Module Information

Module Identifier

TP21220

Module Title

Acting Dramatic Texts

Academic Year

2014/2015

Co-ordinator

Dr Andrew Robert Filmer

Semester

Semester 1

Pre-Requisite

Successful completion of Part 1

Other Staff

Course Delivery

Delivery Type	Delivery length / details
Practical	1 x 3 hour Pre-Exam Session
Lecture	10 x 3 hour Lecture/Practicals

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment length / details	Proportion
Semester Exam	14 Hours Group Practical Examination	60%
Semester Assessment	Reflective Analysis (equivalent to 2500 words)	40%
Supplementary Assessment	Reflective Analysis (equivalent to 2500 words)	40%
Supplementary Exam	0.5 Hours Individual Practical Examination and Essay	60%

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.

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 and contemporary texts. In particular, students will be asked to consider the challenges and difficulties of performing characters selected from Shakespearean and other non-naturalisitc 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 on both classical and contemporary play texts.

Content

Indicative content for this module might include:

Stanislavsky's Influence on Contemporary Performance: Actor-Training and Rehearsal Practices

Finding the Sub-Text

Contemporary Approaches to Performing Shakespeare: Marrying the two Traditions of Contemporary and Classical Acting

'Actioning the Text'

Performing Archetypes and Stereotypes: Acting in English Restoration Comedies

Using improvisation

The Actor's Voice

Module Skills

Skills Type	Skills details
Application of Number	Neither developed nor assessed
Communication	The development and use of communion skills are intrinsic to the student's 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 Venchmark Statement (Version 2007) The following subject specific skills are developed and partly assessed: 1 Engaging in performance and production, based on an acquisition and understanding of appropriate performance and production vocabularies, skills, structures and working methods 2 Contributing to the production of performance 3 Creating original work using the skills and crafts of performance making 4 Using performance techniques associated with particular cultural forms and/or practitioners 5 Developing physical skills and applying them effectively to communicate with an audience 6 Engaging in research, whether independent, group or performance-based 7 Making records of performance, using skills in notation and/or documentation 8 Working within 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