Re-visioning myth: Modern and contemporary drama by women examines diverse ways in which classical myth narratives have been reworked by women playwrights for the European stage. The first in-depth assessment of 're-vision' as a phenomenon in women's drama, the study explores the ideological and aesthetic potential of this practice and simultaneously exposes the tensions inherent in attempts to challenge narratives that have fundamentally shaped western thought. Re-visioning myth deals with plays from the 1960s to the twenty-first century, providing contextualised readings of fourteen theatrical works originating from France, Italy, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, the UK and Ireland. The book introduces important contemporary playwrights to English-speaking readers and audiences, placing these authors and their works into dialogue with others more widely known. The first four chapters trace the persistence of classical myths in contemporary culture and the significance of this in shaping gendered identities and opportunities. Through analysis of individual plays and productions, Re-visioning myth reveals how myths have served in the theatre as 'pretexts' for ideological debate; have enabled exploration of the fragile borders between the mythic and the everyday; and how re-vision has been regarded, not unproblematically, as a route towards restructuring the self. Two further chapters explore the intersection of re-vision with the contrasting trends of 'in-yer-face' and postdramatic theatre, and explore the unique potential for myth rewriting offered by autobiographical solo performance. Book jacket.