Exeter: a "rave"

[Alex Hawkins]

>Date:         Fri, 12 Jul 1996 15:46:45 EDT
>Reply-To: The Theatre Discussion List <THEATRE at PUCC.BITNET>
>Sender: The Theatre Discussion List <THEATRE at PUCC.BITNET>
>From: Ken Harris <KXH at SRUVM.SRU.EDU>
>Organization: Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
>Subject:      Exeter: a "rave"
>To: Multiple recipients of list THEATRE <THEATRE at PUCC.BITNET>
>
>I'd like to say a word on behalf of John Somers' recent announcement
>of the DRAMA AND THEATRE RESEARCH IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE next April
>at the University of Exeter, UK.
>
>More precisely, a word on behalf of Exeter, Devon, and the university.
>
>I've just returned from two weeks near Exeter, a Rotary Club exchange
>in nearby Okehampton, not a theatre venture.  Exeter, in Devon in
>southwestern England, is a modern city with rich ancient and medieval
>traces, including Roman walls and a cathedral, parts of which date to
>circa 1100, of extraordinary beauty.  The university is urban but set in a
>richly-landscaped, planned area, literally an arboretum, whose collection
>is an object of study and enjoyment in and for itself.
>
>My Rotary hosts were unable to make contact with any theatre people
>at the University so our visit to the campus was limited to a brief
>drive-through.  There's an impressive large, modern theatre there,
>the Northcott, donated by its namesake to the city but located on the
>campus, which regularly programs, we were told, bus and truck professional
>productions of very high quality by regional and national groups.
>
>There are two theatre departments: one, in the Faculty of Arts, appears
>to be for pre-professional work.  The other, in the School of Education,
>where John Somers hangs his hat, appears to serve teacher preparation
>interests.  The departments seem to share a small, multi-form theatre,
>St. Luke's.  There are six or seven faculty in each of the programs.
>
>Both departments have their own home pages where you can read about
>staffing, productions, research, etc.  The URLs:
>
>English and Drama:  http://www.ex.ac.uk/~jstaple/homepage.html
>Theatre: http://www.ex.ac.uk/coverpage/drama
>
>There are several Devon home pages, each with great detail about
>the area's many attractions. The one I like best is at URL:
>
>         http://www.dcs.ex.ac.uk/wcol.html
>
>But also look at:
>
>         http://www.devon.directory.co.uk/
>         http://www.rom.net/devon/
>         http://www.devon-cc.gov.uk/
>
>Tourism is a major enterprise in Exeter and Devon, and one can certainly
>see why.  It's a lovely, hospitable area; and, if I could only free up some
>time in mid-April next year, I'd find a way to get to John Somers'
>conference--whatever the subject.
>
>Kenneth Harris
>Slippery Rock University
><kxh at sruvm.sru.edu>
>