Adjoa Andoh Appointed Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor Of Contemporary Theatre 2022-2023

Adjoa Andoh has been appointed as the 29th Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Oxford University for the academic year 2022-2023.

The Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professorship, attached to St Catherine's College, was inaugurated by Stephen Sondheim in 1990, followed by a distinguished list of professors including Arthur Miller, Diana Rigg, Richard Eyre, Phyllida Lloyd, Ian McKellen, Nick Hytner, Deborah Warner, Stephen Daldry and Tom Stoppard.

Adjoa Andoh is one of the most distinguished actors of her generation and is currently filming the second series of the Netflix hit Bridgerton, in which she plays Lady Danbury and for which she was nominated NAACP Outstanding Supporting Actress in a TV Drama. Born in Bristol in 1963 to an English mother and Ghanaian father, she was brought up in Leeds and the Cotswolds. Since the 1980's she has pursued an impressive and varied career on the stage, on television in film.

Her many television appearances include regulars in Eastenders, Dr Who and Casualty and series such as Cucumber, Health & Efficiency & Law And Order UK.

Adjoa is an Associate Artist at the RSC where she was Portia in Julius Caesar, which also played in the West End, New York and Moscow, Ulysses in Troilus & Cressida, and Helen Of Troy in the Odyssey; leading roles at the National include Condoleeza Rice in Stuff Happens and Serafina Pekkala in His Dark Materials, Casca in Julius Caesar at the Bridge Theatre, and Richard II at the Globe, which she conceived & co-directed. Adjoa is also a Senior Associate at the Bush Theatre, a guest director at Rose Bruford Drama School, and a guest director and audition panellist at RADA.

In film, amongst others she has appeared in Invictus, Fractured, Adulthood, Brotherhood, and I is A Long Memoried Woman.

There is no formal teaching requirement attached to the post; but the post-holder usually delivers an inaugural lecture at the beginning of their tenure and interacts with students in workshops and seminars throughout the year.

Commenting on her appointment, Adjoa said: "Sir Cameron has enriched our vision of what is possible in our profession immeasurably. I hope as Visiting Chair in his name to honour his work amongst those Oxford students who wish to make their contributions to the work and the art of storytelling; and to be in dialogue with other theatre makers, ever widening the stories told and the audiences invited in."

Sir Cameron Mackintosh said: "Since I was lucky enough to have Stephen Sondheim establish the Chair 31 years ago, when he revealed that he was as masterful a teacher as he was a composer and lyricist, I have been honoured that it has attracted so many legendary talents from the world of theatre and film.

This year I am particularly delighted to welcome Adjoa Andoh, who is not only known as a brilliant contemporary actress, including her recent dazzling performance in Bridgerton, but also for her cutting edge approach to directing and performing Shakespeare in London which has had a powerful impact on modern theatre. "

The Master of St Catherine's College, Professor Kersti Börjars, said: "We are delighted that Adjoa Andoh has agreed to take up the Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professorship of Contemporary Theatre next year. We are excited to be welcoming such a pioneering actor to the Chair. We look forward to welcoming her into the Fellowship at St Catherine's and seeing her work to enrich students' engagement with the professional theatre.

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