Julia Bardsley

Dr Julia Bardsley is a Lecturer in Performance at Queen Mary University of London's School of English and Drama, where she teaches courses including Practice-based Research Project (DRA344) and Research Design (DRA7103). She holds an Honorary Doctorate from Middlesex University (2007) and previously served as joint Artistic Director of Leicester Haymarket and Young Vic Theatres (1991-1994). Her work bridges theatre, visual arts, and interdisciplinary performance, focusing on themes like identity, spatial dynamics, and mythological reinterpretation.

Research interests include catastrophic personae, spatial dramaturgy, and collaborative performance practices. Notable projects include The Divine Trilogy (2005-2010), Reading Rooms (political/philosophical text reinterpretations), and Medea: dark matter events (exploring female sexuality and neurobiology). She has presented work internationally in venues like Brussels, Brazil, Slovenia, and Italy, supported by institutions like NESTA and Arts Council England.

Professional engagements include BBC Radio 3 panel discussions, academic keynote lectures, and residencies such as the Australia Council-funded Ear_Eye_Gym studio project (2017). Her publications span performance theory, photography, and collaborative art projects, with recent outputs including contributions to Kira O'Reilly: Untitled (Bodies) (2018) and The Music of Simon Holt (2017).