Research programme
The Communication of Fear
I research how horror is made for the stage: the dramaturgy, craft and cultural traditions that theatre-makers use to create fear. My work brings horror studies and theatre and performance studies into dialogue.
The central question
How is fear communicated through stories, performance, media and culture?
Fear is one of humanity's oldest forms of communication. It has travelled through folklore, ghost stories, myths, theatre, literature, film and digital media, changing and acquiring new meanings as it moves.
Horror is one of the most studied genres in film and literature, yet its life on stage has received far less attention. This programme sets out to change that.
Research themes
How does live performance create fear?
Dramaturgy, atmosphere, design and performance: the craft theatre-makers use to build dread on stage.
Why do stories of fear endure?
Folklore, urban legends, ghost stories and myth: how they preserve cultural memory and reflect social anxieties.
How do fear narratives travel?
From oral tradition and print to film, podcasts and the internet: how each new medium reshapes a horror story.
How does culture shape fear?
Every society tells stories about what it fears. Those stories reveal histories, beliefs and shared anxieties.
Current research · Doctoral project
Developing a Framework for Effective Horror Theatre
How do theatre practitioners intentionally create effective horror? Through creative experimentation, performance analysis and practitioner reflection, this practice-based project at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire develops a practical framework for theatre-makers and contributes to scholarship in horror studies and performance studies. Its practice will be seen in the new production Twelve.
Future research · In development
Staging Folk Horror
How can theatre make folk horror, and what does the genre gain or lose on stage? Drawing on the legends of the West Midlands, this project will test site-specific and studio approaches to staging folk horror with heritage partners.
Research in practice
Practice is central to my research. Performance is not simply an outcome of research; it is one of the methods through which knowledge is created.
Productions function as research laboratories, where ideas about the craft of horror are tested in the rehearsal room rather than only on the page.
Collaborate
The Communication of Fear welcomes collaboration with theatre companies, heritage organisations, researchers and educators.