Dave Humphreys

What is your name and what did you study?

My name is Dave Humphreys, and I studied BA (Hons) Drama & Theatre Studies and MA Drama.

Why did you choose Chester?

Chester was city I grew up with and knew so well that I felt comfortable commuting between my home in North Wales and Creative Campus, Kingsway. The facilities at Kingsway were just some of the best that I had visited on open days, tailored to the performing arts courses there and so well maintained by the technical team and the wider staff. The canteen was always so welcoming offering delicious, affordable meals. Being a campus dedicated to the arts, it felt like settling in would not be an issue at all, which it wasn’t. The course itself really suited me down to the ground for the career I wanted to pursue, but offered me a chance to engage with other art forms and ideas that I might’ve not considered. The diversity of the course in the first year allows you to have go at all different aspects, like technical, digital, theoretical, devising and actor training.

What did you enjoy most about your course?

I always say that the Applied Theatre module was the real game changer for me. It’s a module that challenges you to grow up quick, to mature and network with outside agencies to make something happen. The module was carefully designed to understand the theories of key practitioners, to lead a space full of strangers and unite them through a passion for drama. I was able to work alongside peers that became great friends, and it was a real key change for myself and my career. I would also add that the accessibility to great spaces for extra rehearsal time was outstanding and the technicians were so great in supporting you with that too.

Do you have any advice for someone who is thinking about a career in the arts?

Patience and Resilience. Get to know your practice well, enjoy what you are passionate about and make friends at university because they could become lifetime collaborators and shoulders to lean on. After your degree, be patient and resilient, you will have plenty of applications that do not go your way, plenty of interviews that you just miss out on, but stay true to what you love and want to do. That was the first thing I learnt at my open day at Kingsway Campus in 2015.

What graduate role have you commenced? What area(s) are you working in and what does this entail day-to-day?

After university, I continued working in community and educational settings as a drama facilitator and actor. I’ve worked with Theatr Clwyd and Hijinx Theatre in North Wales, and Altru Drama and Filament Projects in the North West. Planning, traveling and facilitating a range of educational drama workshops is my main line of work, ranging from subjects on the curriculum, as well as working in lower-socio economic communities and actor training for actors with disabilities. I’ve also been fortunate enough to work as a Learning Facilitator at the University of Chester, and this has inspired me to pursue a career in academia alongside my freelance work. I’m just entering my final year of PhD research focusing on the relationship between Theatre-in-Education and the new curriculum for Wales. When I’m not facilitating, I’m researching and submitting papers for publication.

How did your time at Chester prepare you for your current role?

It helped me realise the importance of understanding theory and practice. The most memorable piece of advice I remember from one lecturer at Chester was to always keep busy, and that is exactly what I’ve done by diversifying my practice to as many settings as possible. I’ve worked as an actor, researcher, facilitator, welfare officer, chaperone and creative enabler, so be adaptable and be positive with all the work you do.

Did you take part in any extracurricular activities, societies, or internships while studying?

My friends and I setup the Kingsway Players (which I think later became Kingsway Theatre Company) to offer us a chance to direct plays, run rehearsal rooms beyond the degree and offer a chance to use drama in our own ways. We performed at the Winter Solstice in 2016 and entered twice for the National Student Drama Festival in 2017 and 2018. As president, it was a great experience to invite students from drama but other courses too and create a show at the end of each year. Those extracurricular activities have proven key in our careers; I gained more experience as a facilitator and my colleague, Ryan, gained more directing experience (who has just done an amazing job up at EdFringe 2025, with Our Brothers in Cloth, keep an eye out for it!).