NEW BOOK: Active Speech: Critical Perspectives on Teresa Deevy

edited by Úna Kealy and Kate McCarthy

Open Book Publishers

‘Active Speech’ is a groundbreaking collection of scholarly essays and practitioner interviews focused on the work of Irish playwright Teresa Deevy. Acts of recovery in the 1980s and 1990s challenged Deevy’s exclusion from the literary canon, reclaiming her contributions as significant to Irish drama and theatre. The recent resurgence of scholarship and productions evidences that, as a deafened woman and Irish playwright, Deevy’s creative power continues to disrupt and tilt the canon of Irish drama, theatre, and performance.

Essays within the collection explore how Deevy’s work interrogates early to mid-twentieth century Irish social norms and ideologies and provide a rich context for understanding her plays. The collection highlights the interdisciplinary nature of research on Deevy and offers insights on her work through archival research, literary analysis, and practitioner perspectives from Deaf and hearing theatremakers.

One of the collection’s strengths lies in its collaborative and inclusive approach, showcasing diverse methodologies and rigorous scholarship. The chapters on archival research and practitioner perspectives offer compelling models and avenues for future studies. This volume is an essential resource for scholars, educators, and theatremakers alike.

Read and Download for Free: Active Speech: Critical Perspectives on Teresa Deevy is freely available to read and download in both PDF and HTML formats. Access the full text here and explore the wealth of knowledge this publication has to offer. Click here for all formats.

Úna Kealy lectures in Theatre Studies and English in South East Technological University (SETU). Prior to her career in academia, Úna worked as a drama workshop facilitator and arts manager in Britain and Ireland in both state-funded and commercial theatre organisations. 

Kate McCarthy is Lecturer in Drama at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, South East Technological University (SETU). Her public engagement takes many forms, including: theatre practice, workshops, drama and theatre education projects, educational resources, public talks, and podcasts, as well as publications and conference contributions.