Author Identifier
Susannah Conte: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8796-7360
Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Thesis - ECU Access Only
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
School
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
First Supervisor
Jonathan W. Marshall
Second Supervisor
Renée Newman
Abstract
Hélène Cixous’ call for women to write themselves— “Woman must write woman”— has been a guiding principle in my feminist adaptations of classical myths. Inspired by her concept of écriture féminine, a fluid and poetic writing style rooted in the female body, I created a case-study theatre performance Monstrous Woman in 2022 and developed a methodology grounded in corporeal writing, symbolic imagery, dreamlike fragmentation, emotional excess, polyvocality, and dramaturgical mapping or gridding. I embraced the open-ended nature of most of these practices as feminist. This approach acknowledges and critiques traditional structures that have marginalized women in theatre. The labyrinth becomes both a metaphor and a method—an affective, non-linear path requiring emotional awareness, resilience, and critical reflection. By rewriting myth, I aim to reveal the embedded inequities of the past and reimagine them for contemporary feminist theatre. My work contributes to a global feminist map, offering tools and waypoints for others navigating similar creative and political terrain.
Access Note
Access to this thesis is embargoed until 13th March 2028
Recommended Citation
Conte, S. (2026). Woman writes woman: A way through the labyrinth using the model of écriture féminine to create a feminist methodology for adaptation and direction for the theatre. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/kf1q-jv87