Run by School of Arts, Culture and Language

20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 2

Organiser: Mrs Ffion Evans

Contemporary Theatre Practice is a module that explores theatre making at an advanced level. Through performance, direction and dramaturgy, students will be encouraged to establish companies and produce their own work to explore artistic policy on the 21st Century Stage that welcomes the experimental. Understanding of research and development exploration and production values will be shared and practiced and through discussion and practical application, the module will investigate creative strategies, methods and theoretical issues arising from creating contemporary theatre.

The module considers performer/audience relationships on the 21st Century stage, scenography, and technology in performance as well as dramaturgical decisions in staging and performance training.

• Explore advance theatre making methods to create original creative work
• Introduce theoretical and practical research in Contemporary Theatre Practice
• Develop research and development material as well as a short company production to evaluate practice.
• The module runs every 2 years with students from the second and third year of undergraduate study working together

excellent

Excellent (A- to A+)

• Comprehensive knowledge • Detailed understanding • Extensive background study • Highly focussed and well structured written or performance response • Logically presented and defended arguments • No factual/computational errors/committed and convincing performance • Original interpretation • New links between topics are developed • Strong group skills • Excellent presentation with very accurate communication

good

Very Good/Good (B- to B+)

• Comprehensive knowledge • Detailed understanding • Background study • Focussed and well structured written or performance response • Logically presented and defended most arguments • Some to No factual/computational errors/committed and convincing performance • Some Original interpretation • New links between topics are developed • Strong group skills • Very good presentation with accurate communication

threshold

Threshold (D- to D+)

• Knowledge of key areas/principles only • Weaknesses in understanding of main areas • Limited evidence of background study • Performance or written response only poorly focussed on question and with some irrelevant material and poor structure • Arguments presented but lack coherence • Several factual/computational errors/unconvincing performance • No original interpretation • Only major links between topics are described • Weak group skills • Many weaknesses in presentation/performance and accuracy

C- to C+

Good/Satisfactory (C- to C+)

• Knowledge of key areas/principles • Understands main areas • Limited evidence of background study • Written or performance response focussed on assignment but also with some irrelevant material and weaknesses in structure • Arguments presented but lack coherence • Has several factual/computational errors/mostly unconvincing performance • No original interpretation • Only major links between topics are described • Limited problem solving/satisfactory team work • Some weaknesses in presentation/performance and accuracy

1. Has undertaken sufficient independent research-based investigation to inform written and practical work.

2. Participated in an extended period of practice-based exploration to assist in the generation of an original performance and led on many aspects of the process.

3. Been able to identify and discuss the theoretical and practical strategies that are currently in evidence within contemporary theatre practice thoroughly.

4. Been a highly active and a strong creative participant in the process of play or project devising appropriate for a contemporary theatre practice context.

5. Understood and applied the appropriate skills, working methods and approaches required when conducting performance work.

Type	Name	Description	Weight
DEMONSTRATION/PRACTICE	Performance Study	In groups, this will be an opportunity to share practical research and development ideas with the rest of the class. What ideas are developing for your specific production? Which has been performed in the studio theatre in Pontio in past years.	20.00
DEMONSTRATION/PRACTICE	Short Group Production	As a performance company, you will be developing a production where you can perform, write, direct, compose, stage manage, design..any components within the group to be performed at Studio Theatre Pontio end of term.	50.00
ESSAY	Contemporary Theatre Analysis	After developing practical research, this will be an opportunity to put research practice into theoretical context. Developing the theories identified during assessment 1, bringing these forward now to explore further as a conclusion to the module's study and future performance work.	30.00

		Hours
Seminar	Research focused study to support theoretical knowledge and understanding.	8
Private study	Independent study to read and analyse research material, develop creative ideas and prepare for assessments.	126
Supervised time in studio/workshop	Opportunity to gain feedback on developing work in progress.	11
Practical classes and workshops	Specifically designed workshops to support contemporary theatre study	22
External visit	Opportunity to visit live performances as well as online digital material of production work to support ideas.	11
Study group	Rehearsal time and planning in groups for production work	22

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
• Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
• Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
• Safety-Consciousness - Having an awareness of your immediate environment, and confidence in adhering to health and safety regulations
• Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
• Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
• Mentoring - Able to support, help, guide, inspire and/or coach others
• Caring - Showing concern for others; caring for children, people with disabilities and/or the elderly
• Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
• Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
• Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in

• Artistic engagement and ability to articulate complex ideas in oral and written forms. (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2).
• Ability to connect creative and critical ideas between and among forms, techniques and types of creative and critical praxis. (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.2).
• Awareness of how different social and cultural contexts affect the nature of language and meaning (English Benchmark Statement 3.2).
• Reflective practitioner skills, including awareness of the practice of others in collaborative learning (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.2).
• The ability to synthesize information from various sources, choosing and applying appropriate concepts and methods (English Benchmark Statement 3.3).
• Ability to formulate and solve problems, anticipate and accommodate change, and work within contexts of ambiguity, uncertainty and unfamiliarity (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.3).
• Ability to engage in processes of drafting and redrafting texts to achieve clarity of expression and an appropriate style. (English Benchmark Statement 3.3; NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2).
• Ability to gather information, analyse, interpret and discuss different viewpoints (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.3).
• Re-creative skills – interpretation, innovation, versatility, and other skills relating to performance
• Creative skills – conception, elaboration, adaptation, presentation, collaboration, preservation
• Intellectual skills specific to Music – contextual knowledge, cultural awareness, critical understanding, repertoire knowledge, curiosity, analytical demonstration
• Skills of communication and interaction – oral and written communication, public presentation, team-working and collaboration, awareness of professional protocols, sensitivity, ICT skills, etc.
• Skills of personal management – self-motivation, self-critical awareness, independence, entrepreneurship and employment skills, time management and reliability, organisation, etc.
• Enhanced powers of imagination and creativity (4.17)

Resource implications for students

Students will be informed before hand.

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/wxm-3400.html

Reading list

Reading list will be presented before the module begins.

Compulsory in courses:

• 32M8: BA English Literature with Theatre and Performance year 3 (BA/ELTP)
• P3W5: BA Film Studies with Theatre and Performance year 3 (BA/FSTP)
• P35W: Film Stud with Theatre & Performance with International Exp. year 3 (BA/FSTPIE)
• P3WL: BA Media Studies with Theatre and Performance year 3 (BA/MSTP)
• P3WB: BA Media Stud with Theatre & Perform (4yr with Incorp Found) year 3 (BA/MSTP1)

Optional in courses:

• T103: BA Chinese and Creative Studies year 4 (BA/CHCS)
• WPQ1: BA Creative Studies (with International Experience) year 4 (BA/CSIE)
• WPQ0: BA Creative Studies year 3 (BA/CST)
• WPQB: BA Creative Studies (4 year with Incorporated Foundation) year 3 (BA/CST1)
• WQ93: BA Creative Stds & English Lang. year 3 (BA/CSTEL)
• WR91: BA French and Creative Studies year 4 (BA/CSTFR)
• WR92: BA German and Creative Studies year 4 (BA/CSTG)
• WR93: BA Italian and Creative Studies year 4 (BA/CSTITAL)
• WR94: BA Spanish & Creative Studies year 4 (BA/CSTSP)