something… Read More ›

• Friday Hoyden: Margaret of Anjou

  By Anna on 2016-07-01 • ( 1 )

  

  In the fifteenth century England was governed by a loose association of noble families, led by a King who may or may not have gained his crown as the most direct male descendant of the previous King. The two ways… Read More ›

• Pamela Denoon Lecture 2016: Nelly Thomas

  By Anna on 2016-03-03 • ( 1 )

  

  On International Women’s Day, for those who can make it to Canberra, the annual Pamela Denoon Lecture will be given by Nelly Thomas on the topic of “Sexual Equality: negotiating a modern minefield”. From their website: While sex is ubiquitous,… Read More ›

• Shakespeare in Australia

  By Anna on 2016-02-17 • ( 1 )

  

  Shakespeare TwentyScore is marking 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, including event listings for Australia. The anniversary date is 23 April, but all kinds of things will be taking place all through 2016, so keep checking for updates, and expanding resources pages. Please come and visit the website, follow our Facebook page and find us on Twitter at @Shakes20Score.

• King Lear and Family Dramas

  By Anna on 2015-12-22 • ( 1 )

  

  I have a piece up at The Conversation on how King Lear is a great primer in common dysfunctional emotional/behavioural patterns between an ageing parent and adult children. It’s a seasonal special! King Lear and Family Gatherings There are plot summary… Read More ›

• Friday Hoydens: Women in Theatre

  By Anna on 2015-11-13

  

  The Irish theatre scene is currently in an uproar of the best kind. In 1904 the Abbey Theatre in Dublin was co-founded, with W.B. Yeats and Edward Martyn, by Augusta, Lady Gregory to give the voice of the Irish nation… Read More ›