Rachel Baker

English Literature and Theatre Graduate working in Glasgow.

Debuty Editor In Chief at Mxogyny and contributor to The List and Woman 2 Woman.
Woman to Woman •

Films From Females: Athlete A – Bonni Cohen

There will be no Olympics, as planned, this year. No international commune of athletes competing for lumps of metal, international renown and pride. No elaborate opening ceremony, no international buzz, and no podiums with teary competitors holding bunches of flowers. My cynicism here is not entirely justified, as in many ways every four years the Olympics does bring many nations together in co-operation and community. However, the Olympics is also dangerous territory, as we see in Netflix’s new
Mxogyny •

Disclosure: An Emphatic Call to Arms for Trans Visibility —

Disclosure: the action of making new or secret information known. This definition, while seemingly straightforward, implies that the act of disclosure always includes ‘secret’ information. And what does ‘secret’ imply? Taboo, shame, and the need for concealment. It is only fitting, then, that Netflix’s striking documentary on Trans identities be titled with this loaded term. Trans identities have been pushed into invisibility for centuries. Trans people have been made to believe that the ‘trut
Woman 2 Woman •

Films From Females: The Orphanage – Shahrbanoo Sadat

Having missed out on it’s general release due to the current global circumstances, The Orphanage, from Afghan filmmaker Shahrbanoo Sadat, is the second in a series of films based on the lives of the director and writer Sadat, and her best friend Anwar Hashimi. Set in Kabul, 1989, the film follows 15-year-old Qodrat, after he is arrested for scalping cinema tickets for eight times their usual price. Qodrat’s passion in life is Bollywood films, which allow him to escape into a world far removed fr
Mxogyny •

An Alternative Guide to Streaming Theatre at Home —

While we are all at home for the foreseeable future, cultural centres around the world, from local theatres to national stages, have also had to shut their doors until further notice. Stage lights will not be lit for a very long time, and so these incredible institutions are having to find other ways to keep a passion for theatre, and their stream of income, alive. Thanks to the digital age of theatre, many major theatres have been recording their performances for a long time now, and so we have
Mxogyny •

The Best Films by Women on Streaming Services to Watch in Lockdown —

Under the current circumstances, streaming services are one of the few thriving industries in the world. Confined to our living rooms, a lot of us will be mindlessly scrolling on Netflix in hope of a couple of hours of distraction from current events. Believe it or not, the choice we make when selecting our films of choice can be a meaningful, political act. By choosing films from and about marginalised groups, we, as consumers, are declaring the need for wider representation in the film industr
The List •

MAIM

Gaelic performance fighting for the salvation of Scotland's ancient language From Theatre Gu Leòr and the Scottish Electronica band WHYTE, MAIM is a distinctive piece of protest theatre, proclaiming the ever-accelerating crisis that Gaelic speakers are facing as their language becomes marginalised in the twenty-first century. Combining movement, verbatim text, script and movement, MAIM is a thought-provoking performance that holds the English language accountable for its catastrophic effect on
The List •

Buzzcut Double Thrills: Herpes by Eirini Kartsaki

In their final iteration before the New Year, Buzzcut present a collection of work that's as fresh and thought-provoking as ever. The first portion of the evening includes some impressive work in progress from their first Associateship winner, Mamoru Iriguchi, followed by an exhausting movement piece from Greg Sinclair. The night culminates with Herpes by Eirini Kartsaki, an intense and uncomfortable work that grotesquely parodies the ideals of femininity that are placed on women without their c
The List •

Martin Quinn: 'Like Wullie, the piece doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's sure to be a good night at the theatre'

Martin Quinn: 'Like Wullie, the piece doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's sure to be a good night at the theatre' The Paisley-born actor talks playing the beloved Scottish character and Dundee Rep's fresh take on a familiar face Whether it be from reading the comics or from the statues scattered around the country this year, there are few Scots who aren't familiar with Oor Wullie. Dundee Rep are taking a new adaptation of the classic comic on tour. Oor Wullie the Musical has been tourin
The List •

Cinderfella

Panto meets political comedy in the Tron's annual pantomime from Johnny McKnight Written by Johnny McKnight and directed by Kenny Miller, Cinderfella is a brash reworking of the well-known fairy-tale for a festive, Glaswegian stage. The story begins with Cinderella struggling to keep her parent's shop in business, whilst contending with the wrath of her step-mother and bumbling buffoons of step-brothers. With the help of Muttons, her trusty sheep and sidekick, Cinderella attempts to save her be
The List •

Motown The Musical

A visually stunning tour of the swinging hit musical, telling the story of Berry Gordy's rise and fall as the founder of Motown Records Motown The Musical, directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, depicts the record label founder Berry Gordy's tumultuous journey to fame. His legendary record label gave a musical voice to African Americans at a time when Jim Crow was hanging on, the Vietnam War was at its peak, and radio stations were as racially divided as the nation that they played to. It is beco
Edinburgh Festival •

