Postigo, Alejandro ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7922-8953 (2025) Miss Brexit: decentring linguistic hegemony in UK theatre. In: EASTAP annual conference 2025, 3-6 Sep 2025, London, UK. (Submitted)

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Abstract

In post-Brexit England, international theatre artists must navigate linguistic and cultural hierarchies that shape their access to professional opportunities. For a group of acting graduates who speak English as an Additional Language (EAL) and trained in UK drama programs, these challenges manifest in accent bias, linguistic gatekeeping, and pressures to conform to Anglophone performance norms. In response, they devised ‘Miss Brexit’, a satirical performance that interrogates the expectations placed on migrant artists to assimilate.

Framed as a high-stakes contest, ‘Miss Brexit’ sees European contestants compete in absurd challenges where national stereotypes morph into British myths. The prize? The right to remain in the UK and pursue the Anglo-American dream. But at what cost? The show examines the precarious balance between survival and self-erasure, questioning who is allowed to belong in British theatre and on what terms. By centring multilingual performers, Miss Brexit disrupts dominant narratives that privilege native English speakers, offering an alternative vision where linguistic difference is an artistic asset rather than an obstacle.

This paper positions ‘Miss Brexit’ as a case study in the decentralisation of Anglocentric theatre norms. It explores how second-language performers subvert expectations, reclaim space, and advocate for a more inclusive industry. Supported by Arts Council England following a European tour, and presented at Omnibus Theatre before touring to Manchester and Edinburgh, the production amplifies the visibility of EAL performers, contributing to urgent conversations about power, language, and representation in the performing arts.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Speech)
Subjects:	Performing arts
Related URLs:	https://www.gsmd.ac.uk/sites/default/fil...
Date Deposited:	22 Apr 2026
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/14884

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