Beyond the Binary: Performing Gender Then and Now
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Kent
Department Name: Sch of Arts
Abstract
Beyond the Binary (BtB) is a collaborative research and public engagement project which brings together public volunteers, archivists, academic researchers and students to answer the following questions:
- What can historic performances of music hall and pantomime tell us about attitudes towards gender and gender expression in the past?
- How can new knowledge around this inform understanding, discussion and exploration of gender diversity today?
Working together to explore the University of Kent's world-class music hall and pantomime collections, we will unearth histories of gender play and presentation from the Victorian era to the present and share these with the wider public. Music hall and pantomime are forms well-known for going 'beyond the binary' in exploring gender: most notably through cross-dressing but also through witty word play, songs and music. These collections therefore make an ideal focus for this project.
In the first phase of the project we will focus on investigating the materials held in the collections, and cataloguing and preserving these for future researchers. Our research team will include volunteers working in-person in the University of Kent's archives, in Canterbury, who will uncover materials for digitisation by our technician. It will also include volunteers working remotely who will explore those digitised sources using additional research resources such as the British Newspaper Archive and Ancestry. The whole research team will come together to discuss and share findings in six workshops. Our findings, both in terms of new perspectives and rediscovered materials, which will shape the content of the public engagement programme which is the focus of phase 2.
In the second phase of the project the findings around our research questions and the new materials uncovered will be brought to new audiences through our programme of public engagement. This programme includes a 'pop-up' banner exhibition which will tour to partners including the Gulbenkian Canterbury, Theatre Royal Brighton and King's Theatre Portsmouth; an interactive Hands-on History workshop presented at The Beaney, Canterbury; and a showpiece lecture-concert co-created by COI Double and the Lunatraktors, a non-binary performance duo. It will also feature comedian Mark Thomas subject to availability.
Through this ambitious programme of collaborative research and public engagement, Beyond the Binary has multiple aims. These include:
- Broadening understandings and perspectives on both gender and popular performance 'then and now'.
- Improving skills, capabilities and confidence for participants.
- Increasing awareness and inclusion around issues of gender and diversity.
- Increasing understanding of the value of history and heritage.
- Increasing audience engagement with our partners and host venues and thereby providing an economic boost to the creative and cultural industries in the wake of Covid.
- Boosting research capacity and opening up new avenues of research.
- What can historic performances of music hall and pantomime tell us about attitudes towards gender and gender expression in the past?
- How can new knowledge around this inform understanding, discussion and exploration of gender diversity today?
Working together to explore the University of Kent's world-class music hall and pantomime collections, we will unearth histories of gender play and presentation from the Victorian era to the present and share these with the wider public. Music hall and pantomime are forms well-known for going 'beyond the binary' in exploring gender: most notably through cross-dressing but also through witty word play, songs and music. These collections therefore make an ideal focus for this project.
In the first phase of the project we will focus on investigating the materials held in the collections, and cataloguing and preserving these for future researchers. Our research team will include volunteers working in-person in the University of Kent's archives, in Canterbury, who will uncover materials for digitisation by our technician. It will also include volunteers working remotely who will explore those digitised sources using additional research resources such as the British Newspaper Archive and Ancestry. The whole research team will come together to discuss and share findings in six workshops. Our findings, both in terms of new perspectives and rediscovered materials, which will shape the content of the public engagement programme which is the focus of phase 2.
In the second phase of the project the findings around our research questions and the new materials uncovered will be brought to new audiences through our programme of public engagement. This programme includes a 'pop-up' banner exhibition which will tour to partners including the Gulbenkian Canterbury, Theatre Royal Brighton and King's Theatre Portsmouth; an interactive Hands-on History workshop presented at The Beaney, Canterbury; and a showpiece lecture-concert co-created by COI Double and the Lunatraktors, a non-binary performance duo. It will also feature comedian Mark Thomas subject to availability.
Through this ambitious programme of collaborative research and public engagement, Beyond the Binary has multiple aims. These include:
- Broadening understandings and perspectives on both gender and popular performance 'then and now'.
- Improving skills, capabilities and confidence for participants.
- Increasing awareness and inclusion around issues of gender and diversity.
- Increasing understanding of the value of history and heritage.
- Increasing audience engagement with our partners and host venues and thereby providing an economic boost to the creative and cultural industries in the wake of Covid.
