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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2015/2016

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures : English Literature

Postgraduate Course: Time and Space of Performance (ENLI11176)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Literatures, Languages and Cultures CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis 20 credit course is a series of experiential rather than abstracted lectures/ professional master classes on different aspects of the making of and reading of live performance. The spine of the course is a series of 4/ 5 lectures/ workshops on the semiotics of live performance, which will be linked to actual productions happening in Edinburgh. The rest of the course comprises of 5/6 master classes on aspects of translating text from the page to the stage. A number of visits to specified productions in Scotland will be compulsory.

Please note this course is ONLY available to students on the MSc Playwriting programme.
Course description SEMINAR SCHEDULE

1. Introductory Lecture - Theatre in 4 Dimensions: Performance Analysis
Led by Nicola McCartney

2. Performance Analysis 2: Space and Image
Led by Nicola McCartney

3. Performance Analysis 3: Time and Dramatic Structure
Led by Nicola McCartney

4. The Director
Led by John Tiffany, Associate Director for New Work at the National Theatre of Scotland

5. The Performer: Text Voice, and Body
Led by Professor Ros Steen, Centre for Voice and Performance at RSAMD

6. European Dramaturgy
Led by Maja Zade, Dramaturg at Schaubuehne, Berlin

8. Performance Analysis 4: Stabilising and Destabilising Meaning
Led by Dr Simon Malpas

9. Alternative and Alternating Stages:
Led by David Greig, leading playwright

10. Creating a Virtual World
Led by Kai Fischer, designer and lighting designer

11. Devising Theatre
Led by Scott Graham, Artistic Director of Frantic Assembly, London
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs Students will be expected to attend at least five performances at Edinburgh theatres during the semester. These are essential as they will be discussed and referred to in depth during the Performance Analysis seminars. Some visits will be group visits and the costs of tickets for these will be covered by additional programme costs. For others, students will be expected to purchase themselves. The minimal reading list for this course reduces book costs allowing for theatre tickets to be purchased. A list of the performances will be provided at the beginning of the course.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2015/16, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  18
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Seminar/Tutorial Hours 30, External Visit Hours 12, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 176 )
Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) External visit hours to the theatre.
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) One 4,000 word critical case study of a choice of specified current productions in Scottish theatre, or with permission of the Course Organiser, a production of the students choosing.
Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
* develop a knowledge of the semiotics of live performance and how to manipulate those sign systems in the making of text for performance
* be encouraged to regularly attend, and critically respond to different kinds of live performance
* further explore issues relating to the making and reading of live performance through an experiential rather than abstracted series of workshops/ seminars
* be introduced to a range of first rate theatre practitioners and their methods for the making of live performance through a series of master classes
* develop a deeper understanding of and enhance their critical skills to write about theatre as a live event taking place in real space and real time
Reading List
Primary Texts:
Aston, Elaine & Savona, George . Theatre as Sign-System: a Semiotics of Text and Performance, Routledge, 1991.
Leach, R. Theatre Studies: The Basics, Routledge, 2008
Shakespeare, William, The Complete Works , various editions

Secondary Reading:
Counsell, C. & Wolfe, L. Performance Analysis: An Introductory Coursebook, Routledge, 2001.
Leacroft, Richard & Leacroft, Helen. Theatre and Playhouse: An Illustrated Survey of Theatre Building from Ancient Greece to the Present Day, Methuen, 1984.
Elam, Keir. The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama, Routledge , 2002.
Carlson, Marvin. Places of Performance: Semiotics of Theatre Architecture, Cornell Fortier, M. Theory/Theatre: An Introduction. Routledge, 2002.
Allain, P. & Harvie, J. The Routledge Companion to Theatre and Performance, Routledge, 2005.
Schechner, R. Performance Studies: An Introduction,. Routledge, 2006
Bial, H. ed. The Performance Studies Reader, Routledge, 2002.
Graham, S. & Hoggett, S. The Frantic Assembly Book of Devising Theatre, Routledge, 2009.
Carlson, Marvin. Performance: A Critical Introduction (second edition), Routledge, 2003.
Mitchell, Katie. The Director's Craft: A handbook for the theatre,. Routledge, 2008.
Shevtsova, M & Innes, C. Directors/Directing: Conversations on Theatre, Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Collins, J & Nisbet, A. Theatre and Performance Design: A Reader in Scenography. Routledge (2010).
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsTaSoP
Contacts
Course organiserMs Nicola Mccartney
Tel: (0131 6)50 3629
Email:
Course secretaryMiss Kara Mccormack
Tel: (0131 6)50 3030
Email:
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