The Stage

EU funds research into roles for older female performers

Published Tuesday 4 December 2007 at 16:35 by Matthew Hemley

Global union the International Federation of Actors has won EU backing for a Europe-wide investigation into television and theatre opportunities for female performers over 40.

Grant money of more than €150,000 has been awarded from Brussels for the research, which will examine what roles exist for older women and how decisions are made when casting parts which can be played by either sex. It will also look how women over 40 are portrayed in television and theatre.

Entitled Changing Gender Portrayal: Promoting Employment Opportunities for Women in the Performing Arts, the research will include a survey that will be handed to each of the federation’s affiliated unions in Europe.

Equity members will be asked to comment on what kind of roles they have played recently, how big the part was and what their playing age is.

Results from the UK will be compared with those from other countries taking part and a conference discussing the findings is expected to be held next year.

Equity vice president Jean Rogers, who has led the formation of the research, said: “Although men and women receive the same training as performers and are equally successful during their twenties, from around 35 to 40 onwards their job opportunities lessen and their careers begin to wane, unlike their male counterparts.”

She added: “Since TV, film and theatre should mirror nature, why should this be? There are as many women as men in the population, indeed more women, as the population ages.”

Rogers said she herself had first-hand experience of being put forward for roles that ended up being given to younger actresses.

She said she hoped the survey would provide proof that women do find it more difficult as they get older and also said casting directors would also be asked to complete a questionnaire to assess how certain decisions are made.

“There are parts that are not gender specific, such as lawyers or magistrates. How many times would the decision be to make that a woman? Those are the kind of decision that make a difference,” she added.

Equity head of communications and membership support Martin Brown said the portrayal of women had been a concern of the union “for many years”.

He added: “We are delighted that European Union funding now makes serious research possible. The research will be particularly valuable because it will make comparisons across Europe possible.”