- Boosting research capacity and opening up new avenues of research.
| Title | Beyond the Binary Film |
| Description | Film of Rowdy Dowdy Girls and Saucy Seaside Boys, including interviews with audience and project collaborators and participants. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | None to date as the film has just been released. |
| Title | Beyond the Binary: Panto Then and Now, travelling exhibition |
| Description | Travelling exhibition exploring the history of pantomime - using Mother Goose as a case study - through the lenses of sexuality and gender expression. The exhibition is curated from materials in Special Collections and Archives collections. It consists of three panels which can be mounted in different locations. It was curated specifically to accompany the Ambassador Theatre Group production of Mother Goose. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | None to date as the exhibition is still live and feedback has not yet been gathered. |
| Title | Pop-up exhibition as part of Hands on History day |
| Description | A pop-up exhibition showcasing a range of archival materials from Special Collections and Archives relating to the project as part of the Hands-on-History day at the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge, Canterbury. The exhibition included panels with information on the project and its exploration of histories of music hall and pantomime through the lens of gender diversity. Audiences were highly engaged, with large footfall (727 over the day) and people stopping to ask questions. A number had also come along to see the exhibition, having heard about it on BBC Radio Kent. It also included a deaf-friendly tour by BSL interpreter, Jason Tennant, who gave a detailed tour of the exhibition and the Beaney. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | The BSL interpretation was highly praised by both the Beaney staff/partners, and by participants who engaged with it - it set a model for how we can make engagement activities accessible, which we have already followed up in subsequent projects (non-AHRC). The BSL interpreter also noted how interesting he had found the exhibition and we have developed a partnership with him going forwards. A number of attendees noted how informative the information was, and how it helped them look at the topic differently. Students from other universities came along to see how this kind of work might be done, and followed up via Twitter and email afterwards. Footfall over the day was 727. |
| Title | Rowdy Dowdy Boys and Saucy Seaside Girls Performance-Lecture |
| Description | The performance-lecture was interwove academic lecture, music hall and stand-up comedy. It was inspired by the uncatalogued material discovered in the Max Tyler Music Hall and David Drummond Pantomime collections at the University of Kent's Special Collections and Archives. Rowdy Dowdy Boys and Saucy Seaside Girls was introduced by Prof. Helen Brooks, project lead and was co-performed and presented by Dr Oliver Double, project co-investigator and by the non-binary folk duo, Lunatraktors. The performance also featured comedian Mark Thomas. It was staged at the Gulbenkian Arts Centre, Sept 2022. Ticket sales totalled 205 on 26 September. |
| Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | Audience feedback showed increased understanding and engagement with the history of pantomime and its relationship to gender diversity and expression. Audiences complimented the creative output and commented that it made them think differently about the topic. Whilst engagement with the online feedback survey was very limited, when asked in what ways the performance made respondents think about gender, comments included: 'Rather than differently it made us think more about it. We talked all the way home. Unusual when we're so tired! We're a lesbian couple with a lesbian granddaughter. Perhaps it made us think a little more about how we can get better informed, understand the current language & terminology, understand how changing our language might free up not just our granddaughter but us too' 'Made me think about the different representation between drag and female impersonation and pantomime dame' 'By having a broader understanding, however, at my age (very old) I'm struggling with what I am EXPECTED TO BELIVE, in effect, I feel that, more and more, traditional views are unimportant'. |
| Description | Beyond the Binary is a two-phase collaborative research and public engagement project, with the first phase focussed on discovery research and preservation, and the second on sharing the findings with new audiences. Our two aims were to: gain new insights into performance and gender histories by working with gender diverse performers and public researchers, and 2. engage new audiences with diverse, inclusive histories of performance and gender, and thereby contribute constructively to current discourse around gender expression. We fulfilled both of these. The research team we recruited was both gender-diverse and multi-generational and the non-binary performers played an active part in both phase 1 and phase 2 of the project. Together the research group both opened up new insights into perceptions of gender expression (particularly in terms of cross-dressed performance) and directly shaped the creative outputs of the project. It was through these outputs that we engaged new audiences: at our Hands on History event at the Beaney, our performance-lecture at the Gulbenkian, and our travelling exhibition and accompanying talks. Through these events we engaged gender-diverse members of the public, who also in some cases then contributed to the project, and also opened up understandings of and new perspectives on the histories of gender expression and identity in ways appropriate to different