Natalie Katsou

Staff details

Position Associate Lecturer
Email a.katsou (@gold.ac.uk)
Natalie Katsou

I have recently launched my post-doc research combining theatre studies and law. My PhD thesis 'Spectral figures in Contemporary Greek theatre from the 1975 Regime Change (Metapolitefsi) until 2020' completed at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens combines contemporary continental philosophy, performance philosophy and theory, drama and theatre studies and dramaturgy. As a practitioner, I am working on practice-led research, mainly in contemporary opera and musical theatre, devising, new writing, and ensemble practice. My papers promote the discussion between academic analysis and practice, including the use of elements (ex. water) on stage, the perception of space, the theatre of the future including virtual realms, the work of international practitioners and approaches to training and education. For more info: https://nataliekatsou.com/ and https://goldsmiths.academia.edu/NatalieKatsou

Academic qualifications

  • PhD in Philosophy and Theory of Theatre and Drama at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens 2023
  • MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Theatre Directing at East 15 Acting School, University of Essex, under the Minotis Scholarship by the Cultural Foundation 2012
  • BA Theatre Studies Degree at National and Kapodestrian University of Athens (Distinction) 2010
  • BA Acting Degree at Delos - Hatoupi Acting School of Athens 2009
  • BA Law Degree at National and Kapodestrian University of Athens (Distinction) 2005
  • Diploma in Piano and Advanced Music Studies at Athenaeum Maria Callas Conservatoire 2010

Teaching and Supervision

Associate Lecturer in Theatre and Performance
Module Convenor: Theatre Praxis 1A (BAMT) and Ensemble (DTA)

Theatre and Performance

Further profile content

Professional projects

In regard to my professional experience in theatre and opera, I have directed a variety of large and small-scale performances in the UK and abroad, in venues such as Arcola Theatre, Old Red Lion Theatre, Blackheath Halls, Peacock Theatre, Proud Archivist, Etcetera Theatre, The Wallace Collection Museum, Talihmane Theatre in Istanbul, Miskolc National Theatre in Hungary, the National Theatre and Aggelon Vima in Athens.

In 2014 I founded the company Operaview producing and directing contemporary opera. The principle is to merge opera with dance, puppetry, circus arts, video and architectural installations, to blend disciplines, traditions and cultures, and to form strong collaborations with highly skilled international artists. One of the most successful productions was the tango opera ‘Maria de Buenos Aires’ featuring Deco Ensemble under the musical direction of Ricardo Gosalbo. The show sold out at the Grimeborn Opera Festival 2016 (Arcola Theatre) and was then invited at the Bartok Plus Opera Festival at Miskolc National Theatre in Hungary (June 2017), where it received standing ovations.

As a director, I have collaborated with Arcola Theatre since 2013.
In 2014, I was invited to direct two plays as staged readings for the Spanish Golden Age Season and soon I developed the project into a full-scale double-bill (February 2014). One of the two plays that I directed, ‘Wolf Kisses’ by P. Pedrero, featuring original compositions and live music by Andrei Ionescu on stage, was met with enthusiasm by reviews and audience alike. The production received an Arts Grant by the Arts Council and had a second run at the Old Red Lion Theatre (July 2014).

I have organised and managed theatre festivals in London and in Athens.
In 2014, I organised and co-ordinated the 6+1 Festival for Theatre Lab Company, celebrating some well-known contemporary Greek playwrights in English. This included 7 small-scale productions at the Riverside Studios (March 2014).
In 2019, I was invited as a Guest Artist at the Analogio International Festival in Athens, where I organised the Tribute to the prominent playwright Chrysa Spilioti. The project included 7 different productions directed by established women directors with the participation of 50 actors in total, all presented in the same evening at Stathmos Theatre (September 2019). Additionally, I organised a very successful collaboration with the University of Athens, offering internship and practice placements in assisting directing and stage management for the students.

Conferences and talks

2023: ‘Aeschylus’ Eumenides: seeking refuge, seeking justice’
Lecture presented at the Goldsmiths Law Summer School, hosted at Harokopeion University of Athens on 26 June 2023

2023: Intermediality and Contextual Studies. Contemporary Approaches in Pedagogy for Performing Arts Programmes.
Presented at the Conference Global Connections: Performance Pedagogy and Practice,organised by LASALLE, May 2023

2023: ‘Theatre without space or the hyperstructure of the virtual stage’
Prousali, E. (Ed.). (2023). Performing Arts in 21st Century. Contemporary Practices and New Perspectives. Athens: Evrasia Publications, pp. 259-266

2021: ‘Spectral figures in contemporary theatre and methods of investigation. A Classification’
Conference Paper for: “Research Sources in Contemporary Greek Theatre Studies”, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, 2021, pp. 287-294.

2022: ‘ “Let them speak”. Haunting figures in the dramaturgy of Iakovos Kampanellis’
Conference Iakovos Kampanellis in the 21st Century, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Theatre Studies Dept, November 2022

2021: ‘Chaldoupis and Velissaropoulos: The revolution of simulacra in the work of Andreas Staikos’
Conference Greek Revolution and Theatre, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Theatre Studies Dept, November 2021

2019: ‘Ghosts in stage directions. Their appearance in text and the danger of their disappearance in practice’
Conference Greek Theatre in Publication from 19th to 21st Century, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, Theatre Studies Dept, 2019

Grants and awards

2023: Post-doc Bridging Award
Post-doc briding fund at Goldsmiths for my Post-doc research project on Theatre Studies and Law

2021: Research Scholarship by the Special Research Grants Organisation of Greece
A scolarship granted for the completion of a research project on the playwright Iakovos Kampanellis, focusing on research, editing and proof-reading a series of essays by Professor G. P. Pefanis

2019: Research Residency
Research Residency at the Museum and Archive of Hydra, research for the play ‘Wireless’, July 2019, commissioned by the International Analogio Festival.

2012: Alexis Minotis Scholarship
Postgraduate studies sholarship granted by the Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece that covered the fees for my two-year postgraduate course at East 15 Acting School.

2011: Bursary by East 15 Acting School
Bursary granted by East 15 Acting School, University of Essex for the Moduel 'Meyerhold-Chekhov' in GITIS, Moscow

2010: Bursary by East 15 Acting School
Bursary granted by East 15 Acting School, University of Essex for the Module 'East Asian Traditional Theatre' in Bali, Indonesia