To date, 29 actors have held the position of Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre, and Adjoa Andoh is the 29th.

Actress Adjoa Andoh, well known for her role in Bridgerton, has joined the faculty at Oxford University as a Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre for the current school year. With the theme Swinging the Lens: All Our Stories, she began her term with the statement that her goal is to “give people the options to understand there’s a whole heap of stories out there… you just have to look for them” in her inauguration address. In his plea for a “wider storytelling embrace,” Andoh lauded storytelling for its ability to “enliven, uplift and engage the human spirit.”

The 59-year-old stunningly beautiful actress and singer was nominated for an NAACP Outstanding Supporting Actress in a TV Drama for her role as Lady Danbury in the blockbuster hit Bridgerton, which 63 million homes across the globe watched online. Her previous credits include Doctor Who (2006) and Casualty (2003).

An esteemed line of professors, including Arthur Miller, Sir Ian McKellen, and Tom Stoppard, has held the position since its inception by theatrical producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh; it is associated with St. Catherine’s College. Furthermore, Andoh is the first Black person to occupy this position in its 32-year existence, and she joins 29 other actors who have held it since its inception by Stephen Sondheim in 1990. Speaking to Franklin Nelson in the Financial Times, she says that, ‘it doesn’t feel like a particular first in that regard’, because ‘the history of colonisation applies to all of us’.

“Seeks to increase students’ exposure to individuals who have had a significant impact on contemporary theatre and contemporary culture” is the stated goal of the professorship at Oxford University. In addition to her introductory talk, Andoh will engage with students in several seminars and workshops throughout the year.

According to an Oxford student who spoke with Cherwell, the student magazine, about the professorship’s significance to student theater, having Adjoa Andoh as a visiting professor this year will give students the chance to meet the actress face-to-face, ask her questions, and learn more about the industry and its problems.

Sir Cameron has greatly expanded our understanding of the potential of our profession, Andoh said while describing her role. In my role as Visiting Chair in his honor, I want to celebrate his legacy among Oxford students who are interested in storytelling and want to contribute to the field; I also intend to engage in conversation with other theater artists, with the goal of expanding both the tales told and the audiences welcomed.

According to Sir Cameron Mackintosh, the Visiting Professorship’s creator, “I am particularly delighted to welcome Adjoa Andoh this year.” Andoh is well-known for her work as a brilliant modern actress, including her stunning performance in Bridgerton, as well as her innovative approach to directing and performing Shakespeare in London, which has greatly influenced modern theater.