This module aims to expand the knowledge of drama in text and performance that students have acquired at levels 4 and 5, introducing them to new and contemporary playwrights, plays and theatre practices, as well as enabling them to give critically informed responses to the material. It is designed to allow greater specialisation and generic and/or thematic focus against the background of period knowledge provided by the modules at Level 5, and encourage research confidence and independence.

(LO1) Students will have the ability to write fluent prose which conveys independent research and evaluation of materials, theories, and concepts.

(LO2) Students will demonstrate capacity to develop focused research attitudes and pursue projects independently.

(LO3) Students will apply understanding of contemporary dramatic conventions and knowledge of the cultural and historical contexts in which it is written and read.

(S1) Students will gain practical research skills to retrieve and handle information from a variety of sources.

(S2) Students will gain organisational skills in managing time and workloads, and in meeting deadlines.

(S3) Students will gain the ability to communicate ideas with concision and clarity.

(S4) Students will be able to review and give a written response to live performance.

Focuses of the module will include, but will not be limited to:

Considering what it means for theatre to respond to the contemporary moment.
Developments in theatre practice since 2000, with a focus on British and Irish theatre.
Innovative theatrical forms, including verbatim and documentary theatre, devised theatre, postdramatic theatre, and digital theatre, as well as traditional play texts.
Analysing the creative contributions of playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, designers and actors.
Considering performances in their political and social contexts, including neoliberalism, the climate crisis, Brexit, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researching performances through engaging with archival traces of performance, such as recordings, scripts, reviews and production photographs.
Analysing live and recorded performances, in addition to scripts.

This module will be taught by 1 x weekly 1-hour tutorial with small group and 1 x weekly 1-hour workshop with whole cohort (F2F or online, as appropriate).

Schedule directed student hours: 2 hours weekly for 11 weeks = 22 hours
Unscheduled directed student hours: 104 hours
Attendance recorded: Yes
Notes:
Description of how self-directed learning hours may be used: To complete required reading for each week’s workshop and tutorial and to supplement this required reading with relevant secondary reading.