AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award: Ensemble Theatre Making at National Youth Theatre: Histories, Practices and Possibilities

About the Project

Undertake place-based, industry-focused research into the history, present and/or future of National Youth Theatre’s (NYT) ensemble practice. The project invites candidates to consider the following overarching question:

How can the history and contemporary practice of National Youth Theatre be explored and activated to open new understandings of the organisation’s value and impact, that may shape future youth theatre and/or ensemble practices?

Since 1956, NYT, the world’s first youth theatre, has been a site of creative and ensemble theatre-making and education. It incubated generations of talent and fostered a sense of place, worth and belonging for young creatives through its distinctive model of ensemble practice. NYT has provided a template for national youth theatres worldwide.

Despite NYT’s pioneering place in the industry, its local and national significance, and the wealth of documentation surrounding it; the practices, impact and value of NYT is absent from academic discourse. This is not unusual. Despite the recent ‘amateur turn’, youth theatre, and the important role it plays for place, communities, society and for the vitality of the industry has been widely ignored.

This project provides a unique opportunity to uncover and interrogate histories of ensemble practice through exploration of NYT’s uncatalogued archive; and to put this into dialogue with live research on, and documenting of, new productions, to inform future practices. There is broad scope to tailor your research to explore questions in areas such as:

• place, participation and inclusion
• making and methods
• belonging and cultural identity.

Candidates are invited to proposed methodologies that will enable them to explore how ensemble practice is documented, transmitted and transformed across time, situating their inquiry within NYT’s material, social specificities. Methods may include but are not limited to:

• archival retrieval and analysis
• oral history and interviews
• digital discourse analysis
• ethnographic research in rehearsals
• practice research.

Reflecting the project’s flexibility, it can be undertaken as practice-research or written-only. It is suited to applicants with interests across histories, practices and/or documentation of performance. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are welcomed and NYT is committed to supporting pathways for neurodivergent and disabled people in the industry.

Project partner

National Youth Theatre empowers young people to tell stories and find their voices on leading stages, screens and behind the scenes.

A proportion of the research will be undertaken on site at NYT, London, working with the largely undocumented archive material, and in rehearsal rooms/studios - including up to 3 new works each year of the PhD. National Theatre Archive will provide cutting edge archival mentoring and professional development opportunities.

Supervisors and research at UAL

• Professor Helen Brooks is a creative practitioner and theatre historian. Her expertise is in modern theatre history from the 18th century to present day; historical recovery; and archives and history in creative practice. She is an experienced supervisor and has worked with museums and theatres on several AHRC projects including Beyond the Binary and Great War Theatre.
• Dr Fred Meller is a theatre designer-scenographer. Dr Meller specialises in working with ensemble theatre making and the retracing of documentation of practice to create new works.
• Dr Erin Lee is project advisor and will support the researcher with a focus on archival practice. Dr Lee is Head of National Theatre Archive and has expertise in archiving including in production and rehearsal.

Mentoring will be provided at Central Saint Martins by Kane Husbands. Husbands in anNYT associate and ensemble practitioner. He brings specific expertise in marginalised identities in theatre.

• National Youth Theatre mentoring will be provided by Rosie Scudder (Senior Producer), Karen Turner (Executive Director/COO) and Anna Niland (Associate Director)
• Founding director of NYT REP Company, Anna Niland, NYT Associate Director, has an extensive track record developing and pioneering inclusive and accessible programmes for young people.
• Karen Turner, Executive Director & COO, is an experienced cultural sector senior executive with a track record in partnership programming, organisational development and strategic planning.
• Rosie Scudder, Senior Producer, has produced ensemble shows for NYT in our Workshop theatre and at St James's Church, Piccadilly and Underbelly Boulevard Soho, as well as co-producing a national tour with Sheffield Theatres and Theatre Centre. Previously she has directed the Collaborative Touring Network (a national network of arts and community organisations working to make their towns and cities better places to be) and worked closely with disabled-led, award winning, multi-disciplinary arts organisation Touretteshero.

How to apply

See the application guidance and submit your application on our website.