Petra Baluja’s The Compressed Woman (2023) explores gender inequalities within the organisational structures of rural Hungarian theatres. Through a mixed-methods approach, including document analysis and 34 semi-structured interviews with theatre professionals, Baluja identifies significant gender-based disparities. The book critiques the perpetuation of traditional gender roles in classical drama literature and highlights the insufficient contemporary reflections in theatre practice. Although the study provides important empirical insights, its focus on individual narratives rather than structural analysis limits its broader applicability. Nevertheless, the work contributes to ongoing discussions on gender dynamics in the performing arts, advocating for more equitable representations and opportunities.