Karen Tomlin’s research explores how both wider social histories and the structures of institutions have shaped perceptions of female black British directors’ skills, knowledge, expertise and interests within the field of theatre-making.  Deep-rooted perceptions of the black female body, identifiable in nineteenth-century discourses on feminine pathologies have informed not only the cultural othering of black women within society but within the institutional spaces of the creative industries.

This talk considers the significance of factors such as point of entry into the creative industries, influences, training, mentors and allyships, as well as the challenges of attempting to assimilate and sustain the performances and affectations often associated with the theatre director, as generated through the prism of whiteness. Tomlin proposes that black directors seek to become ordinary and through this, they will become extraordinary, retaining their own distinct and unique identities of not only being black but also British.

Karen Tomlin has worked as a Theatre Practitioner and Artist for over twenty five years. She initially trained as an actor, studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Working for theatre companies such as The Globe and The National Theatre. As a theatre director making work for theatre companies such as Paines Plough, Clean Break, The Gate, and Ovalhouse Theatre and the Theatre Royal Stratford East. 

She has extensive experience working within actor training conservatoires; these include Royal Central school of Speech and Drama, Arts Educational, Rose Bruford, RADA. Guildhall Drama School and currently at LAMDA. 

She is a qualified teacher in Post Compulsory Education ( University College London, Institute of Education) and has a Masters in Applied from ( Royal Central School of Speech and Drama). She recently submitted her doctoral research at Queen Mary University of London entitled The ‘Body Out of Place: The Conundrum of the Black Female Theatre Director.

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