Professor Adam J. Ledger FHEA, FRSA

• 2018: Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts
• 2011: Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy
• 2007: PhD Performance Practice, University of Exeter
• 2000: MA Theatre and Performance Studies, Rose Bruford College
• 1992: Diploma in Acting, Webber Douglas Academy, London

Before joining the department at Birmingham, I was a Lecturer in Drama and Theatre Studies at University College Cork, Ireland, and a Lecturer in Drama at the University of Hull.

Alongside my academic work, I have directed and led projects internationally in a variety of situations and settings, including professional productions and tours, in drama schools and universities, in the community and with my own company.

I am a member of the 'scientific committee' of the Journal of Theatre Anthropology.

I have acted as external examiner for universities internationally, and have collaborated with European and Indian universities.

My teaching and curriculum development work has been particularly practical in focus, based around performance preparation and realisation, with further seminar or study options concerning the history and philosophy of acting, the practice and theory of directing, and text-based courses.

I have supervised in areas related to my research and teaching interests, and welcome enquiries, particularly from those wishing to explore directing and acting processes, theatre laboratory practice, and practice-based research in contemporary theatre-making.

Find out more - our PhD Drama and Theatre Studies  page has information about doctoral research at the University of Birmingham.

My research interests centre on performance practice, especially directing and acting, and how these are brought together through rehearsal, and devising and performer training. My research has focussed on Odin Teatret and now especially concerns contemporary directors and directing, and performance-making practices internationally. Currently, I am focussing on the work of the director Anne Bogart.

Recently, I published a monograph on contemporary directing and acting, The Question of Skill: Directing and Acting in Contemporary Theatre (Methuen, 2025) and have recently co-edited work, including journal special editions on contemporary director training, and theatre laboratory. I co-edited the book Making Interdisciplinary Performance: Processes and Practices in Collaboration with Prof Gianna Bouchard (Methuen, 2025).

My ongoing practice as research activities includes work with The Bone Ensemble, where I am co-artistic director. Recently, the company created work for the Commonwealth Games cultural programme, and is now creating a 'gig theatre' performance The Islander, in collaboration with island communities internationally. This work has regularly been funded by Arts Council England, the University of Birmingham, several Trusts, and commissioning partners. 

I have acted as external examiner for other universities and developed distance-learning materials. I have worked with several European and Indian universities.