Drawing on interviews with women working across the sector — from stage management and lighting to technical direction — The Stage‘s investigation finds that significant barriers remain. The annual Big Freelancer Survey recorded a 37.4% pay gap between male and female freelancers in 2023, and more than a third of freelancers reported experiencing sexism in the workplace in 2025. The feature also examines the structural issue of working patterns that are difficult to reconcile with caring responsibilities, and the industry’s slowness to embrace flexible working and job shares as a genuine solution.

Kat Ellis, technical director at the Young Vic, and Ruth Butler, director of technical production at the Southbank Centre, both speak to their own experiences of navigating male-dominated environments — and the progress they’ve seen. Liz speaks to the retention challenge and what the industry needs to do differently to hold on to skilled people.

The feature is not without optimism. Those interviewed point to shifting attitudes since the pandemic, growing allyship, and a more diverse pipeline coming through training and education — alongside a clear view of what still needs to change.

Read the full article at thestage.co.uk (subscription required).