Drama by Practice as Research - PhD

You can undertake Practice as Research (PaR) in a variety of forms and in diverse subjects. Throughout you will be fully supported by a team of specialist supervisors. Drama at Kent was at the forefront of pioneering Practice as Research and continues to lead the field.

Through a PaR PhD you explore and interrogate your research by undertaking practice and producing a performative output, as well as by producing a written dissertation of up to 40,000 words which is examined through a viva. The PhD by PaR provides opportunities to develop and reflect upon your performative practice at the highest academic level and with the benefit of excellent professional facilities and research resources. We welcome enquiries on any topic and form of practice.

During your time at Kent you will have a minimum of two supervisors who will support and guide you through your academic and professional development. You will meet regularly with your supervisor(s) who will not only guide your research but will also help you to identify areas where you may require further training or support. A series of reviews will take place throughout your studies in order to ensure that your research stays on track and that you have all the necessary support and resources required to successfully complete it.

Current PhDs reflect our diversity, with topics including actor training, autism, East Asian comedy, community theatre, Absurdism, live art, Shakespeare, translation and adaptation, Greek theatre, Grotowski, stand-up, eighteenth-century acting, neurodivergent performance, and accessibility. Recent and ongoing Practice as Research projects include: ‘Selfless Language: Acting Coordination Method Leading to Act of Speech’, ‘Minna Canth from Finnish to English: Feminist Translation of Nineteenth Century Social Realist Drama’, ‘Translating 18th Century Actresses Acting Techniques Into a Modern Performance Context’, and ‘The Burning Method: A Performance-Based Analysis of Jerzy Grotowski’s Book Towards a Poor Theatre’. You may be eligible to apply for a fully-funded PhD scholarship.

Scholarship opportunities may include the Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarship (GTA) and the Consortium of the Humanities and the Arts South-East England (CHASE) collaborative doctoral award. For further information and eligibility requirements, please see our Scholarship website. Drama at Kent is a vibrant and supportive international community of academics, practitioners, and students, connected through our shared passion for theatre and performance.

Our staff are able to support a wide range of research covering histories, practices and philosophies of theatre and performance, whilst at the same time fostering an inclusive and welcoming culture. We work closely with the two major regional theatres on our doorstep: the Gulbenkian and the Marlowe theatres. We also have relationships with companies including the Globe, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Bobby Baker, as well as working with a range of public sector organisations including local schools, NHS services, specialist schools, and prisons.

Many of our staff are theatre-makers and practitioners. Company Gabrielle Moletta, Moving Memory, The Chekhov Collective, the bi-annual Autism Arts Festival and the monthly Funny Rabbit Comedy club are just a few examples of the creative practice associated with Drama at Kent. Drama at Kent students also benefit from our fantastic location.

Based in the cultural city of Canterbury, we are less than one hour from London by train and forty minutes from the Eurotunnel making us close to both London and Europe. This gives our students access to an international diversity of theatrical culture, as well as to national archives such as the British Library and V&A Theatre Collection. Our location and excellent transport links also enable us to provide excellent support to students who wish to study and live further afield.