audiences. The Hands on History event at the Beaney engaged a range of walk-in visitors including international visitors, and young families, with the creative activities being particularly well received. Footfall for the day reached 727 people. This included a British Sign Language interpreted tour of the exhibition, which developed as an opportunity during the project. The performance-lecture reached greater audiences than expected for a free event post-pandemic, with ticket 'sales' reaching 205. These two public outputs/events received regional media attention and have been featured as an example of innovative research both in terms of community collaboration and LGBTQ+ research. Beyond the specific objectives there are two key developments to highlight. The first relates to the methodology of collaborative research, and the second to the development of the pop-up exhibition. With regards to the first, one of the key findings of the project has been around effective approaches towards collaborative, volunteer research, especially post-pandemic. Whilst the project had originally been envisioned as having parallel in-person and virtual teams, the overwhelming preference for virtual research required us to adapt our plans. We therefore developed a new approach. This approach was built around our curation of 'virtual archive boxes' which became the basis on which individual, curiosity-led research could be undertaken by volunteers in their own time, following initial training. Each month we then held virtual evening workshops, and fortnightly online 'drop-ins' to discuss findings, questions, and areas of interest. This culminated with a two-day in-person event during which volunteers were able to meet each other in person, get hands-on in the archives, have initial training in cataloguing, and take part in the events at the Beaney. The flexibility of this approach was well received by the 15 volunteers as it enabled them to fit the project around their lives, whilst also gaining the benefits of new skills, friends, and knowledge. It was notable that by the end of the two-day in-person event, a number of friendships had developed which extended beyond the life the project and some volunteers were planning using their skills in further study. Overall this experience led the project team to develop new approaches to collaborative research which could be applied in future projects. The second key development to highlight is in relation to the pop-up (travelling) exhibition. We had originally planned for a pop-up exhibition to be toured to two theatres beyond Canterbury: Theatre Royal Brighton and King's Theatre Portsmouth. Due to staffing changes at Kings, it provided challenging to realise this venue. However the partnership with Theatre Royal Brighton, who are part of Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), led to a very exciting opportunity, with the senior creative learning manager inviting us to produce our pop-up exhibition in two parts and for a larger audience: the first part of the exhibition was to accompany ATG's national tour of 'Mother Goose' starring Sir Ian McKellan and John Bishop, and the second part was to be part of Theatre Royal Brighton's creative learning offer on an ongoing basis. This opportunity enabled us to expand the scope of the pop-up exhibition and to reach far greater audiences (both geographically and in terms of numbers reached) than originally anticipated. Part 1 of the pop-up exhibition was produced in December 2022 and has toured with 'Mother Goose' to Brighton, Liverpool, Oxford, Leicester, Manchester, Dublin, Cardiff and Bristol. At key venues the PI was also invited to deliver pre/post-show talks with 'hands-on' materials to accompany the exhibition. This enabled direct engagement with schools, varied adult groups and third sector audiences. This work is ongoing at the point of submission. |
| Exploitation Route | In Phase 1 of the project we focussed on discovery research and preservation of uncatalogued materials in the Max Tyler Music Hall collection and David Drummond Pantomime Collection. Through this phase of the project we identified and digitised thousands of items, making them accessible to future users. Whilst the most likely users of this are academic researchers, other users include performers, students, and industry professionals. In particular the Drummond material is of interest to pantomime producers looking for inspiration (similar collections have been previously used by the pantomime producers, Evolution). Similarly, the recovered music hall materials are also of interest to the British Music Hall Society. The performance-lecture and songs developed for it are likely to be taken forwards and developed further by Lunatraktors as part of their repertoire. We had originally anticipated applying for further funding to support a tour, however due to the way the performance-lecture developed in rehearsal this was no longer feasible. Nevertheless elements of the performance will be taken forwards by Lunatraktors, and the exploration of gender expression which the project enabled, has shaped the way in which they are thinking about their work and its development. The 'Beyond the Binary' exhibitions have also been designed to be able to be used again and by different venues. In particular, Theatre Royal Brighton intend to use the exhibition exploring gender performativity on stage during Pride month each year. In a similar way, the physical 'discovery box' which was produced to accompany the exhibitions will be used again for schools and engagement activities. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Education,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| URL | https://research.kent.ac.uk/beyondthebinary/ |
| Description | Travelling exhibition and accompanying talks |
