Module Identifier DR21810  
Module Title DEVISING THEATRE : FROM IDEA TO ACTION  
Academic Year 2004/2005  
Co-ordinator Mrs Joan G Mills  
Semester Semester 2  
Pre-Requisite Successful completion of part one drama.  
Mutually Exclusive PF20420  
Course delivery Lecture   10 Hours  
  Practical   20 Hours  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Assessment Working notes20%
Semester Assessment Group presentation (15 minutes)50%
Semester Assessment Group oral examination (20 minutes)30%
Supplementary Exam Individual oral exam (10 minutes)30%
Supplementary Assessment Working notes20%
Supplementary Assessment Individual presentation (6 minutes)50%

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:


Brief description

The module will offer an introduction to the processes of devising theatre texts and scenarios, for a number of different theatre contexts. It will enable students to investigate and explore, in theory and practice, established methodologies and proven approaches to creating (as opposed to interpreting) theatre texts. It will also examine the relationship between the methodologies chosen and the contexts and purpose of the performances created.

Aims

Content

The module will be taught through a series of 10 one-hour lectures and 10 two-hour practical seminars led by Departmental staff. It is hoped to invite representatives and guest practitioners working in this field in Wales to contribute to the teaching programme. These would, of necessity, vary from year to year and may include Theatre Powys, Hi-jinks Theatre Company; Arad Goch; the National Youth theatre of Wales; Theatre Clwyd;and Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

The Lectures and practical seminars would focus on the following:-

Students will be encouraged to develop their own improvisation structures, exercises and creative strategies as well as learn from the approaches used by the tutors, and other practitioners studied.



Reading Lists

Books
Oddey, Alison (1994) Devising:A Practical and Theoretical Handbook Routledge
Bogart, Anne (2001) A Director Prepares Routledge
Spolin, Viola (2000) Improvisation for theTheatre North Western University Press
Zinder, David Body-Voice-Imagination: A Training for the Actor
Flemming, Michael (2003) Starting Drama Teaching David Fulton Publishers
Linklater, Kirstin (1994) Freeing the Natural Voice Quite Specific Media Group
Pisk, Litz (1998) The Actor and His Body Methuen
Edwards, Betty (1993) Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Harper Collins
Johnstone, Chris (1998) House of Games: Making Theatre for Everyday Life Nick Hern Books
Goat Island: School Book 2
Etchells, Tim (2000) Certain Fragments Text and Writings on Performance Routledge
Clements, Paul (1993) The Improvised Play:The Work of Mike Leigh Methuen

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5