James Yarker
James Yarker, Artistic Director of Stan’s Café, is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts. Our students and staff benefit from James’ significant experience in making contemporary performance and leading the work of Birmingham-based theatre company Stan’s Café. James contributes to our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, giving talks, running workshops and offering advice on career development in the creative arts. Our MA students have the opportunity to undertake work placements with the company through this relationship.
James co-founded the theatre company Stan’s Cafe in 1991 since when he has directed all the company’s major productions for a wide range of settings, including prestigious international festivals and productions devised with primary school students.
He graduated from Lancaster University with a degree in Independent and Theatre Studies, later he gained an MPhil from the same institution for his thesis Presence and Absence. More recently James collaborated with Dr Mark Crossley on Devising Theatre With Stan’s Cafe published by Bloomsbury Methuen.