Fiona Ritchie

Fiona Ritchie is an Associate Professor in the Department of Drama and Theatre at McGill University's Faculty of Arts. She specializes in Early Modern, 18th-Century theatre studies with a focus on gender and performance. Her research examines women's roles in theatre history, particularly actress agency, female audiences, and the impact of gendered perceptions in theatrical contexts.

Dr. Ritchie holds a Ph.D. from King’s College London and degrees from Durham University. Her work bridges archives and performance practice, notably through projects like Behind the Scenes: The Hidden Life of Georgian Theatre. She currently serves on the Shakespeare and Performance Research Team and the McGill Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies.

Her research interests include emotional contagion in audiences, the material culture of theatre, and women’s contributions to Shakespearean performance. Recent publications analyze star actresses’ influence, the Shakespeare Ladies Club’s repertory impact, and female perceptions of Restoration playgoers.

Ritchie has received major grants including an SSHRC Insight Grant (2014-2019) and fellowships from the Australian Research Council and Huntington Library. Her public scholarship includes writings on emotion history and curatorial work for Dr. Johnson’s House exhibition.