Heavy week for the Convenor of the Practitioner Study Unit leading up to last Thursday's Exam Board  (for last year’s MA Advanced Theatre Practice). Rapid mental switches required between the work of last year and this year sometimes creating interesting juxtapositions and fresh insights.  The Exam Board is a kind of performance in itself  – full of nervous anxiety associated with performance. Is every detail properly prepared? Will the voice work properly? Will I be capable of pronouncing difficult names?  The good thing is that the Board is chaired by practitioner Ross Brown – sympathetic to the idea of External Examiners (Teresa Brayshaw and Joe Kelleher) and me bunking off to see see the work produced on the course this week. So in no time we’ve done our bit and we’re off to see the work produced with Julian Maynard Smith ... thanks Ross. And we’re not disappointed. There’s a great range of work demonstrating various takes on the telematic theme  – exploring different ways of creating performance outside the performance space and bringing this work to an audience within. And there are some sharp juxtapositions placed within this work as well – action skyped from McDonalds in the Finchley Road; a performance relayed by radio mikes from distant points just visible from the large window in the New Studio; a cunning arrangement of mirrors relaying action from a small room next door; and a live video feed from the corridor, with a breathless messenger rushing back and forth delivering instructions to one performer within the space and one outside it.  These were clever theatrical machines, showing enormous invention and potential. Perfect exercises for the year group to start flexing their muscles – working in new partnerships in new ways.  Afterwards, have a drink with Julian, Teresa and Joe and discover Julian’s father was a Professor - while discussing a show Teresa is planning on the subject of this unusual breed of complex living communication machines.