Graduate Prospects - December 12, 2007 - (Page 18)

18 PROSPECTS GRADUATE Issue 57 · 12 December 2007 · Fortnightly www.prospects.ac.uk POSTGRAD BLOGGER ACT TWO A DISAPPOINTING B.A. IN THEATRE STUDIES WAS NOT THE END OF THE DREAM. ‘An electric shock zapped down my spine Another draft? I was already on about ten.’ GRAHAM ON FORM FILLING This final performance work was titled ‘The Pigeon’ based on Patrick Suskind’s novella and whilst making and showing the work at MMU for assessment, I also began to build connections with local venues and festivals and we took the piece out into the professional arena showing it in Manchester. At this point four of the women in the group and myself decided that we would continue working together and see what might happen with an all-women, experimental performance company under the name Pigeon Theatre. I am the artistic director. My PhD research also developed me as an academic. I now have a full-time lecturing position at Leeds University (specialising in the focus of my PhD project). STOP AND THINK ANNA FENEMORE’S POSTGRAD STUDY LED TO A I chose to attend MMU Cheshire because, CAREER IN THE EXHILARATING WORLD OF again, I was impressed by my proposed EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE AND THE FOUNDING supervisor, Professor Robin Nelson, who I OF PIGEON THEATRE (SEEN REHEARSING ABOVE). found engaged with my work and ideas and challenged them, but also by the institution I was disillusioned following my experiences of my BA in Theatre Studies focusing on more which has a very contemporary and traditional practices, and working for a couple experimental attitude towards the teaching of years in a field not associated with theatre. and research of theatre and performance. I decided to continue my studies in a The PhD was another leap towards contemporary performance area in order to independence in learning. I had thought my see whether I would find it more fulfilling. MA required independence but undertaking a I chose the Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London primarily because of the reputation of the person leading it – Professor Susan Melrose, and after meeting her at interview. I took two great things from the Masters; firstly, the ability to work and think independently (also the biggest challenge). Secondly, the way the MA and Susan Melrose changed the ways I thought about performance – what performance might be, what it could achieve and how it could challenge predominant theatrical and artistic practice. THE NEXT STEP My MA thesis opened up a number of exciting questions for me. I realised that I really wanted to know more and to ask more questions and the only way I could think to do this was to do a PhD. My PhD research enabled me to spend a solid three years reading, making, thinking, writing, practising; a time that has been invaluable for me in introducing me to new ways – but also allowing me to forge my own ways – of thinking and doing. MMU Cheshire was incredibly supportive – awarding me a full-time scholarship for my PhD and also giving me some part-time paid teaching hours. All Pigeon projects have been funded by ACE (Arts Council England) on a project to project basis, as well as from research money from the institutions I have been attached to, and other smaller pots of money and/or support from places like PANDA (Performing Arts Development Agency). PhD requires absolute independence, at times bordering on a sense of dislocation or loneliness from the world of academia. As an undergraduate I had always wanted to become an ‘actor’, but after not finding anything for me at undergrad level I began to question whether that is really what I wanted. The move towards research and practice brought me into a new world of making and directing performance work, new ways of performing and also a real excitement about making work myself rather than acting in the work of others. My advice to students and graduates considering postgraduate study is to do plenty of research. Take a year out after IN THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR For my final graduating, take some time to think about practical project on my PhD I worked with a group of six women final year undergraduates your options, to have different kinds of whom I had auditioned and were very exciting experience and to make sure you are going to the right place with the performers and had strong and challenging right people. views on contemporary performance. INFORMATION AND ADVICE www.prospects.ac.uk/findcourses POSTGRAD FUNDING FACTS www.prospects.ac.uk/links/fundstudy LATEST POSTGRAD COURSE OPPORTUNITIES www.prospects.ac.uk/links/latestcourses SEARCH THE POSTGRAD DATABASE SEND US YOUR VIEWS, SUGGESTIONS AND CRITICISMS editorial@prospects.ac.uk http://www.prospects.ac.uk http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Feature_Articles/Feature_articles_2007/PhD_blog__3/p!eacLcfb http://www.prospects.ac.uk/findcourses http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/fundstudy http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/latestcourses

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Graduate Prospects - December 12, 2007

Editorial: The 2007 Experience Editorial: Bloggers At Work Boots Plc Editorial: Escape From Law NATS ABP Norwich Union SELEX Enterprise Rent-a-car Costain Oil, Gas & Process Ltd Gradweb Babcock Marine OFCOM National Graduate Recruitment Exhibition National Graduate Recruitment Exhibition Matson Driscoll & Damico UK Property Market Analysis NHS Perriam & Everett Recruitment Cambridgeshire County Council Shape Media University of London Careers Service Editorial: Act Two

Graduate Prospects - December 12, 2007

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