Assessment Pattern

This module considers depictions of character and culture in a series of key texts from the classical, modern and postmodern repertoire.  In so doing, it provides students with an approach to identify connections and contradictions between historical and cultural restaging of these texts.  The module introduces issues of politics, character motivation and agency, character-actor relationship and class, race and gender politics.

      To provide a critical overview to representations of character in a series of theatre texts (written and performed) and to debate the significance of these interpretations (a, f),

            To introduce analytical, historical, critical and contextual approaches to the study of theatrical character in texts (b, d, e).

To prepare students to closely analyse character in a text with reference to theoretical knowledge and to present some initial conclusions (c, g)

On completion of this module students should be able to

·        Clearly distinguish between forms of character in theatre texts (B2, C2)

·        Evaluate the representation of character in a theatre text in terms of specific historical, critical or contextual approaches/concerns (A1, A2, A3, B2, B3).

·        Present key findings and ideas in written forms (D1, D2, D3, D4).

·        The module will consider depictions of character and culture in selected theatre and performance texts.  These may include scripts and/or screenplays of the following:

o       Sophocles, Antigone

o       Euripides, Medea

o       Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound

o       Shakespeare, Hamlet

o       Genet, The Maids

o       Durrenmatt, The Visit

o       Pirandello, Six Characters in Search of an Author

o       Ionesco, Rhinoceros

o       Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire

o       Shepard, A Lie of the Mind

o       Crimp, Attempts on Her Life

o       Kane, Blasted, 4.48 Psychosis

·        The module will examine politics, character/identity motivation and agency, character-actor relationship, and class, race and gender politics,

·        The module will encourage students to use theoretical material in their analysis of theatre texts to create and present initial conclusions in written form.

Required:

Huxley, M and N Witts , eds. 2002. The twentieth century performance reader. London : Routledge.

Williams, Tennessee . 2000. A streetcar named desire and other plays. London : Penguin Classics.

Recommended: Chekhov, Crimp, Chekhov, Fuchs, Kane, Huxley, Pickering , Shakespeare, Sierz, Williams, Fugard, Walton(Beckett, 2006; Crimp, 2007; Dürrenmatt, 1973; Fischer-Lichte, 1997; Fuchs, 1996; Fugard, 1978; Huxley and Witts, 2002; Kane, 2001; Pickering, 2003; Pirandello et al., 2008; Scott, 1999; Styan, 1975; Walton and McDonald, 2002)

Beckett, S, The Complete Dramatic Works of Samuel Beckett. London: Faber and Faber, 2006.

Crimp, M, Attempts on Her Life. London: Faber and Faber, 2007.

Dürrenmatt, F, The Visit Translated by Patrick Bowles. London: Jonathan Cape, 1973.

Fischer-Lichte, E, The Show and the Gaze of Theatre: A European Perspective. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1997.

Fuchs, E, The Death of Character: Perspectives on Theater After Modernism. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996.

Fugard, A, Statements. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978.

Huxley, M and Witts, N, eds. 2002. The Twentieth Century Performance Reader. London: Routledge.

Kane, S, Complete Plays. London: A&C Black, 2001.

Pickering, K, Studying Modern Drama. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.

Pirandello, L, Goold, R, and Power, B, Six Characters in Search of an Author. London: Nick Hern Books, 2008.

Scott, K, I Want You To Walk With Me. In: J.Lingwood & M. Morris ed., The Missing Voice (Case Study B): Artangel Afterlives, 1999.

Styan, J L, Drama, Stage and Audience. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1975.

Walton, J M and McDonald, M, eds. 2002. Six Greek Tragedies. London: Methuen.