Ms Lucy Tyler

Biography

Ms Lucy Tyler is currently working as a Lecturer in Performance Practices and Industries in the Department of Film, Theatre & Television, University of Reading , United Kingdom. Responsibilities: Creative Connections Coordinator Alumni Relations Coordinator Social Media Coordinator Minghella Studios Coordinator   Areas of Interest: My work attends to the politics of contemporary British dramaturgies. I am broadly concerned with exploring theatrical processes and development models. This includes areas such as development and rehearsal, studio and ensemble based practices, the subsidy of development and commissioning and curatorial models in theatre buildings. My work interrogates how practitioners, companies and buildings approach the development of new work. I explore the politics of these processes and the possible ways in which they might be documented and discussed. In 2017, in partnership with South Street Arts Centre, I was the recipient of an Arts Council grant that enabled me to commence my project "Development and Diversity Through Theatre" https://www.reading.ac.uk/ftt/creative-connections/ftt-development-and-diversity-through-theatre.aspx This project, in operation between 2017-2019, allows me to support and facilitate the development of six new commissioned works at the Minghella Studios and at South Street Arts Centre, in Reading. The aim of this project is to collaborate with a diverse range of practitioners and companies, to trial innovative models for the development of their work, and document the process. As well as my work on development with practitioners and companies, I also attend to development practices in theatre buildings. I am working on a second project that explores the development models operating in nine key state-subsidised theatres in England. These theatres are West Yorkshire Playhouse, Plymouth Drum, The Birmingham Repertory Theatre, The Mercury Theatre, The Liverpool Everyman, The Manchester Royal Exchange, The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal Court Theatre and The National Theatre. The first stage of this project involved exploring the presentation of development at the theatres by directors, dramaturgs and producers. The second stage involves working with artists commissioned by these theatres to explore their experience of development. Together, these case studies in development will form the basis for my PhD thesis entitled Revolutionary Playmaking: A Radical Praxis for Development that I'm currently undertaking at Central School of Speech and Drama. Teaching I teach across a range of undergraduate modules, including practical modules (Making Meaning, Creative Practice: Theatre, Ensemble Practices) as well as theoretical modules (Alternative Forms in Theatre). Ensemble Practices is a 3rd year critical optional module based on my current research. I supervise Advanced Practical Projects in Theatre, including both scripted and devised work and, each year, I also supervise a large-scale first year practice-based project in theatre.  

Research Interest

My work attends to the politics of contemporary British dramaturgies. I am broadly concerned with exploring theatrical processes and development models. This includes areas such as development and rehearsal, studio and ensemble based practices, the subsidy of development and commissioning and curatorial models in theatre buildings. My work interrogates how practitioners, companies and buildings approach the development of new work. I explore the politics of these processes and the possible ways in which they might be documented and discussed. In 2017, in partnership with South Street Arts Centre, I was the recipient of an Arts Council grant that enabled me to commence my project "Development and Diversity Through Theatre" https://www.reading.ac.uk/ftt/creative-connections/ftt-development-and-diversity-through-theatre.aspx