Dr Carmen Szabo

MA Babes-Bolyai University 2002
PhD in Theatre Studies University College Dublin 2006
MA University of Birmingham 2009

Lecturer in Theatre

Room 2.20, Jessop West
1 Upper Hanover Street
Sheffield
S3 7RA

Internal extension: 20212
Phone number: +44 (0)114-222-0212
Fax: +44 (0)114-222-8481

Overview

I have joined the School as Lecturer in Theatre in 2009, after two years teaching drama at University College Dublin.

I studied English and Spanish for my undergraduate degree at Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and I completed my MA in Irish Cultural Studies at the same University.

I moved to University College Dublin in 2002 where I completed my PhD in theatre studies, focusing on the Field Day Theatre Company and political theatre in Northern Ireland. My thesis was published as a monograph in 2007 by Cambridge Scholars Publishing with the title: Clearing the Ground: The Field Day Theatre Company and the Construction of Irish Identities.

My current research and teaching interests include: representations of revolutions in performance, Shakespeare in performance and physical theatre. I am fascinated by game and play theories and the ways in which these influenced contemporary actor training and performance in Europe. I am particularly interested in political theatres especially in Eastern Europe and I am currently working on a monograph exploring the performative representations of revolution in Eastern Europe.

Given my continuous fascination with Shakespeare´s plays in production and in the classroom, I completed an MA in Shakespeare and Education at the University of Birmingham, the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Research

I have published chapters and articles on varied topics including contemporary performances of Shakespeare´s plays, physical theatre, political theatre, globalization, Irish theatre and performance art. Currently I am working on a monograph mapping the performative representations of revolution in Eastern Europe. I have recently completed a monograph which was published in September 2012 by Carysfort Press, Dublin, telling the story of one of the most important Irish physical theatre companies, Barabbas Theatre Company.

I am interested in Enterprise Education and the various ways in which it can be embedded in the curriculum. For my story in Enterprise Education see http://enterprise.shef.ac.uk/success-stories/carmen-szabo-lecturer-theatre

Teaching

At undergraduate level I teach on a variety of modules, including Interpreting Texts (EGH115), Making Texts (EGH116), Introduction to Theatre (LIT180), Introduction to Cinema (LIT181), Performance One (LIT235), Shakespeare on Film (LIT257), Performing Shakespeares (LIT3042), etc.

At postgraduate level I teach on Theatre Practice I and Theatre Practice II.

Supervision

I welcome PhD applications on performance studies, physical theatre practice, Shakespeare in performance, globalization and theatre, and contemporary European theatre.

Selected Publications

Books

Szabo, Carmen, From the Back of the Truck to the Brooklyn Academy of Music – The Story of Barabbas The Company (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2012)
Szabo, Carmen, Clearing the Ground´ – the Field Day Theatre Company and the Construction of Irish Identities (Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Press, 2007)

Peer Reviewed Chapters in Books

Szabo, Carmen, ‘Issues of Narrative, Storytelling and Performance in Conor McPherson’s The Actors’ in The Theatre of Conor McPherson (ed. Eamonn Jordan) (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2012)
Szabo, Carmen, ‘Place and Non-Place: Discussing Physicality and Story in Barabbas Theatre Company’s Circus (2007) in Staging Thought – Essays on Irish Theatre, Scholarship and Practice (ed. Rhona Trench) (Oxford: Peter Lang, 2012)
Szabo, Carmen, "Between the Living and the Dead – Performative `in-betweens´ in the Works of Alastair MacLennan" in Sara Brady and Fintan Walsh (eds.), Performing at the Crossroads (London: Palgrave, 2009)
Szabo, Carmen, "Ex Libris to Ex Machina: Postmodern Simulations of Shakespeare´s Hamlet on the Stage of the Dublin Theatre Festival" in Nicholas Greene and Patrick Lonergan (eds.), Irish Theatrical Diaspora – A History of the Dublin Theatre Festival (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2008).
Szabo, Carmen, "Philoctetes Revisited: A Cultural-Semiotic Analysis of Seamus Heaney´s The Cure at Troy" in Betwixt and Between: Place and Cultural Translation (Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2007), Stephen Kelly and David Johnston (eds.)
Szabo, Carmen, "Thomas Kilroy´s Double Cross and The Madame MacAdam Travelling Theatre and their reception in the UK" in Irish Theatrical Diaspora – Irish Theatre in England (Dublin: Carysfort Press, 2007), Richard Allan Cave and Ben Levitas (eds.)

Articles

Szabo, Carmen, "Contemporary Northern Irish Theatre" in TeatrulAzi (The Theatre Today) (Bucharest, 2005)
Szabo, Carmen, Languages of Space and Spaces of Language, in PaGes Postgraduate Research in Progress Magazine, (Spring 2004)