Watching the amazing New York duo of Kiki and Herb in their Christmas show at none other than a packed Queen Elizabeth Hall last night got me thinking about how many gay performance artists, or gay-friendly ones, have been taking on the citadels of popular culture to provide the Christmas entertainments in the last few years. At the Barbican’s Pit in 2003 and 2004, C’est Barbican (which went on to take the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment) was literally a transfer of a “tableside” burlesque that had originated at a South London gay pub, the Vauxhall Tavern. This year, the Pit continue the trend by hosting drag artist Tina C, aka Chris Green, an alumni of C’est Barbican. And cult act Pam Ann – born on the gay circuit – promises to be a sell-out at the Bloomsbury once again this year.
Meanwhile, pantos too are being readily taken up by a series of provocative gay writers: as well as the announcement that next year’s Barbican panto will be scripted by Mark Ravenhill, this year already sees the likes of Jonathan Harvey writing the panto at Woking and Tim Fountain (whose onstage, online cruising show Sex Addict played at the Royal Court at the beginning of the year) script Cinderella at Bromley.
But while out-and-proud gay men are staking their claims to family entertainment, an article in Sunday’s New York Times pointed out how few women directors are reaching the mainstream of Broadway. Of 39 plays and musicals that have opened there in 2004, only three were directed by women (while a short-lived fourth show was directed by a husband-and-wife team); and of the 34 new shows in 2004, only two were directed by women. Yet three of Broadway’s biggest, long-running musical earners are, in fact, also directed by women: The Lion King (Julie Taymor), The Producers (Susan Stroman) and Mamma Mia! (Phyllida Lloyd).
Those three shows, of course, are also playing in London; but by contrast, looking through the listings, there are a total of eight current West End attractions directed by women, including a second hit production by Phyllida Lloyd (Mary Stuart), two shows at the National (Marianne Elliot’s staging of Pillars of the Community and Melly Still’s production of Coram Boy) and the fast-rising Thea Sharrock (who, in addition to running the Gate, also has Heroes at Wyndham’s), so we’ve instantly eclipsed Broadway in giving opportunities to female directors. But though women are slowly catching up, they are still outnumbered by gay male directors: against the 8 shows directed by women, 11 current shows are staged by directors known to be gay.
But lest it be thought that there’s some kind of “gay mafia” amongst London’s directorial brigade, directing remains a predominantly male heterosexual activity. But Broadway producer David Stone discounts the role of gender in director choices, and the same thing could be said for sexuality: it’s simply a question of relationships. “Directors are not chosen for their gender; they’re not even necessarily chosen for their credits. More often, the writer and producer select a director because of their previous personal or professional history together and the knowledge that they are copasetic in the rehearsal room and share a similar aesthetic. It is fair to say that it would be great for Broadway if more women were directing there, but it can’t necessarily be said that there is some sort of conspiracy at work.”
Kathleen Marshall, a Broadway director and choreographer, adds, “Yeah sure, I wish there were more women directing on Broadway. Then again, I wish there were more women senators and C.E.O.’s.” And another Broadway producer and theatre owner Rocco Landesman, points out, “On Broadway, progress is slow. It was only a couple of years ago, about 80 years late, that with the renovation of our five houses, we created a sufficient number of women’s bathroom stalls… But change is coming, however slowly. We’ll get used to their styles (watching Susan Stroman direct The Producers was a revelation; talk about velvet glove, iron fist!) and certainly, their successes. Nothing changes perceptions like a hit. The women directors I know have proved that they can get everything they want while still being decent to people. The famously bullying Jerome Robbins is just not the role model for them and the Broadway theatre is better for it.”
