module specification

SJ4013A - Theatre and Performance: History and Craft Part 1 (2024/25)

Module specification Module approved to run in 2024/25
Module title Theatre and Performance: History and Craft Part 1
Module level Certificate (04)
Credit rating for module 15
School School of Art, Architecture and Design
Total study hours 150
 
45 hours Scheduled learning & teaching activities
105 hours Guided independent study
Assessment components
Type Weighting Qualifying mark Description
Group Presentation 40%   Group presentation 10 mins + 5 minutes discussion
Coursework 60%   Short script of 10-15 minutes + 500 word commentary
Running in 2024/25

(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change)
Period Campus Day Time Module Leader
Autumn semester North Friday Morning

Module summary

Theatre and Performance: History and Craft provides an opportunity to study the development of the genre via a number of canonical texts and transformative moments in the history of the form. Students study the formal characteristics of representative playtexts and the political, social and cultural concerns of the societies in which they were first performed. This is combined with a study of developing theatrical practice and performance, where students examine how writing and performance intersect, inform, and inspire each other. Students will specialise in the production of a playscript. The module is taught in weekly three-hour sessions comprising a lecture and writing workshop, and is assessed by presentation and script.

This module aims to examine a range of playtexts and theatrical forms within critical and historical contexts, to familiarise students with the vocabulary and awareness necessary to discuss texts and the creative process, and to encourage students to explore differences between texts as literature and texts for performance. Additionally, students will develop their scriptwriting skills.

Prior learning requirements

Available for Study Abroad? YES

Syllabus

In this module students will discuss a range of dramatic texts which best exemplify key developments in drama from the Classical period to the Renaissance and the modern period, including movements such as naturalism, expressionism, absurdism and epic theatre (LO2). We will examine the interrelations between playtext, playscript and theatre (LO1). Students will be introduced to theories of performance, audience reception and intercultural theatre (LO2), and students will have the opportunity to specialise in writing workshops focussing on the function of scripts, the adaptation of playtexts and the creation of original scripts (LO3). All students will be able to workshop ideas in conjunction with students from the Theatre and Performance Practice degree (LO3), and the transferable skills developed will enable students to meet the challenges of employment in a society in which the creative industries play a central role (LO4).

Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity

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.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of Theatre and Performance: History and Craft Part 1, students will be able to:

Cognitive intellectual abilities
LO1 evaluate the generic qualities of dramatic texts for a performance context;

Knowledge and understanding
LO2 demonstrate understanding of the history and development of theatre performance and performance texts across a number of periods, locations, genres and styles;

Subject-specific skills
LO3 criticise, write and/or produce performance texts and evaluate them in terms of context, theme, genre, audience and dramatic effect;

Transferable skills
LO4 adapt work in response to criticism of technique and understanding raised in seminar, workshop and feedback on written work.

Bibliography