The building is a refurbishment of the university's former boiler house, constructed when the campus in Kingston Lane was originally built in the 1960s. It now contains drama and performance studios, a music room, and radio recording and video editing suites for students studying journalism, and film and television.
Drama graduates from the School of Arts performed Artaud's “Nerve Scales,“ adapted and directed by Barry Edwards.
new noise, an ensemble of Brunel undergraduate and postgraduate students, gave an inspiring musical perfromance directed by Professor Peter Wiegold with guest appearances from Brunel music lecturers, Professor Christopher Fox, Professor Richard Barrett and Sarah Nicolls.
French writer, actor and theatre director Antonin Artaud (1896-1948) influenced generations of theatre directors, including Berkoff, whose film roles include A Clockwork Orange (which was partly filmed at Brunel), Rambo and Octopussy. His theatre adaptations include Kafka's Metamorphosis and Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher.
Professor Steve Dixon, Professor of Performance and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Development) gave an enlightening presentation on Antonin Artaud: the man, the myth, the legacy. His appreciation included video footage of performances and artworks from those who have followed Artaud's radical theories and visionary ideas.
In his official opening speech, Steven Berkoff spoke about the profound influence Artaud has had on his work. He also spoke about how Artaud was responsible for transforming attitudes and approaches to theatre with new emphasis on the actors' physicality and theatrical spectacle.
Notes to Editors
Further details from Brunel University Press Office: email: press-office@brunel.ac.uk 01895 265585. Photographer: Sally Trussler
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Steven Berkoff and plaque