Performing multilingualism workshop with Anne Berelowitch

Postgraduate students are invited to apply for a workshop on performing multilingualism in practise and performance with French writer, translator, and stage director Anne Berelowitch, as part a research project led by Dr Margherita Laera, from the Department of Drama and Theatre in the School of Arts.

The workshop will run from Monday 8 to Friday 12 July 2019, 10-6pm, at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD), University of London. The workshop will consist of specific improvisation exercises, designed to experience and understand the dramaturgical value of bi/multilingual performance, and the strategies that are needed for multilingual performances for monolingual audiences.

Participants will be invited to co-design and perform multilingual versions of existing scripts: authors and scenes will be chosen in accordance with the group’s linguistic competencies, so that the language mix is as rich and meaningful as possible. The workshop will culminate in a work-in-progress showing on Friday for an invited audience.

The workshop is part of the AHRC-funded project ‘Performing Multilingualism for Monolingual Audiences: Creative Strategies and Practices in Contemporary European Theatre’, for which Margherita is co-PI alongside Professor Peter Boenisch (RCSSD).

Applications are welcome from postgraduate students in acting, directing, dramaturgy and playwriting who have at least two years of training. Performing experience is not necessary, but all participants will be asked to take part in some of the improvisations. Applicants should submit a 1-page CV, indicating their skills and language competencies. Participants must commit to their availability during the entire week of the workshop.

The deadline for applications is 8 March 2019. To apply, please email by Dr Margherita Laera at: M.Laera@kent.ac.uk

A workshop with Greek theatre director Anestis Azas is also planned for April, see call for applications here: https://www.kent.ac.uk/arts/newsandevents/index.html?view=2057

Medicine, emotions and ethics among topics for 2019 Philosophy Reading Weekend

The Department of Philosophy recently ran another successful Philosophy Reading Weekend on 23-24 February, with papers and discussions converging on the topics of medicine, emotions and ethics. The walk to the coast came complete with enlightening discussions and splendid weather.

Maddie Smith presented on anger and political emotion, Hugh Robertson-Ritchie presented on chronic fatigue syndrome and phenomenology, Alyx Robinson presented on optimism and transhumanism, and Michael Wilde was working the epistemological angles, having recruited a dozen new members for the Centre for Reliabilism. The idea of a murder mystery event was discussed for next year.

Following the event, Head of Department, Todd Mei commented: “Philosophy happens in many different ways, and one of the most memorable and significant of those can be outside the lecture hall or seminar room and in an informal space shared by inquisitive and open minds. The Philosophy Reading Weekend has never failed to deliver on that front!”

Seen on the Department of Philosophy’s Facebook group: “Thanks to everyone who came to the Reading Weekend this weekend. We had a great time, incredible weather, and those cakes, as always, were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!”

Funny Rabbit celebrates International Women’s Day

Funny Rabbit, the new comedy club created by Dr Oliver Double, Reader in Drama in the School of Arts, will feature an all-female line up of comedy acts in honour of International Women’s Day, in its second show on Friday 8 March 2019 in The Gulbenkian.

Funny Rabbit is a new kind of comedy club – radical and exciting, but also warm and snuggly as a bunny rabbit. Whether you’ve never seen live comedy before or you’ve been watching it for decades, Funny Rabbit is for you.

The all-female line up includes headliner Tanyalee Davis, as well as Wendy Wason and Carriann Redneck. In addition, two students from the School of Arts will be performing guest acts: Pia Sharp and Annaleise Sansum, who are both studying on the BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre programme.

Remarking on the special show, Olly said: ‘I’m very proud that the second ever Funny Rabbit show is celebrating International Women’s Day. The only shameful thing about it is that by compering the show, I’m ruining an otherwise all-female bill’.

You can book tickets for Funny Rabbit on the Gulbenkian website: here: https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/event/funny-rabbit-comedy-club-3/

Kent’s first Economics Summit

The first Kent Economics Summit – ‘Economics in Today’s World’ – will take place on Saturday 2nd of March in Templeman Lecture Theatre from 11.00 – 17.00.

This student-led initiative, involving both the Kent Economics Society and Kent Invest will include inspiring talks from:

  • Dr Linda Yueh, economist, broadcaster and writer
  • Dr James Warren, research economist and School of Economics alumnus
  • Iria Camba Florez de Losada, Senior Analyst at Compass Lexecon and School of Economics alumna

The day will also include an entertaining debate on the topic ‘Is Economics Useless?’, featuring Economics lecturers, Drs Alfred Duncan and Amrit Amirapu. Plus there will be a chance to network with speakers and other students over lunch and refreshments.

It promises to be an interesting and fun day – so make sure you book your place here.

The summit is open to all Kent students and is sponsored by the Kent Opportunity Fund.

Peter and the Wolf

Peter and the Wolf to be performed by University musicians

One of the great orchestra fairy-tales comes alive in Colyer-Fergusson Hall on Sunday 10 March in a concert for all the family, as University musicians gather to perform Prokofiev’s popular ‘Peter and the Wolf,’ with narration by Senior Lecturer in Drama, Will Wollen.

Current musicians and musical alumni, under the baton of Director of Music, Susan Wanless, will present the enduring story of Peter, his animal friends and the Big Bad Wolf at 15.00 in an hour-long event. Narrator Will Wollen was formerly Artistic Director of the Theatre Royal Margate, and his stage performances range from the West End and the National Theatre to rural touring, and he is also the Humanities Faculty Director for Public Engagement at Kent.

Tickets are £8 (full) and £5 for students and children; details are available on Gulbenkian website.

 

KTV Film Festival 2019

Five students from the School of Arts will have their own directorial features showcased at the forthcoming KTV Film Festival 2019, to be held in Gulbenkian cinema on Saturday 16 March.

The festival is organised by KTV, Kent Union’s television station, and is independent of any curricular film practice. The festival aims to showcase the outstanding talent from student filmmakers at Kent.

The films by School of Arts students include:

SECL student Dominic Taylor, who is studying on the BA (Hons) in Religious Studies and Philosophy, has also directed a contribution entitled Waiting for Certainty.

The filmmakers have dedicated weeks of their time to adhere to each of the key component of filmmaking, giving them the opportunity to use skills vital in the film industry and tell sophisticated stories. The festival aims to be a celebration of film, friends and fulfilment, as well as a chance to hear from our directors themselves and learn about their experiences on set. All are welcome to the festival, where from cast and crew, family and friends will be present.

Entrance to individual films costs £3; an all-day ticket costs £12, with an option of a VIP ticket including access to buffet lunch and glass of Prosecco or soft drink at £14.

For full details, please see the KTV Facebook page.

Unravelling the mysteries of the menopause and the taboo!

The Learning and Organisational Development Team will be running a seminar on HRT and The Menopause on Friday 8 March 2019 in Keynes Seminar room 16, Keynes College, Canterbury campus starting at 10.00am until 12.00. (Originally organised to take place at the Medway campus).

This important seminar will provide information, advice and guidance on the Menopause, how it affects women and the impact of this from a work perspective.

This seminar will be delivered in two parts:

Part 1 a presentation by Anita Ralph MSc (Herbal Medicine), MNIMH MCPP, who will share and open for discussion holistic medical approaches in treating the symptoms of The Menopause.

Part 2 of the seminar will be a presentation by Miss Anne Henderson – Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, who will share information and discuss The Menopause and Prescription HRT, medications etc.

This seminar is open to everyone (this includes men). The menopause is something that affects not only those who are going through it but also colleagues, managers and others who are there to support people who are going through it.

If you are interested in attending, please book a place via Staff Connect.

Sustainable Teaching Conference

Last chance to book – Teaching Sustainability: Sustainable Teaching

This is your last chance to register for a one-day event taking place on Friday 1 March in Keynes College focused on sustainability in the curriculum.

Hosted by William Rowlandson (SECL) and Catherine Morris (Sustainability team) the event is open to academic teaching staff and students. Interested staff from professional services department are also welcome to attend.

Following on from the University’s commitment to embed sustainability into all areas of operation, this one-day event will feature speakers from across the sector giving insight into how these issues have been addressed at different Universities. This will cover a wide range of approaches from creation of stand-alone sustainability modules, incorporating sustainability topics into existing teaching and utilising pedagogy to embed sustainability skills.

This will be followed by opportunities for students and staff to look at ways these approaches can be employed at Kent, and to begin the process of co-creation of curriculum content.

More information and links to registration can be found via the event blog.

City mentoring

City mentoring for Kent students

As the spring term is underway, the University of Kent Success Accelerator Programme is also in motion.

Success Accelerator is an alumni mentoring programme for students looking to enter a City career; particularly for those with an interest in Fintech. Set up by Kent Law School Alumnus, Nithin Bopanna; the programme aims to tackle the imbalance of work opportunities, offering those without connections the chance to gain exposure, advice and experiences from alumni mentors in City careers.

Working in collaboration with the Careers and Employability Service, the project piloted last year with one mentor and six students from Kent Law School. The programme has now expanded, to include the School of Economics and the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science.

In November 2018, over 70 first-year students attended the launch event, which brought them together with alumni and previous mentees. After the successful launch here at Kent, a mentor event took place in London. Mentors from across the city gathered to share their professional experiences and gain further insight into this valuable initiative. Attendees came from a range of backgrounds, including representatives from Allen and Overy, London Stock Exchange, Intercontinental Exchange and HSBC.

After a fantastic launch, the programme has 13 mentors and a network of ‘Champions’ to offer guidance and work experiences for first year undergraduates.

A competitive interview process recently took place, which successfully matched 17 mentees to alumni. Mentees will now have the opportunity to connect with their mentors, participate in workshops and take part in a Hackathon.

We would like to thank the Kent Opportunity Fund for contributing towards the funding of this programme, which will enable valuable career development opportunities for students at Kent. We look forward to seeing what will be achieved in the near future for our Success Accelerator Mentees!

Find out more about the programme by emailing Liz Foden or Gemma Witts.

Kent Gives Back in Washington DC

At the start of this year our University of Kent in America Washington DC organised and took part in a Kent Gives Back project. 

Kent Gives Back is a community outreach project which gives alumni around the world the chance to come together by encouraging them to take part in a local community project such as volunteering at a homeless shelter or a food bank or helping tend to a garden (and much more). 

The DC chapter volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House on 9 February and made chicken tinga tacos for the residents earlier this month! The house helps keep families together, by providing accommodation near specialist children’s hospitals. It gives them a ‘home away from home’ where they can rest, cook and take time out.

We would like to say a BIG thank you to our alumni volunteers in Washington DC and would encourage others to take part where they are!

Find out more about other projects we have taken part in.

If you would like to bring alumni in your area (wherever that may be!) to take part in a Kent Gives Back volunteer project together please email alumni@kent.ac.uk or direct message us!

#KentGivesBack #UniKentAlumni