Dr Joel Anderson

BA, DEA, PhD
Job title
Senior Lecturer, Course Leader MA Theatre Criticism and Dramaturgy

Profile

I studied French and Drama at Queen Mary, University of London, and trained at the École Internationale Jacques Lecoq.  Following some years working in film, photography, and theatre in London and Paris, I began my postgraduate studies at Université Paris 8 then completed my PhD at Queen Mary.

I have worked at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama since 2007.  Previously, I lectured at Kingston University and held a post at Brunel University London.  I’ve also taught in schools in Britain and France and was drama teacher at HM Prison Pentonville for one year.  

I have given seminars for doctoral candidates in Germany and Chile, and guest lectures and workshops at institutions including University of Kent, Birkbeck, University of London, Singapore Polytechnic.

Previously an external examiner at Goldsmiths, University of London, and at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, I was Visiting Professor at the University of London Institute Paris and a Visiting Researcher at Universidad Católica, Chile.

I have a long association with the Paris Centre du Théâtre de l’Opprimé, where I have performed, directed and led activities in the Paris suburbs and across France, as well as in countries around the world including sustained projects in Burundi, Brazil, and Morocco.  I regularly give masterclasses and workshops at the Centre and continue to work on its international projects and festivals. 

Recent public activities include talks at Asia House, London, and at Santiago a Mil International Festival in Chile. I advised the Tapei Representative Office in preparation for their selection for the Edinburgh Fringe, and gave specialist seminars for Chinese artistic directors in Beijing. 

My research has led to invitations to speak in France, Korea, Colombia, and Chile, among other countries, and have in recent years been published in Korea, France, Canada, and Germany.  I have translated books, articles and graphic novels, and frequently produce subtitles and surtitles for films and plays.

I was a member of the executive committee of TaPRA from 2005-2010.  I sit on the international advisory panel for Centre for Theatre Studies (CET) at the Universidade de Lisboa and am a member of Núcleo Milenio, (a cross-disciplinary grouping funded by the Chilean government).

Areas of Expertise

  • Theatre studies

  • Performance studies

  • Performance Documentation and Archiving

  • Political Theatre

  • Intermediality

  • Physical Theatre

  • European Theatre

  • Cultural Industry

  • Translation

  • Theatre History

PhD supervision

To date, I have supervised seven PhDs and one MPhil thesis to completion, and have externally examined three more in areas including intermediality, acting, and theatre history. I am currently supervising or interested in supervising doctoral projects in any of my areas of focus.

Key Publications

2019. (co-authored) ‘The Theatre of Photography’, Sens Public, Université de Montréal, http://sens-public.org.  Available at http://sens-public.org/article1394.html?lang=fr ISSN:2104-3272

2019. ‘Theatre Photography between Theatre and Performance’, Focales,  Université de Saint-Etienne, vol. 3. Available at: https://focales.univ-st-etienne.fr/index.php?id=2497 ISSN: 2556-5125

2018. (co-edited journal volume) The Theatre of Photography, Photography & Culture, Taylor & Francis, vol. 11 (2) ISSN:1751-4517

2016. ‘Between Theatre and Photography, between Photography and Performance, between Performance and Theatre’. The Journal of Drama (Seoul, Korea) 50: 5–35

2015. (with Kane Husbands, Rachel Cockburn, and Mark Evans) ‘Answer the Question: “How Do Power Dynamics in the Studio Affect Training?”’ Theatre, Dance and Performance Training 6 (1): 99–104

2015. Theatre & Photography, Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan

2012. (with Tony Fisher) ‘Rehearsing Boal’, in Theater und Subjektkonstitution/Theatre and the Making of Subjects, Bielefeld, Germany: Transcript: 627-642

2011. ‘Dramaturgy in the UK (It’s coming some time, maybe)’, in Roeder, A. (Ed.), Die Kunst der Dramaturgie, Leipzig, Germany: Henschel Verlag: 258-268

External Practice

2021. (interview with Zuleikha Chaudhari, The Alkazi Foundation for the Arts, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83WR-gi5H0E.

2018. (interview on Shakespeare) 特别呈现 人文历史 Encounter, CCTV9 China.

2018. Culture, Territory and Community Seminar, Santiago a Mil International Festival.

2017. I’ll Never Stop Loving, Festival Migractions, Paris.

2016. Seminar for Chinese artistic directors, Central Academy of Drama, Beijing.

2016. Chair, panel: ‘Being European: Before the Referendum’, Camden People’s Theatre, London.

2016. The Secret History, East 15, London.

2015 (interview by Greg Goodale) ‘Treliński. Więcej niż życie’, Teatr.

Register of Interest

Nothing to declare.