Sophie Bush

Dr. Sophie Bush is an Associate Head at the Sheffield Creative Industries Institute (University of Sheffield), where she oversees Film and Theatre course delivery. Her research focuses on contemporary women playwrights in 20th and 21st century theatre, with notable work on Timberlake Wertenbaker, Caryl Churchill, and Laura Wade. She currently co-authors a monograph on Laura Wade’s oeuvre with Dr. Henry Bell.

Education: Holds a PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies, evidenced by her doctoral study on Timberlake Wertenbaker, which became her first monograph The Theatre of Timberlake Wertenbaker.

Research Interests: Her work emphasizes uncovering lesser-known plays by women, exploring tenderness in performance, and analyzing intersections of theatre and politics. She advocates for gender equity in mainstream theatre criticism through genealogical studies of women’s playwriting traditions.

Professional Activities: Serves as an External Examiner for the BA Drama & Theatre Practice at the University of Hull. Supervises postgraduate research, including Claudia Haley’s thesis on neo-burlesque’s performer-audience dynamics.

Research Affiliations: Active member of the Humanities Research Centre and Culture and Creativity Research Institute at the University of Sheffield.