GALLERY
WOMEN IN THEATRE

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To summarise, most of the images shown in this gallery worked as a form of resistance to the limiting narratives imposed upon women working in theatre, and arguably left them a cultural legacy that exists to this day. The women working in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries had to contend with the fundamental ‘actress as a whore’ myth, and so heavily depended on the use of their portraits to legitimise their careers. In the 20th and 21st centuries the notion of celebrity, and using images to perpetuate that celebrity to establish success, was much more established. The current use of social media by Vicky Featherstone demonstrates a direct level of resistance to perception, and a creation of personal ideology; a significant facet of the visual culture in this gallery that was used by all the women presented. In spreading ideologies about themselves, or in allowing the perception of them, the women here ensured both the success of their careers, and a cultural legacy in the reputation of them as difficult, ground-breaking women, that the in-depth case studies of this website explore further.