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This project—an innovative collaboration between Professor Greg Walker (University of Edinburgh) and Professor Tom Betteridge (then Oxford Brookes University), Historic Royal Palaces (HRP), and Schtanhaus Theatre Company—generated new professional practices in the display of a major heritage site, and stimuli to tourism via a research-driven staging of John Heywood's Play of the Weather in Hampton Court Palace's (HCP) Great Hall in 2009. During the open, on-site rehearsals and performance of the play HCP benefited from an increase of over 115k in visitor numbers. The project's pioneering approach to performance-based research convinced HRP of the value of using creative means to present cultural heritage and prompted their application for Independent Research Organization status. The project was cited in the AHRC's Annual Report and Accounts for 2010-11 as an example study of good practice in `Supporting the Cultural Sector'.
Research at Kingston University into the socio-political and cultural milieu of the court of Henry VIII fed into a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between the University and Historic Royal Palaces. This resulted in a new visitor experience at Hampton Court Palace, "Henry VIII: Heads and Hearts", which significantly increased visitor numbers and income at the attraction. The KTP also caused a change in practice at Historic Royal Palaces, with increased incorporation of research into commercial heritage activities. The project received the AHRC award for the most effective use of Humanities for the Creative Economy in 2011.
In expanding our understanding of how Henry VIII used clothes to fashion his image, this research has had a cultural impact nationally and internationally, while producing economic benefits for the British heritage industry and Hampton Court Palace in particular. It has helped to alter the practices of curators, designers, costume interpreters, and education officers in historic houses and beyond. Key outcomes were published to coincide with the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession, thus benefiting from and contributing to, the large-scale public interest in the Tudors.
The statutory definition of "insolvency" involves proving a debtor's "inability to pay debts." In corporate insolvency, this definition is found in s123 Insolvency Act 1986. Although s123 has existed for over a hundred years (in various forms), its meaning has not been fully understood. The historical explanation of this definition, found in the underpinning research, as to the true meaning of the definition, has been adopted by the Supreme Court (in May 2013) in BNY Corporate Trustee Services Limited v Eurosail [2013] UKSC 28 in overruling the Court of Appeal's "point of no return" interpretation of s123.
This case study draws together a number of research projects led by members of the UoA whose work has had shared thematic goals. Collectively, this research has impacted upon the UK theatre industry's understanding of its international influence. This has served to promote and champion a vibrant culture of international new playwriting in the UK, and also to disperse positive practices internationally to encourage equally vibrant playwriting cultures in communities abroad. The research has had effects on the cultural capital of key institutions that support international playwriting and its growth; and formative impact on the praxis of translation and adaptation in the theatre industry.
The principal beneficiaries of the impact are key industry institutions and organisations who have a stake in the development of new playwriting, its funding and its outreach (the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre, the Young Vic, the Old Vic, ACE, the British Council, etc.).
Direct impact is in the transfer of knowledge to industry and NGO stakeholders. Secondary impact is in the implementation of policy and procedure by those organisations (establishing initiatives; moving into new territories). Indirect and long-term impact will be felt by arts practitioners, audiences and theatres internationally. Additional spin-off and associated research enquiries are also likely to use this research as a springboard for further enquiry.