Xristina Penna

Xristina Penna is a Senior Lecturer in Performance Research at the University of Derby’s College of Arts, Humanities and Education. Her work bridges cognitive science and performance design, focusing on participatory practices and embodied cognition. She explores how scenographic methodologies can create immersive, co-creative experiences through error, uncertainty, and exposure of process.

Key research interests include post-representational performance design, cognitive ecologies in theatre, and the ethics of spatial design for audience interaction. Her work has been presented globally at venues like the International Federation for Theatre Research (IFTR), Cognitive Futures in the Arts conferences, and the UK Festival of Performance Design.

Recent outputs include the Scenographic Contraptions series (2023-2024), examining co-created scenography through error aesthetics, and the Hello Stranger exhibition series (2019-2024). She also investigates pedagogical frameworks linking practice-based research to teaching, as seen in her 2022 conference paper on Invisible Journeys.

Penna’s methodologies emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration, combining cognitive theory with hands-on performance design. Her 2024 article in Theatralia details how inefficiency and unpredictability in design can foster collective participation. While no formal awards are listed, her prolific output and conference engagements highlight sustained contributions to contemporary performance discourse.