Young actresses at work: an analysis of gender and power inequalities in the Italian theatrical sector

From the time the ban on women performing in theatrical plays was lifted in mid-1600s England to the communicative impact of the ongoing #MeToo campaign, the presence of actresses on stage has always had the capacity to profoundly question and significantly reduce societal norms related to gender and cultural spaces. Using a qualitative methodology, this paper analyses young actresses’ experiences of work in the Italian performing arts sector, considering aesthetic and emotional aspects related to theatre work. The occupational environment, described through the sector’s specific datasets and surveys, appears to be characterised by marked power asymmetries in terms of age and gender which, in turn, is embedded in young actresses’ everyday bodily and emotional experiences of work.