To Move In Time

This article is from 2019 Solo performance musing over modern anxieties and time travel from Tim Etchells and Forced Entertainment Performed by Tyrone Huggins, who is both actor and a collaborator in this new work from Tim Etchells, To Move In Time is a monologue from an unnamed character, who fantasises about the various possibilities of what he would do if he could travel in time. Through repetitive motifs of language, the script goes in circles, always coming back to a new, better, but alwa
Edinburgh Festival •

Fishbowl

This article is from 2019 Having won the esteemed Moliere award in its native country, SIT Productions Fishbowl is a delightful physical comedy about three individuals living in close quarters at the top of a Parisian block of flats. Without a single word spoken for the entire performance, the show is a montage of skits, depicting everything from birthday parties to bras taken by the wind. Fishbowl is a skilfully crafted performance that renews the relatively outdated form of farce through its
Edinburgh Festival •

Typical

This article is from 2019 Richard Blackwood stars in this striking and unique solo, narrating a day in the life of a man who falls victim to racial violence and police brutality. It begins with a light-hearted Saturday morning routine – Blackwood's unnamed character gets up late and has a boogie to the radio. But as the monologue progresses, instances of racial prejudice creep their way into mundane experiences. From these slice of life episodes, the script leads up to a violent conclusion. T
Edinburgh Festival •

Splintered

This article is from 2019 Hilarious and thoughtful cabaret exploring queer identity in the Caribbean From emerging company Lagahoo Theatre Company comes Splintered, a weird and wonderful cabaret that combines comedy skits with real interviews and personal experiences to explore the challenges of being queer in the Caribbean. Directed by Emily Aboud, this fantastic blend of comedy and political comment is both a piece of protest and an invitation, to people of all sexualities, identities, class
Edinburgh Festival •

Four Woke Baes

This article is from 2019 From established American playwright Jonathan Caren, Four Woke Baes is a dark comedy about four unassuming men having their doctrines on monogamy challenged while on a secluded camping trip in Colorado. The trip is to celebrate Dez's bachelor party, but they are irked by a female camper who sparks conversations about the legitimacy of love, marriage and monogamy in the 21st century. Despite a well-crafted script that examines a series of relevant contemporary themes, i
Edinburgh Festival •

Hitler's Tasters

This article is from 2019 Black comedy about three unfortunate women in the Third Reich Written by American playwright Michelle Kholos Brooks, Hitler's Tasters has a fascinating premise, interpreting the experience of the three women selected to taste the Fuhrer's food to check if it was poisoned. Combining satire, black comedy and atmospheric movement sequences, Hitler's Tasters delves into the terrifying concept of indoctrination and control. Although the play is set in the 1940s, the three
Edinburgh Festival •

Bryony Kimmings: I'm A Phoenix, Bitch

This article is from 2019 Arresting one woman show depicting an astonishing recovery from mental illness In this intimate yet epic solo, Bryony Kimmings describes a journey of salvation from the depths of depression and psychosis to recovery and acceptance. I'm a Phoenix, Bitch is a 90-minute declaration of one woman's innermost demons, both terrifying, analytical and perfectly crafted. The set is scattered with sheets covering small set pieces to represent moments in Kimmings' life which she
Edinburgh Festival •

Wireless Operator

This article is from 2019 Written by Bob Baldwin and Max Kinnings, drawing from Baldwin's father's experience in WW2, Wireless Operator is an intimate look into the experience of a Bomber Command squad on a mission to kill. John (Thomas Dennis) enters into this disturbingly violent experience, and the play explores notions of conscience and guilt when you are allegedly on the side of the good guys. Dennis carries the performance, displaying talented physicality when things get risky and emotio
Edinburgh Festival •

Drowning

This article is from 2019 Jessica Ross's debut play Drowning explores philosophical questions of mortality through the story of four Austrian nurses charged with the deaths of 49 patients in 1991. Ross's script assumes that, according to media rumours, their death count was much larger. The play embarks upon an attempt to explain the actions of these women through a narrative that addresses as many moral conundrums as the nurses' epic body count. The stage is simply set: white bathtubs are dim
Edinburgh Festival •

Beach Body Ready

This article is from 2019 Beach Body Ready explores the pertinent issue of self-image with enough energy and rigour to send any body-shaming individual running. Through a mixture of frank discussion, angsty choreography and music video-style film clips, Rachael, Josie and Sarah bare all, emotionally and physically, in this stunning piece of theatre. The girls begin by declaring that this is about them, preparing the audience for the fact that things are going to get personal. What follows is a