As SHE Likes it at The Belgrade Theatre

As SHE Likes It is inspired by the story of #MeToo pioneer Patricia Douglas.

It’s been nearly 100 years since Patricia Douglas was lured to a studio party under the guise of a casting call, in what was perhaps the biggest, best-suppressed scandal in Hollywood history.

Join the Damsel in Distress, or as she prefers to be known – her own knight in shining armour – as she removes the rose-tinted filter to reveal the truth behind the romanticised facade. A Leading Lady who’s hiding her sexuality. A Sex Symbol who’s suppressing her appetite. A Comedy Queen who disguises her sadness with humour, and a starry-eyed Girl Next Door who’s discovering what it really takes to make it in Hollywood.

Written by Chloe Wade and supported by Olivier Award-winning playwright, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emilia, The Globe, Obsession, Netflix), As SHE Likes It is a peek behind the sepia cigarette smoke and passionate embraces of Old Hollywood, as seen through the eyes of its archetypes. Through a fusion of live theatre and filmed footage, As SHE Likes It exposes the cultural legacy of sexism and exploitation that still haunts the industry to this day. A darkly comedic explosion of multimedia, verbatim, cabaret and drag; a contemporary Brechtian-style play that poses the question: How much has changed between the Hollywood of yesteryear and now?

It’s time Patricia’s story, and the stories of the many women whose voices have been silenced, are told in all their intersectional complexity and fullness.

Be prepared to kiss the Hollywood happy ending goodbye!