We're delighted to announce the details of the School of Creative and Liberal Arts 2nds Festival of Creativity showcasing, once again the range and depth of talent from across the School's community of students and staff. With performances, debates, screenings, lecture presentations, talks, music, poetry and bonhomie we really hope you'll find something of interest across the range of activities planned. Please do come and enjoy the work.
The 2025 SCALA Festival steering group.
Event schedule
7.30pm: Open Mic Launch Night - The 1850
The School of Liberal & Creative Arts festival launches with an open mic night displaying some of the best student talent from across the School.
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10am: Festival of Research (Day 1) – Room D121 (free event)
Academics and students from the School of Creative and Liberal Arts present their work.
Schedule
- 10am Festival opened by Dr Kim Salmons, Dean of FETTA. Dr Salmons also gives the opening paper on ‘Arts and Humanities Research’
- 1020am Dr Stewart McCain, Head of School, ‘Linguistic Diversity, Affective Citizenship and Memory Culture: Migrant Communities in Postwar Britain
- 1040am Professor Glenn Richardson – ‘Rewriting the Court of Henry VIII’
- 11am Meg Griessel – introduces her PhD research
- 1120am Michael Barnes – presents a reading from his new novel
- 1140am Dr James Lesslie- ‘Textual bodies in Gothic Literature’
- 12 noon – 12.50 ‘Research in Film’ – Panel discussion with Dr Sophie Belot, Joy Mellins, Francesco Gabriele and David Petch. Chair: Dr Michelle Paull
- 1255pm Closing remarks.
5pm - 6:30pm: Crafting your career
- Online event
- Details on how to book to follow
10am: Festival of Research (Day 2) - Billiard Room (Free Event)
Academics and students from the School of Theology present their work.
1pm: Kafkaesque – A Series of Transformations – On tour at West Thames College
Level 6 Acting students present a new adaptation of Kafka’s short stories.
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5pm: By Your Side - Studio 2
Level 5 Acting students present a short devised piece focusing on the issue of male infertility.
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7.30pm: Escaping Vesuvius – St Mary’s Theatre
Drawing on a range of fictional and factual sources Level 6 Acting students reimagine the final hours of Pompeii in this lively newly devised show.
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10am: Festival of Research & Pedagogy (Day 3.) – Waldegrave Drawing Room
Academics and students from the School of Education present their work.
1pm: Kafkaesque – A Series of Transformations – On tour at West Thames College
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5pm: James Bond, cultural icon. – a discussion and book launch – The Exchange (Free event)
7.30pm: Escaping Vesuvius – St Mary’s Theatre
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2pm: She is to Remain Quiet – On tour at Kingston College
Inspired by the novels of Margaret Atwood Level 6 Acting students explore the key themes of her work in this exciting newly devised work.
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5pm: An evening of poetry and prose – Senior Common Room (Free event)
Students from the School of Liberal & Creative Arts present an evening of new work.
7pm: She is to Remain Quiet – On tour at Kingston College
Inspired by the novels of Margaret Atwood Level 6 Acting students explore the key themes of her work in this exciting newly devised work.
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7.30pm: Kafkaesque – A Series of Transformations – St Mary’s Theatre
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7.30pm: Horizon Hue – The 1850
The Alumni band present their original set in St Mary’s newest live entertainment venue.
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5pm: Talking Animals and Wise Words: A Conversation About Children’s Writing (Free event)
Children’s and young adult writing has been the hottest ticket in publishing for the last two decades. Join Carnegie Medal-winning novelist Anthony McGowan (Lark, Dogs of the Deadlands, Beck) and celebrated children’s poet and editor Rachel Piercey (If You Go Down to the Woods Today, Grand Old Oak and the Birthday Ball, Wisdom of the Woods) for an insightful and entertaining conversation about their work and the state of the art of writing for children.
7.30pm: Escaping Vesuvius – St Mary’s Theatre
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2pm: She is to Remain Quiet – St Mary’s Theatre
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7.30pm: Kafkaesque – A Series of Transformations – St Mary’s Theatre.
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From 10am: Film Festival (Day 1) – The Loft (Free event)
Explore love in all its cinematic beauty, complexity, and wonder in this thoughtfully curated pairing films.
Short Film: The Invention of Love (silent film, dir. Naiara Moraes) A beautifully crafted silent film exploring an unusual yet deeply touching romance between an older woman and a younger mute man. Directed by first-year BA Acting student Naiara Moraes, this film eloquently conveys the profound depth and universality of love without words.
Feature Film: Blind Dating (2006, starring Chris Pine, produced by Joy Mellins – Course Lead Acting at St Mary's University) A charming romantic comedy about Danny, a blind young man navigating love and relationships. Danny's journey through the highs and lows of dating brings humor, heart, and insight into how true connections transcend visual boundaries.
2pm: Escaping Vesuvius – St Mary’s Theatre
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7.30pm: She is to Remain Quiet – St Mary’s Theatre
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10am: Film Festival (Day 2) – The Loft (Free event)
Community
Delve into real-world stories told through compelling documentary filmmaking, each capturing intimate histories and vibrant communities through the eyes of passionate storytellers.
Short Documentary: Cranford Park Community Excavations (2024, dir. Natasha Bilson – St Mary's Alumni)
This graduation film by St Mary's University alumni Natasha Bilson takes viewers into the heart of local history and community spirit at Cranford Park. Through archaeological excavation and personal testimonies, the film captures the powerful connections between past and present, community and identity.
Feature Documentary: Theatre of Survival (2023, dir. Mark Street – Subject Lead for Creative Arts at St Mary's University)
Mark Street's powerful documentary explores the transformative power of theatre amid crisis. Set against a backdrop of political turmoil and cultural resistance, this inspiring story chronicles South Africa's Market Theatre’s brave struggle during apartheid, highlighting the power of art as resistance and survival.
2pm: She is to Remain Quiet – St Mary’s Theatre
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6pm: The Big Debate – The Pool Room/ Snug (Free event)
Students from across the School of Liberal and Creative Arts debate the big questions of the day.
7.30pm: Kafkaesque – A Series of Transformations – St Mary’s Theatre
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10am: Film Festival (Day 3) – The Loft (Free event)
Worlds Collide
A cinematic journey bringing Shakespeare's timeless narratives into a contemporary global context, uniting diverse cultures and traditions on screen.
Short Film: Don't Be Late (dir. Luca Milillo – Film Technician and Lecturer at St Mary's University) A compelling short drama exploring the tension of pivotal moments through richly nuanced characters and situations. Directed by Luca Milillo, the film intertwines urgency and subtlety, capturing human emotions in their rawest form.
Feature Film: Rahm (produced by David Shanks – Guest Lecturer at St Mary's University) A gripping adaptation of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, reimagined in contemporary Lahore, Pakistan. Produced by guest lecturer David Shanks, Rahm masterfully blends Shakespeare’s powerful narrative with vibrant cultural contexts, delivering a timeless exploration of justice, mercy, and morality.
2pm: Kafkaesque – A Series of Transformations – St Mary’s Theatre
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7.30pm: She is to Remain Quiet – St Mary’s Theatre
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7.30pm: Escaping Vesuvius – on tour OSO
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3.30pm: Escaping Vesuvius – on tour OSO
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7pm: Festival Wrap Party – OSO