The aim of this module is to introduce students to drama and performance theory, by giving them the opportunity to explore and discuss some of the methodologies, debates and conceptual approaches to drama and performance, both current and historical. It will encourage students to consider these methodologies when reading primary material, and to this end five key primary texts are allotted for the module which will encourage dialectical consideration of theory and practice. There will normally be a tie-in theatre trip late in the course.

There will be one 2 hour seminar/workshop per week in the Autumn term, and the module will be assessed by a 6,000 word essay (or 8,000 if taken as a 36-CATS course). Most classes will be on Monday late afternoon this year, but because of theatre trips and staff availability, we will negotiate the final timetable in week 1.

This is now updated for 2024-5. Please address any queries to the module convenor, Dr Steve Purcell, on s.purcell@warwick.ac.uk.

Please read all the primary texts before the start of term (or as many as you can). We will be assuming familiarity with them from week 1.

The plays you will need to acquire and read for 2024-25 are:

Euripides, The Bacchae (trans. David Greig)

William Shakespeare, Othello, via Drama Online.

Samuel Beckett, Not I and Play via Drama Online.

Lolita Chakrabarti, Red Velvet, via Drama Online.

Class timetable

1: Dr Steve Purcell: Making Sense of the Stage / Introduction. Freshwater's Theatre & Audience.
2: Dr Steve Purcell: Tragedy. Bacchae and Othello.
3: Prof Liz Barry: Theatre and Mind: Phenomenology and Cognition. Not I and Play.
4: Prof Liz Barry: Theatre and Disability. Not I and Play.
5: Dr Steve Purcell: Theatre in Context 1. Visit to RSC Othello.
6: Dr Steve Purcell: Theatre in Context 2. Discussion of RSC Othello.
7: Dr Matt Franks: Theatre and History. Red Velvet.
8: Dr Matt Franks: Theatre and Archive. Red Velvet.
9: Dr Jo Hofer-Robinson: Theatre and Repertoire. Red Velvet.
10: Dr Steve Purcell: Spectatorship. Bacchae and Othello.

Bibliography

The reading for each week will be advertised on the course Moodle; typically, we will be discussing one play or performance in relation to a number of theoretical texts.

You will be provided with digital copies of most of the theoretical texts. However, you will need constant access to your own copies of the following (you may want a physical copy to scribble in, or both are available electronically via the library):

Gerould, Daniel (2000) [ed.] Theatre/Theory/Theatre: the Major Critical Texts, New York: Applause Books. This is a key textbook for the module and will form the basis of multiple weeks' reading.

Freshwater, Helen (2009) Theatre and Audience, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.