Laughs. Line dancers. Lil’ bit of nudity. All in a night’s cabaret show! Let our Popular Performance students take you on a journey of performative discovery from the very beginning, through the terrible times of war, and landing in the unravelled depths of the 80s comedy scene. Have your ribs tickled and your politics questioned, have your minds boggled and your funny bones engaged. Let your hair down, and join them in the Aphra Theatre on Tuesday 4th April for a medley of madness. Doors open 7pm, kicking off at 7.30. A variety performance you’ll never forget!

If you would like to book tickets please do so via Eventbrite or simply just turn up on the day!

Saturday 22 April, 10.30 – 17.15

The Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre, V&A Museum

On 23 June 2016 the UK voted to leave the EU. This symposium will explore what Brexit means for the theatre industry at home and abroad.  Bringing together performance practitioners, academics and policy makers who work in and between British and European stages, this day will celebrate our shared history, consider the opportunities and responsibilities of theatre in a post-Brexit society, and ask how we can continue to foster international relationships. As the UK enters unchartered territory, this event aims to contribute creatively and productively to conversations about the relationship between Britain and Europe, theatre and society.

£25, £20 concessions, £15 students

In collaboration with The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London and European Theatre Research Network, University of Kent

Full Programme and Tickets

Image: Copyright Graham Brandon, V&A Museum, London

The Centre for American Studies invites you to a research seminar on Wednesday 22^nd March from 4-6pm in Eliot Lecture Theatre 2 (ELT2).

All postgraduate students and staff are welcome at this event – for further information, please contact Jacqueline Basquil j.m.basquil@kent.ac.uk

Wednesday 22 March, 4-6pm in Eliot Lecture Theatre

2Comics and Anarchism

Dr Frederik Byrn Køhlert, Lecturer in American Studies, UEA

Originally from Denmark, Dr Frederik Byrn Køhlert, holds graduate degrees from Denmark, the United States, and Canada, and has been awarded major research grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Quebec Research Council.

Frederik’s research concerns issues of representation in literary and visual culture, with a special emphasis on comics and graphic novels. He is the author of several articles about trauma, gender, and representation in autobiographical comics, as well as a monograph on literary representations of Chicago entitled The Chicago Literary Experience: Writing the City, 1893-1953.

His most recent research focuses on political comics and cartoons, and he is currently working on projects concerning the intersection of comics and anarchism and the international reception of Charlie Hebdo in the wake of the shootings at the newspaper’s editorial office.

Frederik’s book Serial Selves: Identity and Representation in Autobiographical Comics is forthcoming from Rutgers University Press.

Image: original drawing by ‘The Alacell’ Wikimedia Commons

RESULTS UKC, a Kent Union Community Action Group, are hosting a short screening event on World TB Day, March 24th.

They will be raising awareness of the ever-growing threat of multi-drug resistant TB (tuberculosis) which, along with standard TB, is the world’s largest infectious killer.

They will be showing two short documentaries from the Exposed series and will have a short talk at the end.

The event will be at Darwin lecture Theatre 2 at 6-7pm on March 24th.

More information.

Registration is now open for

“Always On Their Mind”: Elvis Presley and Consumer Culture

3rd June, 2017

University of Kent, UK

Since Elvis Presley’s rise to stardom, his star image and persona has been used to sell products. However, it is through his death that his name and image can be found in seemingly unrelated locations and commodities. The estate’s company, Elvis Presley Enterprises, has attempted to further Presley’s fanbase through re-releases of his music, Graceland, and most recently, an exhibit at the O2, London. The combined effort of the Authentic Brands Company, EPE, and the ability to re-create Presley through fictional and non-fictional texts, has allowed Presley a unique position in contemporary culture.

To celebrate the upcoming 40^th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, this conference will attempt to re-evaluate and explore how Presley’s star persona continues to be a commercial success. Commodities; re-runs of television documentaries and concerts; re-mixes of Presley’s music; tourist attractions and the expansion of Graceland’s entertainment complex, are just a few of the ways that Presley’s ubiquitous stardom is presented and sold to contemporary society. Through this conference we would like to explore the connections between consumer culture and stardom, analysing how Presley’s star history has allowed his continued presence in today’s culture.

 In addition to the conference, participants are invited to take part in a screening of Elvis documentaries made by members of our industry panel on the 2nd of June. More Elvis Presley screenings, workshops and events are soon to be confirmed.

Register here 

Check here for our conference schedule 

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