Staff Profiles

Professor Dominic Shellard

Pro-Vice-Chancellor for External Affairs

MA (Oxon), DPhil (Oxon)

Internal extension: 28473

Phone number: +44 (0)114-222-8473

Personal Assistant: +44 (0) 114-222-1005

Fax: +44 (0)114-222-1001

email : d.m.shellard@sheffield.ac.uk

Dominic was born and brought up in Orpington, Kent and was educated at Dulwich College (1977-1984) and St Peter's College, Oxford (1985-1993). At university he read English and German (MA, 1989) and went on to obtain a DPhil in English Literature (1993) on the theatre criticism of Harold Hobson. Harold Hobson wrote for the Sunday Times from 1947 to 1976 and saw virtually every first night of note during that period. This began his interest in theatre criticism, which led to books on both Hobson and his great rival, Kenneth Tynan (Kenneth Tynan: A Life, Yale University Press, 2003).

After a brief interlude as a researcher to the Shadow Secretary of State for National Heritage, Ann Clwyd MP, he was appointed to the post of Lecturer in English at the University of Salford. His interest in politics continued beyond my time at the House of Commons and he served as a Councillor for Boston ward, Rotherham for four years (1999-2003).

In 1996 he moved to the Department of English Literature at the University of Sheffield, becoming a Reader in 1999 and being awarded a Personal Chair in 2003. In 2004, he became the Head of the Department of English Literature, as well as the Head of the School of English, and became the Head of the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics in 2006, following the merger of the Departments. In 2008 he was appointed University Pro-Vice-Chancellor for External Affairs.

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dominic has particular responsibility for external relations (regional, national, international), alumni relations, international student recruitment, knowledge transfer and exchange (with Richard Jones), student fees and numbers, the university's estate and corporate social responsibility.

Dominic chairs the following committees:

• UEB Student Fees and Numbers Sub-Group
• UEB Estates and Capital Sub-Group
• UEB Corporate Social Responsibility Sub-Group
• HEIF 4 Management Group
• Senate External Affairs Committee

He is also currently one of the University's public orators, an Institutional Auditor for the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), the Chairman of Sheffield Theatres (which includes the Crucible) and a member of the National Committee of the Society for Theatre Research.

Above all, though, he is a passionate supporter of QPR, whose season ticket is his most prized possession. He also enjoys the theatre, literature, tweeting, current affairs, most sport and thinking about playing the clarinet again.

His principal publications are:

• Joe Orton: A Life, (2013)
• The Shakespearean Performances of Laurence Olivier , (Continuum, 2011)
• The Golden Generation: New Light on British Theatre, (British Library Publications, 2008).
• Kenneth Tynan: Theatre Writings, (Nick Hern Books, 2007) BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week, February 2007 .
• A Social Impact Study of UK Theatre (with Bill Mcdonnell), (Arts Council England, 2006).
• An Economic Impact Study of UK Theatre, (Arts Council England, 2004).
• The Lord Chamberlain Regrets..., (with Steve Nicholson and Miriam Handley), (British Library Publications, 2004).
• Kenneth Tynan: A Life, (Yale University Press, 2003).
• British Theatre in the 1950s, ed., (Sheffield Academic Press, 2000).
• British Theatre Since The War, (Yale University Press, 1999).
• William Shakespeare, (British Library Publications, 1998).
• Harold Hobson: Witness and Judge, (Keele University Press, 1995).
• Harold Hobson: The Complete Catalogue, (Keele University Press, 1995).

AHRC British Library/University of Sheffield Theatre Archives Project

In 2003, Dominic was awarded an AHRB Research Grant for Research Development of the British Library Theatre Archives. The Theatre Archive Project (TAP), which he leads, has three major strands and is now funded by the British Library and the University of Sheffield:

• the production of description lists for the post-war theatre archives (these include those of Michel St Denis, Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Cedric Hardwicke). These lists are being placed on the project website and allow browsers to gain a detailed knowledge of the collections. They are also being used to create catalogues of the collections by the British Library.
• the collection of scripts produced in UK licensed venues post 1968. The Reading Amendment to the Theatres Act of 1968 stipulated that a copy of every script performed in a UK licensed venue from September 30 1968 should be deposited at the British Library on pain of a £5 fine. Although certain years are well represented, there are gaps in this collection (mainly because the £5 fine is no longer a deterrent and few people are now aware of the legislation). The project is launching a publicity campaign to plug some of the gaps.
• an oral history project designed to interview practitioners and audience members who participated in UK theatre between 1945 and 1968. The project team are scouring the country to track down audience members and practitioners who have recollections of this key period of British theatre history. Interviews are recorded and then placed in the British Library's Sound Archive, with transcripts being placed on the project website.

In September 2006, the project held an evening at the British Library - 'More than Just Osborne?: British Theatre 1945 to 1968' - which showcased the oral history strand. In October 2007, there was a second event at the British Library that explored 'Hidden Voices: Theatre Workshop and Regional Theatre' and the project's overall findings were discussed at an international conference at the British Library held in September 2008. 

In September 2009, a sell out audience attended 'An Evening with the Impresarios' and the next evening, in September 2010, will focus on interviewees' recollections of Variety between 1945 and 1968. The project has also produced a monograph entitled 'The Golden Generation: New Light on British Theatre' (British Library Publications, 2008).

Visit the project website

Arts Council England

Dominic was also commissioned by the Arts Council of England with the support of the Theatrical Management Association, the Independent Theatre Council, the Society of London Theatres, Equity, the Esmee Fairbairn Trust, the Scottish Arts Council, the Arts Council of Wales and the European Union Equal Programme to undertake an economic and social impact study of theatre in the UK. The first part of the report – an economic impact study of UK theatre - was published in May 2004 and formed part of Arts Council England's submission to the Treasury for the Comprehensive Spending Review 2004. The second part - a social impact study of UK theatre, co-authored with Bill Mcdonnell - was published in 2006.

Dominic has now authored over 20 individual economic impact studies for UK and international theatres (e.g. Abbey Theatre, Dublin, Nottingham Playhouse, Rhyl Pavilion Theatre) and performing arts organizations and continues to undertake these