Gwybodaeth Modiwlau

the aims of the module are to:

• Give students the opportunity to study French Neo-classical and English Restoration Theatre texts in their social, political, historical and theatrical contexts.
• Critically investigate the play-texts of selected playwrights.
• Challenge commonly held assumptions about how the plays were originally staged and the audiences? response to them.
• Explore the challenges of interpreting these texts for modern audiences in contemporary performance conditions.

This module examines key 17th Century Neo-classical French and English Restoration play-texts and investigates their social, political, historical and theatrical contexts. Typically, lectures and seminars will examine topics such as: the conventions and practices of the seventeenth century French and English Playhouses; French neo-classical dramatic theory; influences on the English Restoration playwirghts; Bergson's theory of comedy; a study of selected English and French playwirghts and a detailed studyof key texts; the interpretation of these texts for modern theatre audiences; twentieth-century revivals and the production choices made for significant productions.

During the practical classes students will focus specifically on the challenges facing the modern actor/actress when interpreting text from page to stage in contemporary performance conditions.

For information on due dates for submisson of assessed work, please refer to the departmental web pages at http://www.aber.ac.uk/tfts/duedates.shtml

Students will be allocated to a specific tutor who will supervise and monitor the progress of the practical investigation. However, students should note that they will be expected to wrok responsibly and sytematically with their peers in student directed sessions in addition to the hours specified on the course timetable.