Irvine Allan

Irvine Allan is a Lecturer in Drama and Performance at Queen Margaret University (QMU), part of the Media, Communication and Performing Arts Division. He has been at QMU since 2007 and is affiliated with the QMU Alcohol Research Group. A multi-award-winning director, he specializes in community theatre, working with social work departments, prisoners, and probationers across Scotland. He co-founded the Cat-A Theatre Company, which toured the UK in the 1990s.

Education: Graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). Research focuses on offender learning and innovative applications of drama in community contexts. Notable grants include projects like Daydream in the Honest Toun (2012-13) and The Wayward Wind (2014-15), both community films addressing social themes. He also curated the French Film Festival Shortcuts Programme.

Awards include the Scotsman Fringe First Award and the Prix de Jury at Cannes (2001). Teaching emphasizes community theatre, improvisation, and playwriting. His work bridges artistic practice with social impact, particularly in marginalized communities.