Module UXB-3400:
Contemporary Theatre Practice

Module Facts

Run by School of Music, Drama and Performance

20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 2

Organiser: Dr Branwen Davies

Overall aims and purpose

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.

**Students are expected to have completed at least one of the Level 4 Modules as a pre-requisite. Either UXS/B 1120 (Theatre Making) or UXS/B 1403 (Performing for Stage and Screen).

Course content

  • 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

Assessment Criteria

good

C- to B+

Students will have met the standards of class developed knowledge and understanding with some independent research to support.

threshold

D- to D+

Students will have developed a knowledge and understanding of the majority of the class material but very limited independent development.

excellent

A- to A*

Students will have developed in-depth research (theoretically and practically) beyond class knowledge and understanding.

Learning outcomes

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

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

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

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

  5. Participated in an extended period of practice-based exploration to assist in the generation of an original performance.

Assessment Methods

Type Name Description Weight
Performance Study 20.00
Short Group Production 50.00
Essay 30.00

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Hours
Seminar

1 hour seminars (first 6 weeks)

 6
Private study

The students will be expected to invest a minimum of 20 hours on their performance study assessment. 50 hours minimum on their short production and 30 hours minimum on their critical essay to develop the minimum requirements of subject knowledge development. The Students will also be encouraged to developed their own practice based and theoretical research in relation to these assessments as well as contacting their groups on a regular basis to attend independent rehearsals and any additional organisation needed outside of class hours. High group commitment is required on this module as well as the commitment to attend live performances on a regular basis and this element will be monitored during the term.

 156
Practical classes and workshops

Laboratory Workshops in Direction, Dramaturgy and Performance Training will be delivered in development to practice based research.

 22
Supervised time in studio/workshop

Groups will be allocated time in class to develop group work under the supervision of the lecturer.

 16

Transferable skills

  • Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
  • 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

Subject specific skills

  • An understanding of creative and critical processes, and of the wide range of skills inherent in creative writing. (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.1).
  • Knowledge of a wide range of canonical English texts, providing a confident understanding of literary traditions as well as the confidence to experiment and challenge conventions when writing creatively. (English Benchmark Statement 3.1).
  • An awareness of writing and publishing contexts, opportunities and audiences in the wider world (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.1).
  • 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).
  • Information technology (IT) skills broadly understood and the ability to access, work with and evaluate electronic resources (NAWE Creative Writing Benchmark Statement 3.2; English Benchmark Statement 3.3).

Resources

Pre- and Co-requisite Modules

Courses including this module

Compulsory in courses:

Optional in courses: