Freya Bruce-Gilchrist: Honours student uncovering lost voices
Ever since she was a child, Freya Bruce-Gilchrist knew she wanted to spend her life immersed in learning. When her Bachelor of Arts with a double major in American Studies and European Studies was coming to an end, Freya decided to continue her passion for research and writing by pursuing an honours program.
“I wasn’t quite ready to jump into a masters or a PhD,” she reflects. “I thought honours would be a great way to test the waters and get acclimated to bigger research projects.”
With a passion for research and support from her teachers, Freya jumped into her Honours in American Studies, completing her thesis “Whispers in the Archive: African American Paratheatre in Antebellum America”.
One thing was clear: I wanted to write, and I wanted to learn.
Uncovering lost voices
Originally, Freya planned to write an honours thesis about African American theatre, having written an essay about abolitionist and playwright William Wells Brown and his play The Escape in her undergraduate degree. However, when she tried to find information about African American playwrights in the library, she could only find two – William Wells Brown and Ira Aldridge.
“The desire to find more led me down the path of paratheatre,” she says. “I discovered that while African Americans rarely occupied the formal stage in antebellum America, there is a rich history of performance in the periphery of it.”
Paratheatre, as Freya describes it, encompasses modes of performance outside of the formal stage, representing dramatic activities adjacent to, but distinct from, traditional theatre. This category includes events such as parades, speeches, and dramatic readings – all subjects she dedicated her studies to.
I've always been interested in the histories of the overlooked.
Growing confidence through mentorship
Although Freya has always been interested in lost voices in history, it wasn’t until the third year of her undergraduate degree that she realised she had the power to share these stories. A large part of this, she says, was encouragement from her tutors.
“I knew that I like research and learning, but never recognised it as a viable future,” she says. “Through the encouragement of my tutors, I was able to push myself and develop confidence and pride in my work. My tutor, Aaron Nyerges, was the one who first encouraged me to follow honours. I wouldn’t be where I am today without his support.
My honours experience was extremely positive. The two tutors who ran the course, Aaron Nyerges and Rodney Taveira, were exceptional in guiding us on our journey.
Advice for future honours students
In addition to contributing to research, Freya hopes she can encourage others to develop and pursue a love of learning.
For students who are interested in an honours degree, Freya says the best thing you can do is stay curious and embrace change.
“Read as much as you absolutely can on your subject, even on things that only seem mildly relevant” she says. “Your topic will inevitably evolve. That’s good – it’s a sign that your understanding of the subject is developing and becoming more nuanced.”
Looking towards the future
When it comes to life after honours, Freya knows she wants to continue to follow her passion for learning.
“I’m planning on doing a Masters in Museum Curation, as well as a PhD to explore paratheatre further,” she says. “Whether I move into a curatorial role, continue in academia, or both, I want to keep working to discover and reframe the overlooked and dispossessed, and interrogate the standards of the archives.”
The desire to learn more than I know currently is, and always has been, the biggest motivator in my life. I will never know everything, but I want to learn as much as I can and, hopefully, help others to do the same.