Theatre Conversations

Birkbeck Centre for Contemporary Theatre’s Theatre Conversations have been a critical part of the Centre for Contemporary Theatre’s programming since its inception. Framed as interviews and debates rather than lectures, they facilitate conversation between theatre makers, critics, scholars and audience members.  They offer genuine colloquy and the exchange of ideas between all participants, resulting in the production of new knowledge, rather than the dissemination of existing knowledge.  Recent events have examined the uses of nineteenth century fiction in the creation of new contemporary performance works, and the role of theatre and performance in advancing progressive education with young people and adults.

For 2012, Birkbeck’s Theatre Conversations include:

• Surviving and Thriving: Emerging Theatre Companies
  Wednesday 16 May 2012, 7.40-9pm
  Panel discussion chaired by Andrew Dickson (theatre critic, The Guardian). A theatre conversation with the artistic leaders of several emerging theatre companies working different fields, with different incomes, structures and aspirations.  With Jack Lowe and Sophie Larsmon of Curious Directive, Ant Stones of Never Say Theatre and Tea Fuelled, Simon Pittman of Rough Fiction, and Paschale Straiton of redherring.
  Presented as part of Arts Week 2012.
  Listen to this discussion online now
• What is Research outside the academy?
  Thursday, 31^st May 2012, 6.30-8pm
  Panel discussion chaired by Christopher Cook (broadcaster and journalist).  A panel discussion on the nature and role of research outside the academy.  We will consider whether research in arts practice and criticism resembles academic research, the forms this research might take, the role it plays in this work, and how it might be communicated to public audiences. The speakers are some of the Centre's research fellows who work in journalism, theatre making and broadcasting.
  Speakers include:
  -- Christopher Cook (chair of the event) who is a broadcaster and critic
  -- Andrew Dickson: Theatre Editor, The Guardian
  -- Bruno Roubicek, performer and theatre maker
  -- Rajni Shah, performer and theatre maker
  -- Eliane Glaser, writer and radio producer
  The event will take place at 6.30 to 7.45pm on the first floor of 32 Tavistock Square (please press the 'theatre studies' buzzer at the front door to get in).  The event is free and does not need to be booked.

Theatre conversations 2011

• Original Practices 9.2.11
• Adaptation Arts Week 24.5.11

Theatre conversations 2010

• Participation and Activism 25.2.10
• Regional Theatre 9.12.10

See a full list of past speakers

In the past, we have welcomed distinguished speakers including:

• Samuel West
• Phillip Ridley
• Alecs Sierz
• Richard Bean
• Janelle Reinelt
• David Edgar
• Lyn Gardner
• Karen Fricker
• John Stokes
• Josie Rourke
• Simon Stephens
• Sean Holmes
• Colin Teevan
• Rebecca Lenkiewicz
• Roy Williams
• Grayson Perry
• Diane Torr
• Simon Scardifield