‘Look for the helpers” is a well-worn piece of advice, originally dispensed by the mother of the wholesome American TV personality Fred Rogers when bad news made him anxious as a child. If you worry that women and minority voices are under-represented in the arts in Scotland, listening to the Persistent and Nasty podcast is an enriching way to follow Mrs Rogers’s sage guidance.
It was originally set up by the Scottish actresses Louise Oliver, Elaine Stirrat, Emilie Patry and Belle Jones, most of whom have fingers in other pies, such as producing. Frustrated by how few plays passed the Bechdel test (which requires two women in a drama to be discussing something other than a man), they decided to encourage the creation of more of the kind of productions they wanted to see.
So they put out a call for a script-reading evening, where they and some guest speakers discussed plays’ themes. It all happened at the height of the #MeToo movement, and a passionate and talented community — in person and online — was born.
Since then, in response to listener feedback, the podcast’s content has evolved to focus on trying to influence positive changes in the arts industry, particularly when it comes to the abuse of power, in whatever form that may take.
In doing this, the hosts (it’s now mainly Stirrat and Oliver, owing to time constraints on the others) have built a platform that celebrates the guests who come on to talk about their skills, talents, experiences, challenges and activism. As Stirrat puts it, “It’s about lifting each other up and supporting each other,” while working hard to amplify the skills of women and minorities who deserve a greater voice.
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The list of guests is a who’s who of Scottish creativity and, as a listener, you often feel as though you’re being allowed to eavesdrop on meaty conversations between women who know what it takes to make great art and — perhaps more importantly — how it can all be done in a fairer way.
Notable episodes include one in which the actress Maureen Beattie, the president of performers’ union Equity, talks about how to prevent bullying or abusive behaviour happening on sets. Other guests include the actress Kate Dickie; the director Georgi Banks-Davies; and the actress, writer and director Adura Onashile.
It’s reassuring to look for the helpers. But it’s also important to support them. wearecivildisobedience.com
104
The number of Persistent and Nasty episodes released to date
Source: podcasts.apple.com
2,297
The number of Equity members in Scotland (there are 45,575 members in total) Source: Equity
