PhD Studentship - Uncovering Taxonomical Scores for Performance: An Investigation into the Reanimation of Archival, Training and Compositional Practices through the Work of Reckless Sleepers

Project advert

Reckless Sleepers is an internationally-renowned performance company, situated between the Northwest of England and East Flanders, Belgium. Situated in the fields of scored performance, performer training and performing archives, this PhD will examine how engagement with an archive enables performance histories to be taxonomised and reanimated, using Reckless Sleepers’ body of work as a case study. The candidate will develop a practice-based methodology to analyse, critique and respond to the living history of the company, resulting in the creation of taxonomical scores that allow historical performance phenomena and training practices to be re-animated in the present moment in the form of a ‘live archive’. 

Project aims and objectives

Using Reckless Sleepers’ extensive body of work as a case study, this PhD will contribute new knowledge to the fields of archival and performance research, generating a model of practice that can be utilised by other artists. Structured over three overlapping phases, the project asks how taxonomies of practice, or scores, can be developed through engagement with a material archive (video and photographic documentation, digitised director notebooks, workshop plans, performance reviews, funding applications, etc.), attendance at live performance events, workshops, residencies and interviews. It investigates how these taxonomies can capture and categorise the interconnected strands (eg, devising strategies, training approaches and physical languages) of the company’s performance repertoire, facilitating the creation of a ‘live archive’. 

Funding

Home students can apply. Only Home fees are covered.

The student will receive a stipend payment. These payments are set at a level determined by the UKRI, currently £20,780 for the academic year 2025/26, and an additional £600 for this Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA) project.

Specific requirements of the candidate

The candidate will hold an honours degree at first class or 2:1 level in an area related to theatre and/or performance; a Master’s degree in a related area is desirable. Substantial knowledge of contemporary performance practices, including the work of Reckless Sleepers is required. The candidate will be a creative practitioner with experience in practice-based, archival and qualitative research methodologies; strong academic writing skills are also essential.

How to apply

Interested applicants should contact Dr Rachel Rimmer-Piekarczyk (r.rimmer.piekarczyk@mmu.ac.uk) for an informal discussion.

To apply you will need to complete the online application form for a full-time PhD in Performance (or download the PGR application form).

You should also complete the PGR thesis proposal form addressing the project’s aims and objectives, demonstrating how the skills you have maps to the area of research and why you see this area as being of importance and interest.

If applying online, you will need to upload your statement in the supporting documents section, or email the application form and statement to PGRAdmissions@mmu.ac.uk. 

All applicants are requested by the AHRC to submit an Equality and Diversity Monitoring (EDM) Form (September 2025 Entry version) along with other documents for a complete application. This form can be downloaded from the NWCDTP website here and needs to be sent to our MMU PGR Admissions team at PGRAdmissions@mmu.ac.uk. The information you provide is maintained on a confidential basis and is anonymised at the earliest opportunity. 

Expected start date: January 2026

Please quote the reference: AH-RP-Performance-NWCDTP CDA 2025/26

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