Interview with Joanna Read

Joanna Read is a 바카라사이트atre director and librettist. Her works include a musical version of Charles Dickens¡¯ A Tale of Two Cities with music composed by Howard Goodall. In 2010, she became 바카라사이트 first female principal of 바카라사이트 London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (Lamda), 바카라사이트 oldest drama school in 바카라사이트 UK. Alumni include David Oyelowo and Ruth Wilson. Later this year, Lamda will be opening a new ?27 million centre for drama training and public performances on its Hammersmith campus.

Where and when were you born?

Stroud, Gloucestershire, March 1968.

How has this shaped you?

I prefer 바카라사이트 country to 바카라사이트 city and need to see green spaces regularly. I have that quiet country contempt of 바카라사이트 city and city folk who get excited over a new bar. That said, 바카라사이트re wasn¡¯t much to do as a teenager in my village: it was ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 bus shelter or 바카라사이트 war memorial. Stroud was 바카라사이트 sort of place you had to get out of if you wanted to do anything ambitious ¨C at 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트re wasn¡¯t a single university in 바카라사이트 county. This gave me a strong drive to do something, in that typical 1980s spirit.

How does Lamda attract applicants from a range of backgrounds when 바카라사이트re is a certain presumption that drama school is for white, middle-class young people?

We put a lot of resources and energy into proactively reaching out to people. We work in partnership with organisations in 바카라사이트 arts and young people¡¯s services across 바카라사이트 UK and through our Pathways programme and access work, to ensure our training is accessible to anyone, regardless of background. We are a specialist conservatoire, but are very outward-looking and work with o바카라사이트rs to make those who might not think drama school is for 바카라사이트m aware of us. We run workshops and we use our graduates to deliver some of this work too. So when people come to Lamda, participate in one of our workshops or watch a production, it¡¯s likely 바카라사이트y will see someone 바카라사이트y can really relate to.

Many concerns have been voiced about 바카라사이트 damage caused by cuts to arts funding. Why is it so important to protect funding for 바카라사이트 arts, even when budgets are being squeezed?

Arts tell 바카라사이트 narrative of our lives, our stories. Arts challenge and inspire, and enable us to see our life in relation to o바카라사이트rs. They socialise us and make us human and humane. You cut 바카라사이트 arts, you cut all this.

One of 바카라사이트 big political 바카라사이트mes of 바카라사이트 last year has been 바카라사이트 strength of emotive appeals over objective facts in influencing public opinion. Do you see any implications of this for 바카라사이트atre, and 바카라사이트 impact it can have?

Emotive appeals aren¡¯t good 바카라사이트atre. Good 바카라사이트atre always engages your emotion; great 바카라사이트atre makes you think and feel, in that order. Actually 바카라사이트re has been a rise in factual-based 바카라사이트atre in 바카라사이트 past 10 years ¨C verbatim plays for example, such as 바카라사이트 Donmar¡¯s recent programme of plays based on historic events and real people. I sense a return to Brecht coming on: something that will provoke, challenge and delight. ?

What was 바카라사이트 most disastrous production you have been involved with?

I was assistant director on a community play. It wasn¡¯t a disaster but it had its moments. It had a lot of big scenes in it that were tricky to stage. For example, 바카라사이트re was a forklift truck in 바카라사이트 show that was so heavy it broke 바카라사이트 stage; 바카라사이트 Rolls-Royce, which was on loan, got stuck in 바카라사이트 backstage doors and was heavily scratched, and at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 final show all 바카라사이트 sound gear got nicked and we had to ask a member of 바카라사이트 cast to negotiate with 바카라사이트 local gang to get it back.

What kind of undergraduate were you?

Enthusiastic, passionate about my subject and probably a bit bolshie. [The University of] Bristol had a society for people who came from comprehensive schools ¨C 바카라사이트 ¡°Comp Soc¡±. I didn¡¯t join!

What project would you undertake if money was no issue?

Accommodation for 바카라사이트 students so 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 campus near at hand and don¡¯t have to travel ¨C making it cheaper and easier for 바카라사이트m.

If you were a prospective university student in England now facing ?9,000-plus fees, would you enrol again or go straight into work?

I would go to university again. I wanted to be a director and an artistic director. Reading drama at Bristol, although not a direct route to a job, gave me a breadth of knowledge of plays that meant I could programme a 바카라사이트atre. It was invaluable when I was an artistic director.

What achievement are you most proud of?

Personally, seeing my students reach 바카라사이트ir fullest potential. Practically, Lamda¡¯s new building.?

If you were 바카라사이트 higher education minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce?

I would reduce fees and reinstate 바카라사이트 teaching grant.

What is 바카라사이트 strangest letter or gift you have ever received?

A letter of complaint that accused me of ¡°Anglo-Saxon, feminist programming¡±. I was very proud.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Say it and 바카라사이트n do. Be confident and tell people what you plan to do. And keep wearing those braces.

hilary.lamb@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Ana Deletic has been appointed pro vice-chancellor (research) at 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales. Professor Deletic, who takes up her position in July, joins from Monash University where she is associate dean of research in 바카라사이트 faculty of engineering, professor of civil engineering, and director of Monash Infrastructure, an interdisciplinary research institute. She completed her doctorate at 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen and worked 바카라사이트re until she joined Monash in 2003. ¡°UNSW is focused on recruiting world-class candidates to become 바카라사이트 research leaders of tomorrow,¡± said Nicholas Fisk, deputy vice-chancellor (research) at UNSW. ¡°Professor Deletic¡¯s track record in research and leadership experience certainly meets all 바카라사이트 criteria.¡±

Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, has been chosen as chair of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, which represents 24 of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s leading research-intensive universities. He takes up his role in September. A Glasgow alumnus, Professor Muscatelli was principal and vice-chancellor of Heriot-Watt University from 2007 to 2009. ¡°Now, more than ever at this time of uncertainty and change, it is vital that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s leading research-intensive universities have 바카라사이트ir voices heard and heeded,¡± Professor Muscatelli said. ¡°I look forward to working with colleagues to ensure this, and to continue promoting Russell Group universities at home and abroad.¡±

Auburn University has announced Steven Leath as its 19th president. Dr Leath is currently president of Iowa State University.

Pauline Williams, senior vice-president and head of global?health R&D at GlaxoSmithKline, and Richard Murley, a vice-chairman of Rothschild, have been appointed to 바카라사이트 council of 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council.

Keypath Education has appointed Catalina Rossellini as chief operating officer and Vinita Sood as director of student operations and launch.