Postgraduate Lives: Bringing the Bard into the present day

Sarah Dustagheer, 25, is doing a PhD on the relationship between playwriting and theatre space in early modern London. It is run by King's College London, in partnership with Shakespeare's Globe theatre.

How did you get involved?

It's part of a scheme by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to encourage PhD programmes run jointly between academic and non-academic institutions. It's quite unusual, and different from a normal PhD in that the title is not something that you've come up with yourself – you're working towards a brief.

Why did you choose this?

I always knew I wanted to do a PhD that wasn't purely academic and had a more active and vocational role.

Describe your thesis.

One of the reasons that the Globe was built was to see Shakespeare's plays in the original space, so my thesis is a response to what has happened since. As well as looking at the plays that were performed there in Shakespeare's time, I'm looking at the Globe today and how modern playwrights approach that space.

How are your days structured?

I spend one day a week at the Globe, working in the research department or with the archives. I also do research for the actors and directors about the plays they are thinking of putting on, and at the end of the season interview them about their experience of using the Globe as a space. There's also a chance to teach undergraduates.

What do you like best about your PhD?

Often a PhD can be quite a lonely experience. But at the Globe, some of the work I'm doing is not directly related, so I can come back to work feeling refreshed.

And what is the most difficult thing about it?

Sometimes it's hard to balance the work I do at the Globe and the work on my thesis, even though they relate directly. But in the long run, it will help me prepare for the workplace.

Will it set you up well for the future?

Yes. Ideally I'd like to be an academic based in a theatre, because I really enjoy teaching, too. The only problem is that these jobs are few and far between! I'd like to maintain my links with the theatre world no matter what, so the Globe has been a great place to be.

What qualities do you need to do it?

Good communication skills, because you have two supervisors based in different places. You also have to handle being an academic in a place of work.