Drama

Presessional with Punch
There’s no better way to finish the first day of the Comms/Drama/Film presessional research event than with a new Punch and Judy performance – part of The Judy Project looking at gender in this historical artform. As always, the glorious campus and Roborough Studios provides the perfect backdrop.
MA Theatre Practice Residency at the Shakespeare’s Globe
In early May 2024, the students of the MA Theatre Practice (Training & Performance Pathway) took up a week-long residency at The Globe. Their course consisted of acting, voice and movement classes, alongside tours of the buildings, lectures, performances and a Q&A with Associate Artistic Director Sean Holmes. The MA Theatre Practice has a longstanding… Read more: MA Theatre Practice Residency at the Shakespeare’s Globe
What is there left for art to do?
Thank you so much to T.Sasitharan from Intercultural Theatre Institute Singapore for an inspiring workshop with our MAs, PhDs and undergrads on interculturalism and theatre followed by a thought-provoking Research Seminar titled ‘What is there left for art to do?’
Theatre is Dead! Long Live Theatre!
The Term 3 Festival launched with a world premiere of a new dark comedy written by Peter Oswald and performed by Peter and Howard Gayton, as part of his PhD Drama practice. The performance took place in Roborough Studio 1 on 2nd & 3rd May 2024.
The Judy Project premiere in London
Sunday 12 May 2024 – Shows throughout the day 12:30 – 17:30Come to see a Punch & Judy like none you have seen before! Spike “Bones” Lidington will premiere his show at the 49th annual Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival. Watch Ms Judy take centre stage as she navigates Mr Punch’s shenanigans, police harassment and questions their 360-year relationship.… Read more: The Judy Project premiere in London
Popular Performance Practices
2nd year students performing with their ‘Royal Box’ peepshow outside the Roborough Building, inspired by working with the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum collection and Dr Tony Lidington on the ‘Popular Performance Practices’ module.
Punch in May
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Alissa Mello, is collaborating on a new Punch and Judy show with the fabulous Spike “Bones” Lidington, Tony “Uncle Tacko!” Lidington, and Promenade Promotions (http://www.prom-prom.com/) in consultation with Naomi Paxton (http://www.naomipaxton.co.uk/) . The show is being developed as part of The Judy Project (https://thejudyproject.exeter.ac.uk/), a three-year trans-historical study of women practitioners, and (re)presentation(s) of gender and… Read more: Punch in May
Devising Discovery Day
Our second year Applied Drama students, facilitated by Erin Walcon and her team at Doorstep Arts, have run a weekend Devising Discovery Platform event for students from local schools. The students took part in a series of workshops led by the students and created a performance shown at the Exeter Northcott Theatre in the evening.… Read more: Devising Discovery Day
MA Theatre Practice
Course leader Konstantinos Thomaidis ended the term with these words: 145 hours of training later… Term 1 of studio work for the MA Theatre Practice 2023 wraps up! A polaroid that couldn’t fit us all — I find this quite appropriate, accurate even:how does one capture in a single frame the careful listening or collective… Read more: MA Theatre Practice
Physical Performances
The 3rd year Drama module ‘Physical Performance’ held a series of showings with minimal (but carefully curated) technical and practical elements. Led by tutor Emily Kreider, the groups created some powerful images, soundtracks and thoughtful performances. Photos and technical support by Lewis Mcguire
Experimental Showings Bauhaus Inspired
For the 2nd year optional Drama module ‘Theatres of Space, Form and Colour’, students explore histories, concepts, contexts and techniques relevant to European modernist experimentation with performance, with an emphasis the influence of the visual arts. Their final showing in Studio TS3 used media elements along with vibrant LED lighting colours to great effect. Photos… Read more: Experimental Showings Bauhaus Inspired
Comedy Approaching
Second-year Drama optional module Approaches to Comedy introduced a range of performance styles and techniques and culminated in a showing in Roborough Studios.
Ensemble Acting: Co-Creation
This new Drama module involved the students working in small companies to co-create new pieces of performance, led by tutors Erin Walcon and Caleb Lee. The performances shown in the photo gallery below took place in our studios in the Alexander Building and at Roborough Studios. Photos courtesy of Erin Walcon
Acting for Screen Module in new studio
The CDF tech team have re-equipped Studio TS3 to function as a TV Studio for the new Drama ‘Acting for Screen’ module. There are 4 cameras (3 on wheeled tripods, 1 fixed) which are all routed through a vision mixer / recorder. The whole system has been designed to be easily adaptable as the module… Read more: Acting for Screen Module in new studio
Dedication of TS1 to Prof Phillip Zarrilli
On 22nd September we had a wonderful nourishing evening celebrating the work and legacy of Professor Phillip Zarrilli, as we dedicated Studio TS1 in the Alexander Building ‘The Phillip Zarrilli Studio’ in his memory. A large group of staff and his former students joined in-person and online for a performance by one of our recent… Read more: Dedication of TS1 to Prof Phillip Zarrilli
Comrades at the Northcott
On 23rd March 2023, students took to the stage of the Exeter Northcott Theatre to perform Comrades, as the culmination of their 2nd year production module. The radical play with songs was written by Tony Lidington, in collaboration with Peter Jewell and the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, and is the first stage adaptation of the… Read more: Comrades at the Northcott
New Student Kitchen in Alexander Building
The former toilet adjacent to TS3 has been converted into a student kitchen, enabling students often working long hours in the building to have some warm food and a hot drink. The toilet was almost last room in the building that hasn’t been upgraded, and it looked it, but it’s wonderful to see this long-asked-for… Read more: New Student Kitchen in Alexander Building
Podcast Studio
Opened in 2021, this digital facility is based in the Green Room of Roborough Studios, and provides an acoustic pod in which up to 4 people can record a podcast or interview in an excellent acoustic environment. The Podcast Studio can be booked on our Chronos booking system, and can be used by anyone following… Read more: Podcast Studio