Research

Performance and landscape; performance and archaeology; biography, personal narrative and memory in performance; folklore and traditional performance practices; the archaeology of Antarctic exploration; devising performance.

Biography

* 1968-71 undergraduate studies (archaeology), University College, Cardiff

* 1971-73 postgraduate studies (education), University College Cardiff

* 1971-72 member Transitions Trust community arts project, Cardiff

* 1972-73 member RAT Theatre

* 1973-80 co-director Cardiff Laboratory Theatre

* 1981-97 co-director Brith Gof Theatre Company

* 1997-99 lecturer, Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, University College Aberystwyth

* 1997-present co-director Pearson/Brookes group

* 1999-present Professor of Performance Studies, Aberystwyth University

* 2006 PhD (by publication)

* 2009 Honorary Fellow, Falmouth University (with Dartington College of Arts)

Teaching

BA Performance Studies; MA Practising Theatre and Performance.

I am currently involved in the supervision of 6 PhD candidates:

Richard Allen: ‘Theatre Machines: A practice based enquiry into the performance of objects’

Lee Hassell: 'I Have Played The Fool; Landscape and The Uncanny Sublime'.

Ffion Jones: Landscaping the rural: examining relationships between performance and farming’

Alison Matthews: ‘Dramaturgies of Social Exchange’

Kerry McCarthy: ‘Living in the ice (im)age: theorising photography at the margins of Antarctic exploration’ (Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury, New Zealand)

Louise Ritchie: ‘Digital notation: New approaches to physical theatre and its documents’

Publications

Single Authored Books

* Pearson, M. 2011 Mickery Theater: An Imperfect Archaeology, Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam Press, 312pp.

* Pearson, M 2010 Site-Specific Performance, Basingstoke, Palgrave, 207pp.

* Pearson, M. 2006 In Comes I: Performance, Memory and Landscape, Exeter, University of Exeter Press, 213pp.

 

Co-authored Books

*Pearson, M. & Shanks, M. 2001 Theatre/Archaeology, London & New York, Routledge/Taylor & Francis, 215pp.

 

Chapters in Edited Books

* Pearson, M. 2011 ‘Deserted places, remote voices: performing landscape’ in Envisioning Landscapes: Geography and the Humanities eds. S. Daniels et al, Abingdon & New York, Routledge/Association of American Geographers, 280-6.

*Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Professor Gregory’s Villa’ and piles of pony poop: early expeditionary remains in Antarctica in Contemporary Archaeologies: Excavating Now, eds. A. Piccini & C. Holtorf, Bern, Peter Lang, 83-94.

* Pearson, M. 2007 Performing the Past in Half Life ed. A. Farquhar, Glagow: NVA, 49-51.

* Pearson, M. 2006 ‘Marking Time’ in eds R. Gough, J. Christie and D.Watts, A Cosmology of Performance, London & New York: Routledge/CPR, 120-123.

* Pearson, M. 2006 ‘P-p-p-pick up a penguin: men and animals in Antarctic exploration’ in eds G. Giannachi and N. Stewart, N. Performing Nature: Explorations in Ecology and the Arts, Bern, Peter Lang, 119-32.

* Pearson, M. 2006 ‘Marshfield Mummers: The Old Time Paper Boys’ in eds J.Kelleher & N. Ridout, Contemporary Theatre in Europe, London & New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis, 136-148.

 

Co-authored Chapters in Edited Books

McLucas, C. & Pearson, M. 2007 ‘On Brith Gof’ in J. Keefe and S. Murray Physical Theatres: A Critical Reader, London/New York, Routledge.

 

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

* Pearson, M. 2012 ‘’Raindogs: performing the city’, Cultural Geographies, 19, 1, 55- 69.

Pearson, M. & Matless, D. 2012 ‘A regional conversation’, Cultural Geographies, 19, 1, 123-9.

* Pearson, M. 2007 ‘It came apart in my hands: Reflections on Polis by Pearson/Brookes’, About Performance, 7, University of Sydney, 13-23.

