Dr Pen Woods

I am an audience researcher working with theatre companies to understand what happens between audience, performer and venue (and especially between spectator and spectator), and what the personal, social and political effects and legacies are for spectator, performer and venue. My research interests are both current and historical, and have a broad geographical and comparative reach including UK, Australian, New Zealand, Pacific Isles, South and East Asian, Middle East and European venues and companies. I am particularly interested in the investigation of affect and emotions, physiological attention registered in stillness and movement, gaze, laughter, yawning and coughing, and use both observational but also ethnographic and conversational methods and approaches.

Audience research is inherently multi-disciplinary, and I find, collaborative. It is always useful to hear more about diverse approaches, and establish collaborative networks of international researchers.