Lekan Balogun

Lekan Balogun is a Lecturer in New Writing and Intercultural Performance at the School of Performance and Cultural Industries (PCI), Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, University of Leeds, where he joined in August 2023. He leads the MA Script Development for Film and TV and the Intercultural Shakespeare programs, and teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate modules including Narrative Perspectives in Practice and Writing for Contemporary Theatre.

His educational background includes a PhD in Global Shakespeare and Intercultural Performance from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, an MA (Distinction) in Theatre Arts, and a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He also holds an NCE in English and Social Studies from Federal College of Education, Abeokuta.

Balogun's research centers on Shakespearean adaptation, African and Caribbean theatre, Yoruba masks, intercultural performance, and practice-as-research. His work critically engages with postcolonial theory, gender, violence, and cultural identity, often exploring the intersections between myth, history, and performance. His recent research projects examine trauma in postcolonial contexts, particularly through drama addressing displacement in northern Nigeria.

His 15 most recent publications reflect a strong thematic focus on adaptation, African dramaturgy, feminist performance, and the politics of memory and naming. These works span journals in theatre, cultural studies, and African diaspora research, demonstrating interdisciplinary depth and a commitment to decolonial methodologies.

• Bayreuth Academy of Advanced African Studies Research Fellowship (2021)
• Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (2019)
• Visiting Postdoctoral Fellowship, Moore Institute, NUI Galway (2018)
• Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, University of Cologne (2022)
• NANTAP/FESTINA Best New Play Award (2002)
• Bode Osanyin Drama Award (2006)

Balogun has supervised and mentored students at the University of Lagos and continues to welcome PhD researchers at Leeds. He has secured grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Victoria University of Wellington, and the British Council, supporting international collaborations with institutions in South Africa, Ireland, Germany, and the UK. As Artistic Director of Legendaire Theatre, Lagos, he leads creative projects that bridge academic research and professional theatre, including collaborations with the National Troupe of Nigeria, CBAAC, Goethe-Institut, and British Council.