Estela Leñero compiles 100 montages to show the female presence on stage

The book Women’s time in 21st century Mexican theatre It is a testament to the presence and work that female playwrights have carried out despite the obstacles, made evident through a selection of some 100 theatrical productions by women, observed and analysed by writer Estela Leñero.

The author of the text, which will be presented on August 31, told The Day that female theatrical work goes unnoticed, not only in terms of visibility, but also in opportunities to recognize it, which is part of the marginalization in which we women live and all the ancestral machismo that we continue to repeat.

The title, published by the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, compiles writings published by Leñero over 20 years. It is a continuation of two other volumes that address what has been done in the theatre between the 20th and 21st centuries.

The playwright (Mexico City, 1960) also pointed out that now is the time for to further promote the visibility of women in theatre.

This text focuses on the work of playwrights and directors, mainly Mexican, although also It has a part of our ancestors, to highlight where we come from: the precursors, the pioneers, as businesswomen, producers and playwrights..

Estela Leñero highlighted the inclusion of a chapter in which she addresses, in the form of an essay or vignettes, female figures of the 20th century, including Rosario Castellanos, Luisa Josefina Hernández, Virginia Fábregas and María Luisa Ocampo.

The anthropologist said that in the mid-19th century, female playwrights began to participate in this artistic discipline. In that century there were many anonymous authors who were actually authors, women who had to use pseudonyms so as not to be criticized in their own circles. They began to write more widely in the first half of the 20th century..

Only domestic and historical topics

Regarding the themes and treatment of these figures, Leñero commented that at first they were “domestic; that is, there was a focus on the environment in which the women moved or, at the other extreme, historical theatre, restless creators about the theatre of the Mexican Revolution.

“The topics have been very varied; with Luisa Josefina Hernández and Rosario Castellanos, the domestic sphere was broken away from and broader aspects were started to be discussed, such as ecological, social, political, historical, emotional, romantic and relationship problems, and to access all of this range from a women’s perspective.

It is important, because the vision of these female playwrights does have a stamp of greater understanding of female characters and of placing them in a place where they are more active and can decide or intervene in their destiny, since in previous dramaturgy and that of men, there was always a tendency towards passivity, that is, an erroneous vision.

It is necessary to advocate for a gender quota

Regarding the inequality in theatre against this sector of the population, Estela Leñero said: “That is the problem I have been investigating. Reviewing the playbills, participation of men and women in round tables, conferences, calls, public positions and participation in many theatre activities: there is a minority of women. That is very noticeable, even if they say: ‘women are already participating’.”

He pointed out that it is It is true that there has been great progress and the government has achieved this with this slogan of equality, of gender quota, but in the theatre world and in culture in general, in these comparisons in round tables, conferences, poetry anthologies or whatever, 70 percent of participation is male, and 30, female..

He stressed that it is necessary to advocate for a gender quota, after this historical debt, in addition to the limitations that we women have, that we have a double, triple or quadruple work day, and we still have time to go. Therefore, this push for gender equality is important..

The playwright reiterated: That is why this book is here, where we can see all the qualities, all the creativity of women theatre artists. Throughout this journey of 100 plays made by women we can get an idea and highlight the work in this collection over 20 years..

The 2004 Víctor Hugo Rascón Banda National Award winner highlighted that in the index after the title of the article or work, he places “the character: the director or the writer; so, it is an index where you go through and see all the women who participated. It is also an attempt to include an onomastic list, which is not so common now, but is very useful for research.

The research spectrum opens up, because you can read in a random way; that is, if what you are interested in is knowing, then you go and delve into the books or the plays or the background of the Mexican.

Estela Leñero referred to an essay and a chronicle at the beginning of her book: “an essay that I published last year in an art book, which is Women of the 20th and 21st centuries in Mexican theatre as a brief overview, and the chronicle of the Second International Meeting of Women Who Struggle, convened by the women of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. I thought the visibility of women in this struggle was very important, and it is like a pronouncement politician, that’s why I wanted to add it.” He mentioned Alegría Martínez’s contribution to the text, with the prologue and her vision, which greatly enriches this book.

Women’s time in 21st century Mexican theatre will be presented by Estela Leñero, Rocío Galicia, director of the Rodolfo Usigli National Center for Theatrical Research, and Antonio Ramos Revillas on August 31 at 2:00 p.m. in Forum 2 of the International University Book Fair (UNAM Exhibition and Congress Center).