International PG and Early Career Researcher Drama Conference, University of Exeter, Thursday 30 and Friday 31 January 2014

Call for papers

We welcome abstracts engaging with a wide remit of topics.  Pertinent questions and themes may include, but are not limited to:

Contemporary theatre and performance

  • Why: contemporary theatre/performance?
  • What do we mean when we say contemporary theatre/performance?
  • How might we define the contemporary theatrical landscape?
  • What are we doing when we meet in the theatre/performance space?
  • How do contemporary theatre/performance practices challenge, provoke, excite and question?
  • What can contemporary theatre/performance reveal about changing notions of representation and modes of perception?
  • What is the role of the imagination in contemporary theatre/performance?
  • What relationships are created and negated within theatre/performance spaces?
  • How might theatre/performance meet the social and cultural challenges of tomorrow?

Training practices and pedagogies

  • What do we regard as the notions of risk within training practices and pedagogies?
  • Alternative training regimes
  • Limitations of the human body
  • What role does performer health play in contemporary theatre practices?
  • Body-based theatre
  • 'Extreme’ performance
  • Non-theatre space performance
  • What do we consider to be the ethics of training?
  • What are the responsibilities in the transmission of training?
  • Stepping up into performance

Papers are invited from a variety of critical, practical and interdisciplinary perspectives and may also include video presentation, examples of practice and multi-media exploration. 

Contributions should be limited to twenty minutes.  The deadline for proposals is Monday 19 August 2013. Please send abstracts (250-300 words) and a short biography to the conference co-organisers: Hannah Cummings and Kelly Miller at PGDramaConference@exeter.ac.uk. 

Paper acceptance will be announced on or before Monday 23 September 2013.  The conference will begin with a keynote speaker and dinner on the evening of Thursday 30 January to be followed by a full day of papers on Friday 31 January. Registration for the conference will open in October. The keynote speaker, accommodation and further details will be announced in due course.