Mary Luckhurst

Mary Luckhurst is a British academic, author, and theatre practitioner. ^{[1] [2]} She is the Head of the School of Arts at the University of Bristol, becoming the first woman to hold the position. ^[2] Lockhurst is the author of Dramaturgy: A Revolution in Theatre (2006) and editor of A Companion to Modern British and Irish Drama 1880–2005, as well as other works. ^{[3] [4]}

Academic career

Luckhurst has degrees in both arts and sciences and was educated at New Hall, Cambridge (BA (Modern Languages) and PhD (English)), Middlesex University (MA), and the London School of Economics (Msc). ^[5] She is described as a playwright, dramaturg and director in the front matter of her book published by Cambridge University Press. ^[6]

A dual citizen of Britain and Australia, Luckhurst was appointed Professor and Director of Artistic Research and Creative Practice at the University of Melbourne from 2014 to 2018 as part of a scheme that recruited academics and educators across multiple disciplines. From 1998 to 2014, she was based at the University of York as its first Lecturer in Modern Drama and later became a co-initiator and co-founder of the innovative Department of Theatre, Film, TV and Interactive Media. ^{[7] [8]} The Higher Education Academy awarded her a National Teaching Fellowship in recognition of her contributions to university teaching. ^[9] . Also, she has held visiting professorships at City University of New York, the La Trobe, the University of Melbourne, the Sydney and the Oxford. ^[10]

Selected works

• On Directing, co-edited with Gabriella Giannachi (Faber & Faber, 1999; St Martin’s Press New York, 1999) ^[11]
• On Acting, co-edited with Chloe Veltman (Faber & Faber, 2001).^{[ citation needed ]}
• The Drama Handbook: A Guide to Reading Plays, co-authored with John Lennard (Oxford University Press, 2002). Arabic edition, 2009. ^[12]
• Theatre and Celebrity in Britain 1660-2000, co-edited with Jane Moody (Palgrave, 2005). ^[13]
• Dramaturgy: A Revolution in Theatre (Cambridge University Press, 2006). Spanish edition La Palabra que Empieza por D (Edicion Fundamentos, 2008). ^[14]
• Blackwells Companion to Modern British and Irish Drama, 1880-2005, ed. Mary Luckhurst (Blackwells, 2006).^{[ citation needed ]}
• Contemporary British and Irish Drama, co-edited with Nadine Holdsworth (Blackwells, 2008).^{[ citation needed ]}
• Playing for Real: Actors on Playing Real People, co-edited with Tom Cantrell (Palgrave, 2010).^{[ citation needed ]}
• Series Editor since 2004 with Professor Maggie Gale: Routledge New Perspectives on Modern and Contemporary Playwrights^{[ citation needed ]}
• Theatre and Ghosts: Materiality, Performance and Modernity, co-edited with Emilie Morin (Palgrave, 2014). ^[15]
• Caryl Churchill, (Routledge, 2015). ^[16]
• Theatre and Human Rights After 1945: Things Unspeakable, co-edited with Emilie Morin (Palgrave, 2015). ^[17]

Recent edited journals

• Guest editor of special issue on ‘Actresses in 21st Century Australasia’, The Australasian Drama Studies Association Journal, no.75, 2019. ^[18]
• Guest editor with Sandra Mayer on special issue, ‘Theatre and Persona: Performing Celebrity and Transgression’, Persona Studies Journal, vol.5., no.2, 2020. ^[19]
• Guest editor with Matt Hargrave on special issue ‘Comedy and Combating Mental Health Stigma’, Comedy Studies, Autumn 2020. ^[20]

References

1. "Professor Mary Luckhurst". Pascal Theatre Company. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
2. "Baker & Taylor Author Biographies". Baker & Taylor Biographies. Retrieved 17 July 2025– via EBSCOhost.
3. Brask, P. K. (Winter 2006). "[REVIEW] Dramaturgy: A Revolution in Theatre" . Modern Drama. 49 (4): 533–535. doi:10.1353/mdr.2007.0003 – via EBSCOhost.
4. Worthen, W. B. (Summer 2008). "[REVIEW] A Companion to Modern British and Irish Drama 1880-2005" . Modern Drama. 51 (2): 303–305. doi:10.1353/mdr.0.0046 – via EBSCOhost.
5. "Senior leadership appointments in the Faculty of Arts". University of Bristol. University of Bristol. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
6. "Dramaturgy: A Revolution in Theatre". University of Bristol Research Information. University of Bristol. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
7. "Senior leadership appointments in the Faculty of Arts". University of Bristol. University of Bristol. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
8. "York academic wins prestigious international scholarship". University of York. University of York. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
9. "York academics secure National Teaching Fellowship awards". University of York. University of York. 6 July 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
10. "Senior leadership appointments in the Faculty of Arts". University of Bristol. University of Bristol. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
11. "On Directing: Interviews with Directors". University of Bristol Research Information. University of Bristol. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
12. "The Drama Handbook: A Guide to Reading Plays". Oxford Academic. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
13. "Theatre and Celebrity in Britain 1660–2000". University of Bristol Research Information. University of Bristol. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
14. "Dramaturgy: A Revolution in Theatre". Cambridge University Press. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
15. "Theatre and Ghosts: Materiality, Performance and Modernity". University of Bristol Research Information. University of Bristol. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
16. "Caryl Churchill". Routledge. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
17. "Theatre and Human Rights After 1945: Things Unspeakable". University of York Research Database. University of York. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
18. "Australasian Drama Studies Association Journal Issue 75 (2019)". Australasian Drama Studies Association. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
19. "Persona Studies Journal Vol. 5 No. 2: Theatre and Persona: Celebrity and Transgression". Persona Studies (Deakin University). Retrieved 23 December 2025.
20. "Persona Studies Journal Vol. 5 No. 2 contents (including comedy and mental health themed contributions)". Persona Studies (Deakin University). Retrieved 23 December 2025.