Dr Misri Dey

Senior Lecturer, Theatre and Acting

I am a highly experienced practitioner-scholar-lecturer in creative theatre making and acting, solo and group devised performance, Contact Improvisation, voice into performance, autoethnography and cultural and identity studies. I work with interdisciplinary performance, across theatre, film and audio, refusing illusionary borders between art forms and instead engaging what is needed to make borderless, creative and hopeful work. This is my pedagogical approach with undergraduate and postgraduate students, with whom I have taught a cross section of the above disciplines and for who I have written modules in solo performance, music theatre, and critical thinking. 

I recently wrote a REF double weighted monograph, Making Solo Performance published by Palgrave in 2018 and devised and toured an ACE funded solo, Family Tree (2022), which has attracted growing international interest. My article on it is to be published by Canadian peer reviewed, online journal Critical Stages in Sept 2023, and a longer interview with me has been published in the Indonesian based Journal for Creative Pursuits. I was also recently interviewed by The Economist on solo work. I have peer reviewed articles for the Journal for Dance and Somatic practices and Theatre, Dance and Performance Training Journal (TDPJ) and was appointed an Associate Editor (positive action) of TDPJ in 2022. I have a strong track record in attracting steadily increasing amounts of research and matched funding, from Arts Council England, HEFCE, Research England and am currently writing an AHRC network bid. I have presented papers at numerous international conferences and symposia, and organised symposia, public talks and practice labs, with the Solo Contemporary Performance Forum which I direct. Over the past ten years, many Falmouth staff and students, as well as industry practitioners have taken part. 

I am also very active in equalities work, with my most recent research outcomes being finalised, for publication in March and September. These include three short films: Being LGBTQ+, Being Non Binary and Being Neurodivergent, made with Falmouth students and also a podcast series ‘They just don’t apply’, exploring the lived experience of Global majority creative academics in UK Higher Education. For the University, I have chaired and co-chaired the Inclusive Practice and Experience group and the Race Equality Working Group. I also work regularly as a consultant for Cornwall Council, Black Voices Cornwall and local political grassroots groups.

External Links

Dr Misri Dey staff picture

Contact details

Telephone 01326 255906
Email misri.dey@falmouth.ac.uk

    Qualifications

    Qualifications

    Year Qualification Awarding body
    2015 PhD Plymouth University
    1998 Actor Training Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
    1998 M.Phil Plymouth University
    1993 Foundation Amsterdam School for New Dance
    1988 B.A English Oxford University

    Membership of external committees

    Solo Contemporary Performance Forum

    Research Interests

    Research interests and expertise

    Practice-led research including: solo and group devised performance, Contact Improvisation, voice into performance, auto-ethnography and cultural and identity studies.

    • PhD  2015: Devising solo performance: a practitioner's enquiry. Plymouth University. 
    • Book :  2018: 'Making Solo Performance', Palgrave. 
    • Performance: 2022:  'Family Tree' ACE funded.
    • 3 short films: 'We're only human: Being non-binary, Being Neurodiverse, Being LGBTQ+.
    • Podcast series: 'They just don't apply' : Creative academics in HE talk 'race'.

    Research Outputs

    Publications and research outputs

    • Dey, Misri

      (2023), Family Tree portfolio

    • Dey, Misri

      (2018), Making Solo Performance, Palgrave Macmillan, London, ISBN: 978-1-137-60326-5, Item availability may be restricted.

    • Dey, Misri

      (2024), Hope, in the bleak mid - winter., In: Theatre, Dance and Performance Training Journal, Taylor and Francis, online, 15 (1), pp. 1-6, ISSN: 1944-3919, Item availability may be restricted.

    • Dey, Misri

      (2018), Going Solo: Dr MIsri Dey discusses the past, present and future of solo performance., In: Chichester Festival Theatre Programme, Chichester Festival Theatre, United Kingdom, ISSN: N/A, Item availability may be restricted.

    • Dey, Misri

      (2017), Can you train on your own? How?, In: Theatre, Dance and Performance Training Journal, Taylor and Francis ( Routledge), London, 8 (1), pp. 105-108, ISSN: 1944-3927

    • Dey, Misri and Sarco-Thomas, Malaika

      (2014), Framing the Gap: Contact (and) Improvisation, In: The Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices, Intellect Ltd, Bristol, United Kingdom, 6 (2), ISSN: 17571871

    • Dey, Misri

      (2015), Shaking and Faking It: when is a vibrato not a vibrato?, In: Giving Voice, International Festival of the Voice, Centre for Performance Research, April 10 - 18th 2015, Falmouth University

    • Dey, Misri and Hartley, Ria

      (2015), Solo Contemporary Performance Forum Website

    • Dey, Misri

      (2015), Devising Solo Performance : A Practitioner’s Enquiry., (Submitted)

    • Dey, Misri and Sarco-Thomas, Malaika

      (2014), Contact [and] Improvisation, In: Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices, Intellect Ltd, Bristol, 6 (2), ISSN: 1757-1871, Item availability may be restricted.

