I hold MA and PhD degrees (British Academy funded) from the Drama Department of the University of Bristol. My PhD thesis was entitled ‘Representations of Poverty in Professional English Drama in London 1576-1642’ (1991).
I began an unbroken period of service as an Associate Lecture with the Open University in 1991. In 2013 I expanded the range of work I did for the Open University, becoming a Faculty Manager and later Senior Faculty Manager. I have been a Staff Tutor in the English Department since 2019.
I have taught and acted as an academic advisor and external examiner for a variety of other UK HE institutions. I am a Senior Fellow of the HEA.
My principle research interests are in the field of English early modern drama.
I am currently working on a study of Ian Burton’s adaption of Shakespeare’s Richard III for the libretto of Giorgio Batistelli’s Richard III drama per musica in due atti.
I also have interests in British film and recently carried out an interview for the archive of the British Entertainment History Project with the film producer Gavrik Losey.
I have devised and taught courses for a wide variety of adult and higher education institutions principally in the areas of classical studies, early modern English literature and drama and film.
For the OU, I currently teach on A111 discovering the arts and humanities and A105 Voices, texts and material culture. I am Lead Cluster Manager for A112 Cultures.
I have worked throughout my career with organisations such as the Workers’ Education Association committed to widening participation in adult education in the arts and humanities