‘Ten Women’: An unusual title for a play with a cast of sixteen, but still strong with a critical message of changing perceptions in a time where the media appears to call the shots. Bethan Dear has written and directed this pioneering production as a way to make people question their own perceptions of beauty, and to ask the audience, “What is real?” By using ten women to relay the story of one, reinforcing that we all face the same issues, is an amiable attempt at rocking the boat – but just how successful is this work in progress at actually achieving its goal?

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Amy Clamp

From the very moment you switch on your Computer, Television, Tablet or smartphone, you’re bombarded with so called images of perfection, and that’s even before you’ve left the house! Then there’s the numerous amount of inescapable ad campaign in magazines, billboards and bus tops tempting you to buy the latest luxurious shampoo or miraculous mascara. But what, in 2014 does it mean to be a woman? To be a feminist? With the movement of feminism being a hot topic at present, Jackdaw Theatre explores this in their latest production of TEN WOMEN. I was able to talk to Artistic Director Bethan Dear and Creative Producer Amy Clamp ahead of their production about the Theatre Companies beginnings, travelling to Uganda and and why their proud to call TEN WOMEN a feminist play!

You’ve both formed Jackdaw Theatre whilst studying at Middlesex University. What inspired the creation of the company?

Amy: It was initiated by the fact that Bethan quite soon after University went and did a Residency Programme at the Finborough Theatre. Afterwards, she was offered a spot for a Sunday (and) Monday show and invited me to come on board as Production Manager, so that was the first project we worked on together and from that point realised that we worked really well together.

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