Dr Ava Hunt

About

Associate Professor of Applied Theatre and Programme Leader for the MA Applied Theatre and Education. I am also a freelance artist running an applied theatre production company based in Derbyshire.

Information on my PhD by publication

Three interconnected solo performances explore the bystander role. Why do some people risk their own lives to save others? What makes someone compelled to act? My methodology used a/r/tography mixed method data collection approaches. Through the roles of artist, researcher, and teacher I worked with almost 5,000 participants/audiences. These productions toured schools, theatres, festivals and academic conferences over a ten-year period investigating agency and activism within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Through participation, the productions explored how we activate the tritagonist the third voice in a conflict.

Thesis title

Tritagonist Theatre: Investigating the activation of the bystander through three interconnected solo performances

Supervisors

Research interests

2009 - 2010 - I'm No Hero toured nationally. The material draws on key historical events during the Holocaust and a contemporary story in Palestine. This production received funding from the Arts Council funding and the University of Derby Research
2013 - Working with UG Applied Drama students Michael Morporgo's book The Kites Are Flying was adapted for year 6 pupils in schools. Part of my research included working in the West Bank and worked with theatre companies: The Freedom Theatre in Jenin, and The Alrowwad Centre in Aida Refugee Camp near Bethlehem delivering workshops with children. This generated filmed material that was then adapted and performed at Derby Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse
2014 - Commissioned by Amnesty International (Wirksworth) I created a third solo performance called "Acting Alone" toured in 2015, both nationally and internationally. The piece continued to explore the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and the role of the bystander
2017 - Delivering workshops in schools looking at migration and social division using in-role Mantle of the Expert with young people and teachers in collaboration with Dr. Redman in Delhi India
2016 - 2017 - The British Council funded me to research using autobiographical and verbatim material whilst working with refugees and asylum seekers. Following a six-month period of international travel and research developing ideas for a new piece of theatre with artists in Australia focusing on the themes of young refugees. The material performed to audiences as part of National Refugee Week (June 2017)
2019 - "Journeys of Destiny" told the verbatim story of Syrian Saad Alkassab. This successfully toured schools and theatres throughout the region
2019 - "Real for Me" was a new research piece using drama to investigate the effect of social media and pornography on young people's relationships as part of the Relationships & Sex Education. It was funded by Arts Council England and Derbyshire Police Commissioner. UG Applied Drama students developed the research material. This research was published as a chapter
2019 -2022 - "Destines" a co-creation piece with young people with care experience and young unaccompanied asylum seekers with Sinfonia Viva, Orchestra Live and Derbyshire County Council Virtual School. This production moved from a theatre experience to online delivery as a result of Covid-19 lockdown. The piece was a filmed theatre piece that was screened at Derby Theatre as part of the Culture Cares Conference 2021, and won two awards
2023 - A/r/tography Research Cluster - publications, regular meetings and connection with international academic community
2024 - "A Slight Ache" by Harold Pinter was created and toured throughout village/community hall/spaces researching historical sexual violence and domestic violence in rural areas.

Recent publications

Hunt. A (2019) Acting Alone: exploring bystander engagement through performer/audience relationship Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and performance
Braverman. D., and Hunt. A (2020) Creating Community Resilience: Theatre for young audiences and the mental health crises National Drama’s electronic journal, Drama Research: international journal of drama in education
Hunt. A., and Wooster. R. (2021) ‘Social Distancing without Emotional Distancing?, Journal of Applied Arts & Health Special Issue: Vol.12-3 Art-based Research in Health and Well-being During the Pandemic
Hunt. A (2022) Real for me: co-creation drama negotiating safer sexual boundaries, Routledge: Drama in Education: Editors Mary McAvoy and Peter O’Connor

Membership of professional bodies

British Actors Equity
Fellow of HEA (Higher Education Academy)

Professional interests

I trained as an actor at The Drama Studio forty years ago, and continue to work professionally in theatre, film, commercials, television corporate training.

I have my own production company developing new and exciting work in a range of research areas including working with children, and refugees and looked after young people.

My industry professional experience includes Artistic Director and producer co-founder of Tangere Arts in 2003, co-Artistic Director of Yorkshire Women Theatre and Central Line Touring, Artistic Programmer for Hull Truck Theatre (2010) and Associate Director for CAST Doncaster (2015). I have also worked with Derby Theatre as a Youth Theatre director, delivering training to Youth Theatre directors for NAYT, the Scottish Association of Youth Theatre Directors and working on National Theatre Connections Festivals 2015, and 2016.

I trained with Augusto Boal in Forum Theatre and Rainbow of Desire (1990/92). I also worked closely with Dr Dorothy Heathcote over many years delivering work to our students at the University of Derby.

