Diane Hancock MA, BEd(Hons),
FG(UK)
Current roles
Programme Leader: BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance
Practice
Biography
I originally trained at the Central School of Speech & Drama
in London and worked as a actor for a variety of theatre companies
around the UK before developing an extensive career as a theatre
director and writer. In both roles I worked as a visiting
free-lance practitioner and as an Artistic Director to five
different professional companies: Actors Company, Wigan; Headway
Theatre Company, Northumberland; Hoodwink Theatre Company,
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tiebreak Theatre Company in Norfolk and lately
The Play House in Birmingham. I have previously created, devised,
written and directed shows for small and middle-scale touring
companies, repertory theatre, youth theatre and T.I.E. companies
around the U.K. and Europe.
Before coming to University Centre Doncaster, I was Associate
Lecturer to Bretton Hall, University of Leeds and have also taught
at University of Sunderland, Newcastle College, University of
Hertfordshire and was Programme Coordinator and Principal lecturer
for Performing Arts at Rotherham College of Arts & Technology.
I am also a fully qualified teacher of The Feldenkrais Method, a
unique movement awareness training system. I am a regular
contributor to the Arts and Entertainment forum on Radio
Sheffield.
Current modules taught
BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance
Practice:
- Solo Performance
- Theatre Practice
- Performance
- Dissertation
- Applied Practice 2
- Experimental Live Performance
- Experimental Live Project
- Feldenkrais
- Voice
- Digitech Lighting
Research / scholarly activity
The application of Feldenkrais Method in Creative learning.
Projects
Publications
- Co-editor and contributor for “F.I” Feldenkrais Guild UK
journal (2010-present)
- “Maastricht Conference” Direct Magazine 1997 (contributor)
- “Boxed Glass” - collection of poems and short stories
-Newcastle University Press 1996
- “Stitching the Wounds” MailOut Magazine 1994 (contributor)
- “Hopping Mad!” – collection of pensioner reminiscences Age
Exchange Publications 1991 (co-editor )
- “Fifty Years Ago” – collection of pensioner reminiscences Age
Exchange Publications 1991 (co-editor)
Professional productions
The Play House, Birmingham 2006 (Small scale
tour):
- “Mirror, Mirror” adaptation of traditional Snow White tale.
(writer/director)
Tiebreak Theatre Company: 2005-06 National
Tour
- “Mouse and Mole” written by Joyce Dunbar (director)
Snap Theatre Company: 2000 - 2004 Mid-Scale
Theatre Tours:
- “Starlight” (writer & director)
- “A Clockwork Orange” by Anthony Burgess (director)
- “Candide” by Voltaire, adapted by Mark Ryan (director)
- “Sons and Lovers” adapted by Roger Parsley (assistant
director)
- “Funnybones” adapted by Mark Ryan (director)
- “The Snow Queen” by Lynn Robertson Hay (director)
- “The Pied Piper” by Mark Ryan (director)
- “The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark” adapted Lynn Robertson Hay
(director)
Small Scale Tours:
- “Catch a Falling Star” (director & writer)
- “The Flight of the Firebird” (director & writer)
- “Crossing the Line” (director & writer)
- “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare. Multi lingual
adaptation(director)
- “A Caucasian Chalk Circle” by Bertolt Brecht (director)
- “Good Person of Szechwan” by Bertolt Brecht (director)
- “Sex, Lies, Tricky Bits IV” by Stuart Blackburn (director)
Nottingham Playhouse T.I.E. 1999 Small Scale
Tour:
- “Two Days as a Tiger” Multi-lingual play by Maggie Willett
(director)
RCAT Studio Company: 1997-2000
- “Archangels Don’t Play Pinball by Dario Fo (director)
- “Bandits” by C.P. Taylor (director)
- “Animal Farm” adapted by Peter Hall (director)
- “The Visit” by Friedrich Durrenmatt (director)
- “Don Juan” by Moliere (director)
- “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” by Bertolt Brecht (director)
Suma Venture Theatre Co., Nottingham 1998
Small scale national tour
- “Happy Jack” by John Godber (director )
Lyric Theatre, Belfast 1997 (Repertory)
- “Jane Eyre” adapted by Fay Weldon (assistant director)
- “The Sound of Music” (assistant director)
International Directors Programme (Studio Productions):
1996-7
- “Macbeth” by Shakespeare (director)
- “The Trojan Women” by Euripides, adapted by Brendan Keneally
(director)
- “Beauty & The Beast” by Angela Carter (director &
writer)
M6 Theatre Company, Rochdale: 1996
- Schools Tour of “The Sound Collector” by Roger McGough
(director)
Headway Theatre Company, Northumberland.
1992-96
Small scale tours:
- “We’ll Meet Again” (Community play) (director &
writer)
- “Digging for Demons” (director & writer)
- “The Flight of the Firebird” (director & writer)
- “Lives Worth Living” Coventry Belgrade TIE Company
(director)
Pulling Power Theatre Co., Northumberland.
1993
- Small Scale Tour of “Something Blue” by Pauline Hadaway
(director)
Living Memory Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne:
1990-2
Small Scale Tours:
- “Tea for Two” by Gez Casey, Paul Sneddon & Dianne Hancock
(director & writer)
- “Now Win the Peace!” by Gez Casey & Paul Sneddon
(director)
Age Exchange Theatre Company, London: 1991
- Studio Production “Hopping Mad!” (director & writer)
Solent Theatre Company, Southampton: 1991
- Small Scale Tour of “The Frog Prince” by Jim Fowler
(director)
Splash Theatre Company, Hull: 1989-90
- Small Scale Tour “Different Decks” by Derrick Cameron
(director)
The Actors’ Company, Wigan Pier: 1989
- Studio Production “East Lynne” by Mrs Woods (director)
N.T.C. (Northumberland Theatre Company) Alnwick:
1987
- Small Scale Tour “Lost Portraits” (director & writer)
External activity / professional links