Elizabeth: Almost by Chance a Woman

Abstract

Elizabeth: Almost By Chance a Woman is an English language adaptation of an original play in Italian by Dario Fo. Written by Fo in 1984 as a satire of Reagan and Thatcher-era politics within an Elizabethan England setting, the adaptation decreased emphasis on the politics in order to increase emphasis on Fo’s innovative approach to creating theatre itself. The play adaptation addresses the question of whether celebrated writers such as Fo, whose work is little performed in Australia for having out-dated political context, can be made to reach new audiences through a reappraisal of the theatrical contextual strengths. The Malthouse Theatre commissioned the adaptation of Elizabeth: Almost By C..