My work has won several awards including:

2022: Winner Mainframe Awards: Creativity for Good
2020: Winner of Children & Young People Now: Arts & Culture Award: 'Journeys of Destiny' and companion piece 'Destinies'
2006: Winner of the NHS Promoting healthy lifestyles: Diversity and Patients' Choice Award Winner: “Quality of the drama work was dynamic!”
2005: Amber Valley Health Authority and Ava Hunt won Pamela Sheridan Award for SRE (sex and relationships education) Project in Primary Schools - a national award for good practice
2001: “Best Performance” IVCA Award for “Trials of Barry Simpkin”
2000: Millennium Fellowship Award: Performance Development with Kneehigh Theatre

Qualifications

Diploma in Acting, The Drama Studio, Ealing
MA in Drama in Education, University of Derby
PGPLT - Teaching in Higher Education, University of Derby
PhD by publication, University of Derby

Recent conferences

2015 - Politics, Protest and Performance Conference at University College of Cork, performance of Acting Alone
2015 - Performance of Hope: International Applied Theatre Conference University of Auckland, performance of Acting Alone
2016 - IFTR: International Federation Theatre Research in Stockholm, paper and extract of Acting Alone
2016 - Applied Theatre Education Conference University of New York - paper and extract of Acting Alone
2016 - Lincoln University - Political Theatre - performance of Acting Alone
2017 - ISTR - Irish Society of Theatre Research, Nottingham University presented a conference paper on verbatim and participatory theatre
2018 - ADSA - Melbourne University - Conference paper on verbatim and The Learning Theatre at Derby Theatre
2019 - ASSITEJ Norway - presented a paper on Mental Health Crises and Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA)
2019 - TaPRA Exeter - paper on Journeys of Destiny - refugees and social cohesion - how do we remove the echo chambers?
2022 - Dorothy Heathcote Now - International Conference presenting Journeys of Destiny - and the use of in the role
2024 - Performance of the Real Research Theme - presenting paper on Co-creation methods working with vulnerable young people with care experience

Experience in industry

Working as a professional actor, director, programmer and producer for 40 years some of the companies that I have worked with include:

Shared Experience
Hull Truck Theatre
Nottingham Playhouse
Salisbury Playhouse
Half Moon
Language Alive
Tangere Arts
Theatre Centre

My theatre work includes working for:

Theatre Centre
Half Moon Young Peoples Theatre
Avon Touring Theatre
Yorkshire Women
Roundabout Nottingham Playhouse
Derby Playhouse
Derby Theatre

As a Youth Theatre Director, I have worked for Shared Experience, Derby Theatre, TV Workshops Nottingham.

2010 - 2011 - Hull Truck Theatre - Artistic Assistant - responsible for programming main stage and studio space with drama, comedy, music and dance. Programmed Children's Theatre Festival, Black History Month and worked with a wide range of community groups to engage and increase diversity and cultural inclusion.

2015 - Cast at Doncaster - Associate Director - responsible for community outreach, new writing rehearsed play readings, programming master classes, and liaising with Arts Council Creative People and Places funded community and theatre engagement programme supporting community cast.

2019 - 2024 - freelance actor in film and TV and director/producer. Corporate Role play/Management training programmes.

In the media

I have worked television for over 40 years including: Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Emmerdale, Touch of Frost, Dangerfield, The Royal Today, Grown Ups, Heartbeat, Grange Hill, Casualty etc
I regularly contributed to a discussion group The Loudmouths on BBC Radio Derby (2012-2015)
I am asked to comment on social issues including the representation of older women in film, TV and theatre and refugees in Calais (2012-2018)

International experience

1991 - 2015 - USSR, Sri Lanka, Czech Republic, Israel, Palestine, Romania.

2016 - Calais (The Jungle), France, working with charities researching refugee stories for development with artists in Australia including:

Sydney Theatre Company (Creative Learning)
Belvoir Theatre (Nell Runney)
Treehouse Theatre working with child refugees
Craig Christie playwright and musical theatre writer/composer

2017 - Dehli, India, delivering workshops in schools with teachers and young people with Dr Redman on the use of in-role and Heathcote's Mantle of the Expert.

2018 - Working with Saad Alkasab in Melbourne, Australia, recording verbatim material to contribute to "Journeys of Destiny".

2020 - Vienna: CONNECT UP presented a paper with Derby Theatre and 12 European countries' theatre mediation, with artists and teachers creating access for marginalised communities.

2021 - Portugal: Masterclass for CONNECT UP: Theatre Mediation Programme - evaluation methods.

2022 - Milan: CONNECT UP: presenting hotseating techniques within Applied Drama practice.

2022 - Norway: CONNECT UP: Planning e-learning resources for Teachers Mediation programme.

2023 - Vancouver CONNECT UP: Delivering workshops - theatre mediation for artists, academics and teachers.

2024 - Czech Republic - CONNECT UP: Festival - theatre mediation for artists, academics and teachers.

Teaching responsibilities

PhD Supervision
MA Applied Theatre and Education programme
BA Theatre Arts programme: Introduction to Applied Drama