Clean Break is a British theatre company set up in 1979 by two women in prison. It exists to tell the stories of women with experience of the criminal justice system and to transform women's lives through theatre. Over 40 years, Clean Break has commissioned some of the most progressive and brilliant women writers to write ground-breaking plays, alongside developing the writing skills of the women they work with in its London studios and in prisons. This is a collection of monologues from this canon. Rebel Voices: Monologues for Women by Women celebrates the opportunities inherent when women represent themselves. Offering female performers a diverse set of monologues reflecting a range of characters in age, ethnicity and lived experience, the material is drawn from a mix of published and unpublished works. This book is for any performer who does not see themselves represented in mainstream plays, for lovers of radical women's theatre and for rebels everywhere who believe that the act of speaking and being heard can create change. “A very thorough book with some extremely interesting activities outlined for rehearsing Shakespearean monologues.” ― Word Matters (STSD) “I fumed and laughed and cried. A rich, varied and timely anthology of monologues for Everywoman. Clean Break is giving actors of ALL ages, ethnicities and backgrounds an opportunity to shine.” ― Indira Varma, Actor “Clean Break has an archive of incredible monologues for women; women whose voices aren't often heard and whose experience is rarely given this level of complexity and humanity . . . A special resource that I wish had been around when I was at drama school.” ― Zawe Ashton, Actor and Clean Break Patron “ Rebel Voices is a compelling anthology and a unique insight into a brilliant, ground-breaking theatre company.” ― Kathy Burke, Theatre Director Alice Birch is a British playwright and screenwriter. Her previous work includes Peckham: The Soap Opera and Revolt . She Said. Revolt Again (RSC). Other credits include: We Want You To Watch (National), The Lone Pine Club (Pentabus), Little Light (Orange Tree), Little on the Inside (Almeida / Clean Break), Salt (Comedie de Valence), Many Moons (Theatre 503), Flying the Nest (BBC Radio 4) and Lady Macbeth (BBC Films / BFI / Creative England). Alice was the co-winner of the 2014 George Devine Award for Revolt. She said. Revolt Again and winner of the Arts Foundation Award for Playwriting 2014. Linda Brogan's writing for the theatre includes: You Are What You Eat , The Very Thought of You (both Wolseley/Tricycle); Basil and Beattie (Royal Exchange/Liverpool Everyman); Ghost Town (Clean Break); Black Crows, The Well (both for Contact). Plays for the Radio include God Can See Down Entries . She has won numerous awards, including the 2003 NWP Anniversary Commission for Basil and Beattie ; the Lefeurve/Promis Prize; the Alfred Fagon Award 2001; the 2001 Bolton Festival Shorts award for The Well and a BBC Northern Exposure Award for What's In the Cat (2001). Linda’s work includes What’s in the Cat (Contact/Royal Court Theatre), You Are What You Eat (Writernet/Hydroponic), Basil and Beattie (Royal Exchange/Liverpool Everyman) and commissions by Wolsey/Tricycle (The Very Thought of You) and Contact (Ghost Town). She was a winner of the Alfred Fagon Award in 2001. Deborah Bruce is a writer and theatre director. Her plays include The House They Grew Up In (Minerva Theatre, Chichester, 2017); The Distance (Orange Tree Theatre and Sheffield Crucible, 2014; a finalist for the 2012-13 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize); Same (National Theatre Connections Festival 2014); and Godchild (Hampstead Theatre, 2013). Katherine Chandler is a Welsh playwright whose plays have been produced by companies such as National Theatre Wales, Bristol Old Vic, Sherman Cymru, Pentabus theatre, Theatr Nan'Og and Dirty Protest. She was the inaugural Winner of the BBC and National Theatre Wales, Wales Drama Award, with Parallel Lines . Her first play, Before it Rains , won the Writers' Guild Playwright award, Theatre Critics of Wales award, and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn prize. Her play Bird won the 2013 Bruntwood Judges' prize. Her adaptation of Terry Jones's fairytales The Silly Kings was produced by National Theatre Wales in Cardiff Castle, and her play Hood was performed as part of the National Theatre Connections. Sarah Daniel's plays include Ripen Our Darkness (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, 1981); Ma's Flesh is Grass (Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield, 1981); The Devil's Gateway (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, 1983); Masterpieces (Manchester Royal Exchange, 1983; Royal Court Theatre, London, 1983/4); Neaptide , winner of the 1982 George Devine Award (Cottesloe, National Theatre, London, 1986); Byrthrite (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, 1986); The Gut Girls (Albany Empire, Deptford, 1988); Beside Herself (Royal Cou