Module Information

Module Identifier
TP21320
Module Title
Performing Dramatic Texts (semester 2)
Academic Year
2013/2014
Co-ordinator
Mr Richard Arthur David Cheshire
Semester
Intended for use in future years
Pre-Requisite
Successful completion of Part 1
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Group Practical Examination  50%
Semester Assessment Creative Portfolio (equivalent to 2500 words)  50%
Supplementary Assessment Individual Practical Examination and essay  50%
Supplementary Assessment Creative Portfolio (equivalent to 2500 words)  50%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Employ a range of conceptual and rehearsal procedures and modes of exposition appropriate to the presentation of characters from differing theatrical styles;

Manage personal workloads, meet deadlines and negotiate and pursue goals with others;

Work effectively within small groups on selected scenes within the timescale and guidelines set;

Critically reflect upon, analyse and discuss the theatrical processes from a range of theoretical perspectives.

Aims

This new module will be offered as part of a suite of Year 2, 20=credit creative practice options in the Department's revised Part 2 provision. Whilst it may be taken by students registered for any of the Theatre Curriculum Group schemes (depending on the specification of their degree scheme pathway), it will be a key component of the Drama and Theatre Studies pathway.

Content

Sessions 1 and 2:
Stanislavsky's Influence on Contemporary Performance: Actor-Training and Rehearsal Practices
Key text: Bella Merlin (2007), The Complete Stanislavsky Toolkit
Benedetti, Jean (2009) An Actor's Work on a Role

Session 3:
Finding the Sub-Text
Key text: Houseman, Barbara (2008) Tackling Text and Subtext

Sessions 4 and 5:
Contemporary Approaches to Performing Shakespeare: Marrrying the two Traditions of Contemporary and Classical Acting
Key texts: Hall Peter (2003) Shakespeare's Advice to the Players,
Davies, Oliver Ford (2007) Performing Shakespeare

Session 6:
'Actioning the Text'
Key Texts: Stafford Clarke, Max (1997) Letters to George
Caldarone, Marina (2004) Actions: The Actor's Thesaurus - Nick Hern Books

Session 7:
Performing Archetypes and Stereotypes: Acting in English Restoration Comedies.
Key texts: Barton, Robert (2010) Style for Actors: Moving Beyond Realism
Alfreds, Mike (2008) Different Every Night - Nick Hern Books

Session 8:
Using improvisation
Mitchell, Katie (2008) The Director's Craft: A Handbook for the Theatre - Routledge

Sessions 9 and 10
The Actor's Voice
Key texts: Carey, David & Carey, Rebecca Clark (2008) Vocal Arts Workbook and DVD:
A Practical Course for Achieving Clarity and Expression with your Voice AC@B Black/Methuen
Linklater, Kristin (2006) Freeing the Natural Voice - Nick Hern Books
Davies, D. Garfield & Jahm, Antony F (2004) Care of the Professional Voice - Routledge

Brief description

During the weekly workshops for this module, students will be introduced to contemporary acting exercises and techniques which are commonly used in the creation of characters from classical texts. In particular, students will be asked to consider the challenges and difficulties of performing characters selected from Shakespearean and other non-naturalistic plays. The choice of texts will be determined by the Course Tutor and may differ from group to group.

Students will examine a wide-range of rehearsal approaches used by contemporary theatre practitioners, including Katie Mitchell, Adrian Noble, Max Stafford Clark, Cicely Berry, John Barton, Kristin Linklater, Barbara Houseman, Mike Alfreds, Anne Bogart and Peter Hall. Students will also be required to select and apply key acting exercises advocated by Stanislavski and test their usefulness and validity when working approaching classical texts.

In the final session for the module, students will perform a selected scene from one of the plays studied for their practical examination and reflect upon and analyse their work.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Neither developed nor assessed.
Communication The development and use of communication skills are intrinsic to the student' experience in Departmental modules of this kind.
Improving own Learning and Performance Students are expected to respond to formative feedback during workshops and are required to reflect critically as part of their learning process.
Information Technology Information handling is not formally assessed, but students are encouraged to use technology where appropriate.
Personal Development and Career planning The module encourages the development of skills which are directly applicable to careers within the theatre/performance industries.
Problem solving When working on their practical project, students will be expected to negotiate and pursue goals with others and to solve problems as they arise.
Research skills A range of research skills is necessary for students to complete the assessment methods and learning outcomes for the module.
Subject Specific Skills See QAA Dance, Drama and Performance Subject Benchmark Statement (Version 2007). The following subject specific skills are developed and partly assessed: engaging in performance and production, based on an acquisition and understanding of appropriate performance and production vocabularies, skills, structures and working methods contributing to the production of performance creating original work using the skills and crafts of performance making using performance techniques associated with particular cultural forms and/or practitioners developing physical skills and applying them effectively to communicate with an audience engaging in research, whether independent, group or performance-based making records of performance, using skills in notation and/or documentation working with a group to make performance
Team work The acquisition and development of Team/Group skills are fundamental to the student experience of this module and are formally assessed.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5