 

Performances

*Pearson, M. and Brookes M. 2012 Coriolan/us, National Theatre Wales (NTW) in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company for the World Shakespeare Festival/London 2012/Cultural Olympiad, Hangar 856, RAF St. Athan, South Wales, 8-18 August, 2012 (dramaturg and co-director)

* Pearson, M. and Hardy, J. 2011 Warplands, Royal Geographical Society, London, 1 September, 2011. (Commissioned by the AHRC ‘Landscape and Environment’ programme Director’s Impact Fellowship)

* Pearson, M. 2010 The Persians, National Theatre Wales (NTW), SENTA mid-Wales, 11-21 August, 2010. (director)

* Pearson, M. and Hardy, J. (RWCMD) 2009 Carrlands: Hibaldstow, AHRC ‘Landscape and Environment’ annual conference, Aberystwyth University (live presentation of one hour section of web-based audio-work)

* Pearson/Brookes 2009 something happening / something happening nearby, AHRC-funded ‘Performing Presence: from the Live to the Simulated’ conference, Exeter University (multi-site performance)

* Pearson, M. 2008 Trace Dis-placed , National Eisteddfod, Cardiff ( four improvised performances in collaboration with artists of the trace collective)

* Pearson, M. and Hardy, J. (RWCMD) 2008 Winter, Groeneveld Forum, Netherlands (one hour pre-recorded audio work)

* Pearson/Brookes 2008 Three landscapes, Chapter, Cardiff (group performance)

 

Other Media

*Pearson, M. 2005 Be Music, Night, The Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet featuring Mike Pearson, Okkadisk, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, OD1205.

 

Invited presentations and guest seminars

* Pearson, M. 2011 ‘Perform or else: the Marshfield Mummers in performance’, First International Mummers Unconvention, Bath University.

* Pearson, M. 2011 ‘Deserted places, remote voices: performing landscape’, Motion in Place Platform workshop, University of Sussex.

* Pearson, M. 2011 ‘Mickery Theater’, Holland Festival, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

*Pearson, M. 2011 ‘‘No joke in petticoats’: reinterpreting the activities and remains of early Antarctic expeditions’, Sheffield University.

* Pearson M. 2011 ‘Sites of performance’, University of Falmouth.

* Pearson, M. 2010 ‘On site’, Performing Tangier 2010 conference, International Center for Performance Studies, Tangier, Morocco.

* Pearson, M. 2010 'Fighting in Built-Up Areas': staging The Persians with the British Army’, Brunel University.

* Pearson, M. 2010 ‘Site-specificity’ Royal Holloway, University of London.

* Pearson, M. 2010 ‘Practice as Research’, University of Glamorgan.

* Pearson, M. 2010 ‘Early works of Brith Gof, Myth symposium, Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

* Pearson, M. 2010 ‘The Persians’, CPR Theatre Directors symposium, Aberystwyth University.

* Pearson, M. 2010 ‘Carrlands’, ‘Researching Environmental Change’ network – ‘Living Flood Histories’ Workshop 1, University of West of England.

* Pearson, M. 2011 Carrlands, Warplands and ‘the emptiest place in Britain’, ‘Mapping Spectral Places’, PLaCE network, University of West of England.

* Pearson, M. 2009 ‘“Take me somewhere good”: performance/mobility/cityscape”, Sites of Performance: Mapping/Theatre/History conference, Nottingham University.

* Pearson, M. 2009 ‘Site-Specific Performance’, Goldsmiths College, University of London.

* Pearson, M. 2009 ‘Toolkits’, Ruskin College, Oxford.

* Pearson, M. 2009 ‘Site-Specificity’, Central School of Speech and Drama, London.

* Pearson, M. 2009 ‘Trace Displaced’, AHRC De-placing Future Memory network, Exeter University.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Performance’, AHRC Landscape and Environment programme, Landscape in Theory symposium, Nottingham University

* Pearson. M. 2008 ‘Performing Places’, Sharing Archaeology conference, Beijimg University, China.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Carrlands: Remote Voices; Deserted Places. Recording, writing and listening in an agricultural landscape’, Place, Writing and Voice conference, University of Plymouth.

*Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Who are you looking at?: performance, temporalities and the city’, Hidden Cities conference, University of Plymouth.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Theatre/Archaeology and the Mickery project’, Why Theatre? series, University of Utrecht, Netherlands.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Chorography: performing landscape’, School of Geography, Nottingham University.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Carrlands’, The Atrium, University of Glamorgan, Cardiff.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Brith Gof’s Gododdin’, Tramway conference, Glasgow.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Carrlands: Remote Voices; Deserted Places’, Lincoln University.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Carrlands’, Forum for Storytelling in Wales (FSW), Chapter, Cardiff.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘RAT Theatre’, British Grotowski Project conference, University of Kent.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘The work of Graeme Miller’, Centre for the Advanced Study of Contemporary Performance, Lancaster University.

 

Conference papers

* Pearson, M. 2011 ‘All that remains: bits and pieces from Mickery’, Performance Studies international conference, University of Utrecht, Netherlands.

* Pearson, M. 2009 ‘All that remains: an imperfect archaeology of the Mickery Theatre, Amsterdam’, Contemporary and Historical Archaeology in Theory conference, Oxford University.

*Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Carrlands: chorography, landscape and performance’ PSi conference, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Theatre/Archaeology: visualising past performance’ PSi conference, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

* Pearson, M, 2008 ‘Pearson/Brookes and Thomas’, ‘Edsteddfod’ symposium, TFTS, Aberystwyth University.

* Pearson, M. 2008 ‘Second Life: activating the Brith Gof archive’, Cyfrwng conference, Aberystwyth University.

 

Conferences organised

* Pearson, M. 2008 Brith Gof Archive Project: Rhwng Cof ac Archif/Between Memory and Archive, Symposium 4: Gododdin, Chapter, Cardiff (one-day symposium in collaboration with the National Library of Wales)

 

Conferences co-organised

* Pearson, M. and Roms, H. 2009 H. Living Landscapes, Aberystwyth University (annual conference of AHRC Landscape and Environment programme)

 

Workshops co-organised

* Pearson, M. with Daniels, S. 2011 ‘Performing Geographies’ workshop, AHRC Landscape and Environment/Narrating Environmental Change programmes, North Lincolnshire

 

Workshops attended

* AHRC 'Reflecting on Environmental Change through Site-based Performance' network, University of Leeds,

– ‘Fountains Abbey’ symposium (2010) – participant

– King’s College, London symposium (2011) – participant

* AHRC ‘Living in a Material World’ network (co-organised with Bristol University and University of West of England).

– Workshop III: Avonmouth (January 2008) – participant

– Symposium III: Bristol University (March 2008) – presenter

– Symposium IV: Bristol University (June 2008) – presenter

 

Editorship of journals

* Daniels, S., Pearson, M. and Roms, H. 2011 Performance Research ‘Fieldworks’, 15, 4. (guest editors)

Additional Interests

I am in receipt of a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship for two years commencing on 1 October 2012.

I am currently co-investigator on two AHRC-funded research projects:

* with Ames, M. 2011 joint CIs, ‘Challenging Concepts of “Liquid” Place through Performing Practices in Community Contexts’, with Dr Sally Mackey, PI, Central School of Speech and Drama (three years, commencing May 2011)

* 2012 CI, ‘Snows of Yesteryear’ project with Prof Lorna Hughes, PI, University of Wales (one year, commencing 1 March 2012)

I am co-convenor with Professor Jenny Edkins (International Politics) of the Aberystwyth University Politics and Performance Research Group.

Since 2008 I have examined PhD candidates including practice-based projects at Roehampton University, London; University of Plymouth; University of Glamorgan; Murdoch University, Australia and University of Sydney, Australia.

Links

The Persians

Coriolan/us 

Carrlands project:

Warplands project: