Dr. Alan Read

Biography

In the 1980s, Alan worked at Dartington College of Arts curating the Council of Europe Workshop on Theatre and Communities, and at Rotherhithe Theatre Workshop in London Docklands, focusing on space performance in neighbourhoods. In the 1990s, he lived and worked in Barcelona, researching Catalan festival culture, and returned to London to direct the Talks Programme at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, staging events with leading writers, artists, musicians, and thinkers. Alan was subsequently appointed Professor of Theatre at Roehampton University. In 2006, he became Professor of Theatre at King’s College London, where he established the Performance Foundation and developed the Anatomy Theatre & Museum at Somerset House. Alan has received major research awards from various councils and foundations. His scholarly interests include theatre, performance, urban theory, cultural activism, ethics, and community engagement. He welcomes inquiries regarding PhD research related to theatre fields and teaches modules that respond to cultural institutions in London. Additionally, he actively contributes to media discussions on contemporary theatre. Over four decades, Alan has operated at the interface of urban communities and cultural practice, undertaking projects that merge art with social issues, including a focus on legal processes in performance related to events like the Grenfell Tower fire.

Research Interests

Experience