Simon Sladen

Simon Sladen is an academic and curator specializing in performance studies, particularly British pantomime and popular culture. He is affiliated with the Royal College of Art (RCA), where he serves in the School of Arts & Humanities as the person responsible for the History of Design's Performance pathway and supervises dissertation students working on performance-related topics. Prior to joining the RCA in 2017, he lectured on theatre and performance courses at Royal Holloway, University of London, the University of Winchester, and Syracuse University, New York. Since 2015, he has held the position of Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Performance at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), which he joined in 2012.

Sladen's research explores how celebrity disrupts performance structures and leads to new interpretations, as well as how perceptions of tradition and nation are inherited and enacted through performance. His recent scholarly focus has centered on cross-dressed performance, costume, iconography, and training in contemporary British Pantomime. This research directly informs both his academic supervision and his curatorial practice at the V&A, creating a unique synergy between theoretical inquiry and museum work.

His scholarly output demonstrates a clear evolution in focus toward British performance traditions, particularly pantomime, with publications spanning from early explorations of pantomime's global dimensions to more recent detailed analyses of specific aspects like training networks and celebrity reception. The publications reveal an interdisciplinary approach that bridges academic research with practical curation, reflecting his dual institutional roles.

Professional Recognition:

• Stephen Joseph Award from the Society for Theatre Research (2013) for research into pantomime traditions and genre evolution

Sladen maintains significant professional engagement through his role as Chair of the Society for Theatre Research, membership on the editorial board of the British Theatre Guide, participation in the Shakespeare North Museum panel, and chairing the Academic Advisory Board of Blackpool Museum. His academic influence extends through external examiner roles at the University of Kingston and Wimbledon College of Arts, where he contributes to shaping theatre and costume design education.