| Organisation | Ambassador Theatre Group |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | I curated and produced a 3-panel travelling exhibition with accompanying public talks, at select venues, exploring the history of pantomime through the lenses of sexuality and gender expression. The exhibition and talks used 'Mother Goose' as the case study, drawing on materials uncovered and perspectives shared by volunteers during the research part of the project. This exhibition and accompanying talks were specifically curated at the request of project partners Ambassador Theatre Group, and were designed to accompany the production of Mother Goose which toured from December 2022 through until April 2023. Talks, to date, have been given in Liverpool and Oxford, and each talk was tailored to the specific location or theatre. The talks were given pre or post-show to groups invited by the ATG Creative Learning Managers leading the tour. The audiences included school pupils, older community members, and members from groups including Age UK and Oxford Health. Further talks will be given in Manchester, and Bristol. |
| Collaborator Contribution | I have worked with the two Senior Creative Learning Managers at ATG who have taken responsibility for all the organisational and operational aspects of the travelling exhibition and accompanying talks. In practice this meant they ensure the exhibition is transported between, and put up at the different tour locations, book space and equipment for the talks, and identify and invite audiences for the talks. They have also provided complimentary tickets to see the show at each location, enabling me to speak to the distinctive differences between performances, when engaging with audiences. |
| Impact | Beyond the Binary: Panto Then and Now travelling exhibition, 2022 Post/Pre-Show talks: Panto Then and Now, 2023 |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Activities as part of Hands-on-History day at the Beaney |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interactive arts activities accompanying the pop-up Beyond the Binary exhibition at the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge, Canterbury. The activities included 'design a dame', 'cast your perfect Panto', and a 'Panto fact hunt'. Strong engagement from families with young children, including international visitors where the artistic nature of the activity ensured it was inclusive for all irrespective of language. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Beyond the Binary talk, Beaney |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This was an 'In Conversation' with a group of practitioners who each approach gender in different ways in their own work. It formed the afternoon part of the Beaney one-day event with the pop-up exhibition in the morning. For the In conversation, we invited four current practitioners, including Panto dames, queer cross-dressers, and music-hall 'revival' performer, and Double and Brooks chaired a conversation (1.5 hours) with them in front of a live audience. The talk addressed key themes from the research, and questions which had emerged as part of the process with volunteer researchers. The volunteer researchers were all part of the audience and had an opportunity to ask questions of these practitioners. The talk was also open to the public via Eventbrite. The audience and practitioners greatly enjoyed the opportunity to compare views and practices and the discussion raised interesting areas of synergy and difference. It provoked valuable discussion and further questions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Exhibition Talk - Liverpool Empire |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Pre-matinee talk on pantomime 'then and now' for invited audience groups attending Mother Goose matinee at Liverpool Empire. Approx 20 GCSE and A-level pupils from Ormistone Bollingbroke Academy, plus teachers and approx 15 women from the theatre's musical-theatre exercise group. Also John Bishop, cast member. Talk sparked questions and discussion afterwards, including from people who overheard at the end. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| Description | Exhibition Talk - Oxford New Theatre |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Post-show talk on pantomime 'then and now' for invited audience groups attending Mother Goose at Oxford New Theatre. 30 tickets booked, although fewer attended - 15. Age range from 20s to 70s. Talk sparked questions and discussion afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| Description | Podcast - Arts & Ideas, New Thinking: Preserving our Heritage |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Invited as guest on BBC podcast. This was when the project was starting so I was speaking about the aims of the project largely. Discussion as part of the podcast and received enquires after via email. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0c21ctn |
| Description | Podcast - Researching the Rainbow |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Invited to speak about the project and upcoming performance-lecture on Researching the Rainbow podcast, which explores LGBTQ+ research. Hosts expressed interest in the project after, and brought a group along to see the lecture-concert. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.buzzsprout.com/2004730/11203610-helen-brooks-on-beyond-the-binary-performing-gender-then... |
| Description | Radio interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Co-I Brayshaw and a project volunteer were interviewed on BBC Radio Kent in advance of the pop-up exhibition at the Beaney, July 2022. The broadcast led to increased visibility of the project and a number of visitors on the day said they had heard about it on the radio. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |