module specification

Scenography, Text and Place explores how design for theatre and film reflects differing ways of interpreting forms of text in theatre practice.  It will develop analytical research and performance design skills in relation to differing design contexts.  In addition, it will broaden the notion of ‘text’ – exploring other forms of ‘text’ as stimuli. The module asks students to test specific analytical skills related to working with text. Students are introduced to wider concept of text and exploring texts to demonstrate conceptual, social, economic and values and focus. They will be asked to demonstrate the importance of research and development in relation to designing for theatre and film. The module enables them to design for specific spaces and their audiences, developing an understanding of the relationship between design, text and place.

Pass and completion (120 credits) of previous level

• Introduction to a variety of contemporary play texts with a social context or agenda, for example Wertenbaker, Williams, Tucker Green, Bean, Neilson, Osment, Kirkwood, Jacob, Churchill, Kane and Pinnock.  LO1
• Students will explore through a series of short projects and design exercises approaches to designing for some of these texts in a range of contexts (eg small scale theatre, large scale theatre, film, multimedia). LO2
• Students will develop their own design approach alongside an understanding of the challenges of different design contexts and explore the notion of audience and audience configuration. LO3
• Sudents will be introduced to an expanded notion of text which might include factual information, biography, prose, comic books, visual material, film; and explore approaches to designing for those texts in performance. LO4
• The work undertaken and produced within this module will form the basis of DN5015 ‘Designing The Performance’ serving as the research, development and reflection utilising the same text to explore alternative approaches and will develop a design proposal for the same text in a different setting. LO5

Scheduled teaching ensures that independent study is effective and addresses the learning outcomes and assessment tasks. Students are expected to, and have the opportunity to, continue with their studies outside of scheduled classes. There will be a range of learning strategies deployed and individual learning styles will be accommodated. The module’s learning outcomes, its contents and delivery, have been scrutinised and will be regularly reviewed to ensure an inclusive approach to pedagogic practice.

The module and course utilise the University’s blended learning platform to support and reinforce learning, to foster peer-to-peer communication and to facilitate tutorial support for students. Reflective learning is promoted through assessment items and interim formative feedback points that ask students to reflect on their progress, seek help where they identify the opportunity for improvement in learning strategies and outcomes, and make recommendations to themselves for future development. Throughout the module, students build a body of work, including reflections on progress and achievement.

The School’s programme of employability events and embedded work-related learning within the curriculum supports students’ personal development planning. Through these initiatives, students are increasingly able, as they progress from year to year, to understand the professional environment of their disciplines, the various opportunities available to them, and how to shape their learning according to their ambitions.

On successful completion of the this module students will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

LO1 understand  the wider sense and  the notion of text;
LO2 undertake research and development towards a practical performance project;

Cognitive Intellectual Abilities

LO3 read and deconstruct a play text in context applying techniques and skills related to exploring a text from a designer’s viewpoint;

Transferable Skills

LO4 work with a more complex understanding of notions of audience applied in practice;

Subject Specific Skills

LO5 present and demonstrate skills in both independent and collaborative ways of developing performance work.

There will be three formative assessment points in advance of the final summative assessment.

1. A presentation of work showing the range of design approaches and challenges tackled in section one. This could include any or all of the following: sketch or finished models, storyboards, costume drawings, notebooks and sketch books.

2. A presentation of work showing the range of design approaches and challenges tackled in section two. This could include any or all of the following: sketch or finished models, storyboards, costume drawings, notebooks and sketch books.

3. A presentation of a design scheme for the given text in section three. This could include any or all of the following: sketch or finished models, storyboards, costume drawings, notebooks and sketch books.

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