    Externally funded research grants information

    Collaborators Currency Funder HESA Category Project title Value Year ending Year starting
    GBP Arts Council England 4 UK central government bodies/local authorities, health & hospital authorities Bed £5,000 2003 2003

    Trinity Arts, Milkbar

    		 GBP Bristol City Council Solo Forum Lab £4,500 2013 2013

    Bristol Old Vic, Trinity Arts, MilkBar

    		 GBP Arts Council England Solo Showcase £10,000 2014 2014

    Anna Maria Murphy, Aga Blonska

    		 GBP Hall for Cornwall Leave to Remain £2,000 2017 2017
    GBP Arts Council England Project Award Family Tree £25,000 2021 2021
    GBP Research England Podcast series ‘They just don’t apply’ £5,500 2023 2022
    GBP Falmouth University Solo Contemporary Performance Forum Development Lab £2,000 2014 2014
    GBP HEFCE and the Higher Education Innovations Fund (HEIF) Solo Contemporary Performance Forum £6,000 2006 2004
    GBP HEFCE Devising fees and premiere of three artists solo works at Dartington Arts £2,000 2006 2006

    Research Students

    Current research students

    My research supervision specialisms are in solo and group devised performance practices across voice, theatre and movement and inter-sectional approaches to performance making and discourse. I am currently in conversation with prospective PhD students in the subjects of decolonial approaches to theatre,   gender and voice and am supervising:

    • Director of Studies :  David Greeves - M/Phil/PhD in Vertical Dance
    • Co-supervisor: Lydia Hounat - PhD. ' Intergenerational Trauma in Kabyle Women’s Isefra'

    Research degrees examined

    2022 M.Res. Ryan Wilce. The Current State of South West Rural Representation in Contemporary Theatre. University of Plymouth.


    2021 PhD. Andrea Traldi Become become: A Transdisciplinary Methodology based on information about the Observer. University of Plymouth: PhD Guy.


    2019: PhD. Alexandre Dias. Bitch-the Solo Cannibal Practice. An anthropophagic study in solo dance making. University of Roehampton.


    2018: PhD Stephen Matthews. Performing Our Lives: An investigation of Solo Autobiographical Performance from the Performer’s Perspective. University of Sydney.

    Number of research degree examinations

    4

    Teaching

    Areas of teaching

    • Solo performance
    • Devised Theatre
    • Contextual studies
    • directing productions
    • Voice
    • contact improvisation

    Courses taught

    • BA Acting
    • BA Theatre and Performance

    Professional Engagement

    Independent professional practice

    • Family Tree. 2021/2. Solo devised performance.
    • Toured Bristol, Wardrobe Theatre/ Exeter, Phoenix Arts Centre, AMATA, Falmouth University. * Live Audience numbers: 300. * Social media engagements: Facebook 568, Instagram 240 and Twitter 1,700. * Further touring scheduled Summer 2023/Spring 2024. Online journal* PRESS: Cashel, Flo. March 23rd 2021. Cornwall. 365 review, * Tiffany Truscott. 18th March 2021. BBC Radio Cornwall interview on Family Tree. Audience 5,000, * Article. 23.3.2022. St Austell Voice, Family Affair. Readership 21,900.
    • Taj A Chino Blues, 2006 – 2012. Solo devised performance.
    • Oct. 2006, Theatre Museum, London. * Nov.2006, Dartington Arts, Devon. * Feb. 2008, Bristol * Oct. 2010, Performance Centre, Penryn, Cornwall. * July 2012. Face to Face Performance Festival, Lost Theatre, London
    • Outlaws, 2005. Solo devised performance, radio play.
    • March 8th 2005 – Bristol Empire and Commonwealth Museum. * May 13th 2005 – Performance commissioned by Exeter tEXt festival, performed at Exeter Phoenix. * Oct 2005. Recorded and broadcast on BBC Radio Bristol * Commonwealth FM.
    • Bed, 2004. Radio play. Funded Arts Council South West
    • Broadcast Nov 14th 2004 – Commonwealth FM, BBC Radio Bristol. * Jan 2005: BBC Bristol – Launch of ‘Split Screen’ Festival of Black and Asian Film * July–Sept 2004 - Played as part of ‘All Different All Local’ Photographic tour, Exeter Phoenix, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, and Dartmoor. * 12 November 2006 – Broadcast on BBC Radio Bristol, Saangam, with interview
    • 1990 – 2003 – Numerous performances in scripted and devised group performance work, performed in the UK, Edinburgh Festival and Amsterdam. Venues include Gate Theatre, London, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, Cockpit Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, National Opera, Hoxton Hall, Theatre Clywd, Bristol Old Vic Studio, Egg Studio Bath, Comedia, Brighton, Exeter Phoenix, Singel Theatre and Theatre de Liefde, Amsterdam.

    Social, community and cultural engagement

    Non Executive member of Black Voices Cornwall.

    Member of  'Revolution of Nothing Network'.

     

    • 2020. Dec 14 . Keynote speaker. ‘Being a woman of colour in Higher Education, politics and the Arts’. Falmouth Student Labour Society and Falmouth Student Feminist Society.
    • 2020. Nov 22 . ‘What have we got to lose’ Invited speaker on podcast on identity by Rev.Mary McCloud. 
    • 2020. Nov 4 . Keynote speaker. Online symposium ‘The need for Anti -racist work in Higher
    • 2020. Nov 12 . ‘Women and Politics: Standing for election’. Invited speaker with Lisa Nandy, and others.
    • Oct 24 , 2020: ‘Uncomfortable conversations - Talking about race in Cornwall.’ Panel member. Fish Factory. Penryn. Black Voices Cornwall.
    • 2020. June 7 . Organiser and keynote tribute ‘We can’t breathe – a nine minute kneel and protest event for George Floyd.’ Kimberley Park, Falmouth and sister events in Cornwall. Over 1,500 participants.

    Engagement with professional associations and societies

    • Director Solo Contemporary Performance Forum. 
    • Member of Doctoral College, Plymouth University. 
    • Non-executive board member Black Voices Cornwall.
    • Joint facilitator on Revolution or Nothing Network UK.
    • Fellow of the Royal Academy of the Arts.
    • Member of Theatre and Performance Research Association Member of Equity.

    Professional esteem indicators

    Year Description
    2022

    Associate Editor (Positive Action) - Theatre, Dance and Performance Training Journal. Taylor & Francis.