Connecting Researchers with Theatres
About

TORCH is proud to partner with theatres and theatre companies across our region and beyond. Our collaborations cover a range of activities designed to benefit all parties through meaningful knowledge exchange. These include:
- Pre- and post- show public talks for local venues, in which researchers draw on their expertise to respond to the central themes of a particular production
- Researchers consulting with theatre makers during the development phase of new productions to share their subject knowledge and resources
- Practice as research projects which allow academics to workshop and explore aspects of their research through creative practice
- Creating new pieces of theatre or performance rooted in research with professional theatre makers
Theatrical collaborations can provide valuable new perspectives on research projects, as well as engagement with new audiences and the opportunity to develop creative practices.
We are always happy to hear from researchers or theatre makers who are interested in collaborating. Please send any enquiries to TORCH Theatres Officer (Connecting Researchers with Theatres) ruth.moore@humanities.ox.ac.uk.
To ensure you hear about upcoming workshops and funding opportunities, subscribe to the TORCH newsletter here.
Current projects
Cantat Ergo Sumus (2020-21)
From the Page to the Stage: A Feasibility Study on using theatre to improve EAL children's communicative skills (2020-21)
Improving Young People's Mental Well-Being through a Dance Programme (2020-21)
Leaning In: Young People bridging Science and Arts through theatre (2019-20)
Moving together: Loneliness and connectivity (2019-20)
Prehension Blooms (2020-21)
Shakespeare, Henry VIII, and the Performance of History (2020-21)
The Andromeda Project (Phase 2) (2020)
Previous projects
An Analysis of Post-Show Talks (2020)
Concepts of immersion at Waterperry Opera Festival (2019)
Genomes: a promotional film for the play about the future of big data and medicine (2019)
The Andromeda Project (2019)
The Performance of Production (2019)
News
Stellar advisory council announced for Oxford University's Humanities Cultural Programme
15 December 2020
New performance commission with Oxford Playhouse
14 October 2020
Katie Mitchell to become first Visiting Fellow in Theatre
21 September 2020
Oxfordshire theatres rise to the tempestuous times
Ruth Moore, 6 July 2020
HIGHLIGHTS – Life and Death at Offbeat Festival
14 February 2020
Theatres Seed Fund News 2019-2020
Dr Hannah Coleman Manktelow, 27 September 2019
TORCH Theatres Seed Fund: Award Winners Announced
Dr Hannah Coleman Manktelow, 6 August 2019
TORCH Theatres Seed Fund: New Fund to Support Research-Led Theatre Collaborations
4 June 2019
Opportunities
Engaging with Theatres
Ongoing
Events
Adventures in digital: making performance in lockdown
Thursday 4 March 2021, 12.30pm
Online - Zoom
In Conversation: Jasmine Lee-Jones and Ella Hickson
Thursday, 4 March 2021, 6pm
Online
Neon Dance: Prehension Blooms
Saturday 13 March 2021, 2pm - 3pm
Past Events
In Conversation with Katie Mitchell, Fiona Stafford & Catherine Love
Live: Thursday 4 February 2021, 5.00pm - 6.00pm
Live Event
Online hip hop programme for 11-16s
Monday 11 January
Do You Love Me Yet: Q & A with the creators
Wednesday 4 November, 2020, 8pm
Online
Do You Love Me Yet?
2 - 7 November 2020, various times
Online
Moving Together: Short Film Premiere and Q&A
Thursday 29 October 2020, 18:30
Online
Moving Together: Online Dance Flashmob
Saturday 24 October, 16:00
Online
Humanities Cultural Programme Live Event: Katie Mitchell in conversation with Ben Whishaw
Thursday 24 September 2020, 5:00pm - 6.00pm
Live Event
Creation Theatre explore Henry VIII
Friday 26 & Saturday 27 June 2020, 7pm
Online
Webinar: How to use stories to measure impact
Wednesday 3 June 2020, 10.30am
Online
Creative Minds: Exploring the Relationship between Theatre-Makers and Research
Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 February 2020
Cornerstone arts centre, Didcot and St Luke's Chapel, Oxford
VACANCY: Part-time Project Officer
Wednesday 5 February, 12:00pm
Writing for the Stage Workshop
Saturday 1 February, 10.00 - 15.30
Radcliffe Humanities, Woodstock Rd
Call for Papers: Meaningful Evaluation in the Performing Arts
Deadline for Submissions: Friday 20 December 2019, 17:00
TORCH Workshop: Collaborating with Theatres
Wednesday 13 November, 10.30 - 16.00
St Luke's Chapel, Radcliffe Humanities
Writing for the Stage Workshops
Saturday 19 October AND Saturday 23 November, 10.00 - 15.30
Oxford and Bicester
trade and Post Show Q&A with Dr Pelagia Goulimari
Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October 2019 , 20.00
The North Wall
Fragments: A Drama Writing Workshop for 14-18 year olds
Saturday 12 October 2019, 11.00-16.00
Pegasus Theatre
Theatres Seed Fund 2019-2020
Monday 30 September 2019 - Thursday 24 October 2019
Performing Production: From Ores to Objects
Saturday 27 July 2019, 2pm - 7pm
Wytham Woods, Sawmill Yard, Wytham, Oxford OX2 8QQ
In Conversation: Dr Jack Matthews and Oxford Printmakers Co-operative
Tuesday 16 July 2019, 11am
The North Wall Arts Centre, S Parade, Oxford OX2 7JN
TORCH Presents: Life and Death at the Offbeat Festival
Saturday 29 June 2019, 6pm-7:15pm
Old Fire Station, 40 George St, Oxford OX1 2AQ
People
Ruth Moore
Theatres Officer (Connecting Researchers with Theatres)
Blog
Eco-theatre and the Anthropocene: Katie Mitchell in conversation
5 February 2021
Do you love me yet?
Jocelyn Cox, 9 December 2020
Using Lockdown
Shivaike Shah, 13 November 2020
Prehension Blooms and RoboTIPS
15 April 2020
Collaborating with Theatres Workshop
Steffi Arend, 13 November 2019
Theatres Seed Fund: Report by Hannah Greenstreet
Hannah Greenstreet, 10 October 2019
Theatres Seed Fund: Report by Dr George Busby
George Busby, 7 October 2019
Theatres Seed Fund: Report by Dr Peter Hommel
Peter Hommel, 7 October 2019
Theatres Seed Fund: Report by Prof Suzanne Aspden
Suzanne Aspden, 7 October 2019