Friday 4 November 2011

Age Spots and Spotlights: Celebrity, Performance and Ageing

A one-day research symposium held at
Birkbeck, University of London

Friday 9 December 2011
9.30am–5pm

Venue: Theatre, Clore Management Centre,
2 Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX

This event is free but booking is essential.

To book a place please send your name and contact details to vasari.event@gmail.com

- Please specify your preferences as below:    
                                a) symposium only
                                b) symposium and reception
                                c) confirm number of places required

Co-Organised by Dr. Deborah Jermyn (University of Roehampton) and
Dr. Janet McCabe (Birkbeck, University of London)

Keynote Speaker:
Prof. Ginette Vincendeau (King’s College, University of London)

As celebrity studies becomes an increasingly prevalent focus of scholarly interest, what are some of the as yet under-explored topics and themes that such work must grapple with? This one-day research symposium opens up debate into this arena with attention to two significant (and interlinked) issues; performance and ageing. Encompassing both historical and topical case studies, speakers will consider a range of celebrities, stars and case studies drawn from different national and industrial contexts (including Brigitte Bardot; Franco Zeffirelli; The Trip; Jon Simpson; Elizabeth Taylor and Diane Keaton).

While performance ‘has often been notoriously undervalued and overlooked in the past’ (Glen Creeber, 2010), ‘assessing ageing is one of the key tasks confronting celebrity studies today’ (Chris Holmlund, 2010). ’Age spots and Spotlights’ will thus provide a timely intervention into both these fields at a critical moment in the expansion of celebrity studies.

Additional speakers include:
Dr. Mike Allen, Dr. Kirsty Fairclough, Dr. Deborah Jermyn, Dr. Janet McCabe, Dr. Tim Markham, Dr. Susan Smith and Prof. Mary Wood

The event will be followed by a drinks reception in the Keynes Library,
45-47 Gordon Square at 5.30pm


Enquiries to Deborah Jermyn at d.jermyn@roehampton.ac.uk
and Janet McCabe at j.mccabe@bbk.ac.uk