Peter Brook: The Empty Space (Penguin 1990). David Mamet: True and False:
Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor. (Faber and Faber 1997). Roy Strong ...
Class title
LONDON THEATRE CENTRE OF THE WORLD
Course number (s)
FTT 24025
Semester Teacher(s) Points of contact
Spring 2014 Prof Charles Duff Email:
[email protected]
Course Overview:
In spite of the recession, London theatre is flourishing as never before and many consider it to be the theatre capital of the world. Meeting once weekly in double-classed sessions during the 14 week semester, this course introduces students to the London theatre, its plays, practitioners, buildings and history in all its brilliant variety. Students will attend ten diverse theatre performances and will develop a critical appreciation of theatre through discussion of the material seen. Selection of plays will include classic and contemporary drama, and will depend on the performance season. Note that it is possible that performances may contain scenes involving nudity or sexual activity; any student who would find this disturbing should select another course.
Learning objectives
Assessment structure:
There will be a tour of an 18th or 19th century theatre and one of the late20th century National Theatre. Class lectures will include four distinguished guest speakers who may be actors, directors, designers, technicians, producing managers or critics active in the London theatre. Students will discover for themselves in simple exercises the skills of the actor, director or writer. Students will also learn about the history of the British theatre in serious study and light anecdote from Shakespeare’s time to the present day. Students will visit the superb new theatre galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Class participation in seminars and exercises is important. Students’ willingness to participate and their enthusiasm, rather than the standard of their performance is primary and will have a bearing on the final grade. 40% There will be two theatre reviews, one to be submitted in week 7; the second in week 14, covering two plays each. 10% There will be 20 question multi-choice theatre history quiz in week 11. 30% In week 13 the students will submit a research paper on a topic decided by student and professor on an aspect of British theatre
20% There will be a final exam; topics will be taken from the semester’s readings. Required resources
Set Texts Maria Aitken; Acting in High Comedy (Applause 1996) Peter Brook: The Empty Space (Penguin 1990) David Mamet: True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor (Faber and Faber 1997) Roy Strong; The Arts in Britain (Pimlico 2004) (chapters 15, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 34, 35) Other Resources: Plays, Reviews, Play Programmes and Visits The Professor will advise students whether the plays to be seen in production have been published. If they have been, they will be available in the library and will be required reading in addition to the assignments listed for each class. The library will have copies of Plays International and The Stage and students will have access to the London Theatre Record at the nearby Westminster Reference Library. Students will be required to purchase programmes for the performances attended by the class because they contain important scholarly and critical articles relevant to the course. Students may tour theatres and take theatre walks. Student accounts will be charged up to £35 for photocopying, performances, required field trips and/or travel for this course.
Classroom policies
Standard London Undergraduate Program attendance policies apply.
Schedule of Classes:
[Sequence subject to change, to reflect availability of theatre tickets, visits, and speakers] Class 1: Introduction to London theatre.
21 September 2010
The origins and purpose of theatre. Overview of the aims of the course. Students state their ambitions and objectives for the course. Assignment for next class: Read first part of Peter Brook The Empty Space Class 2: Discuss reading Lecture; The Role of the Actor in the Theatre A tested simple acting exercise. Assignment for next class: Read second part of The Empty Space Class 3: Discuss reading. Approach research projects. The development of theatre buildings, their design and architecture. The Stage-Manager in the theatre Talk by and questions to a professional Stage-Manager. Assignment for next class; Read third part of The Empty Space Class 4: Seminar on play Development of theatre buildings. A backstage tour. 5.15pm National Theatre Assignment for next class; Read the final part of The Empty Space
Class 5: Seminar on play Stage design Talk and questions from a professional stage designer
Assignment for next class: read first part of David Mamet: True and False. Class 6:
21 September 2010
Backstage tour of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, 2.30pm Assignment for next class; Second part of David Mamet: True and False.
Class 7: Seminar on plays Dramatic Criticism: The role of the theatre critic Talk and questions from a professional theatre critic First paper submitted (review of 2 plays). Assignment for next class: Final part of David Mamet: True and False.
Class 8: Seminar on play The role of the director A simple 3 stage directing exercise. Assignment for next class: Read first part of Roy Strong The Arts in Britain Class 9: Seminar on play A retrospective overview of London theatre history (1600-2000) Talk and questions from an actor Assignment for next class: Final chapters of The Arts in Britain
Class 10: Seminar on play. Visit to the Theatre galleries of the Victoria and Albert Museum, or a theatre walk. Assignment for next class: read first part of Maria Aitken; Acting in High Comedy. Class 11: Seminar on play Theatre history quiz.
21 September 2010
DVD Maria Aitken on High Comedy Assignment for next class: Read second part of Maria Aitken; Acting in High Comedy. Class 12: The Business of Theatre. The Industry Talk and questions from a manager, producer or someone connected to the ‘industry of theatre’ Assignment for next class: Final part of Maria Aitken; Acting in High Comedy.
Class 13: Seminar on play Presentation of research papers. Research paper handed in. Assignment for next class; revision of semester’s reading.
Class 14: Seminar Improvised playlets. Summation of the course Submission of 2 theatre reviews. Final week: Final exam on date TBD. Recommended Reading as Starting Points for Research
Michael Billington: State of the Nation: British Theatre Since the War (Faber and Faber, 2007) Declan Donnellan: The Actor and the Target (Nick Hern Books, 2005) Charles Duff: The Lost Summer (Nick Hern Books 1995) David Edgar: How Plays Work (Nick Hern Books 2009) Richard Eyre: Talking Theatre (Nick Hern Books 2009)
21 September 2010
Richard Eyre and Nicholas Wright: Changing Stages (Bloomsbury 2000) Bella Martin: The Complete Stanislavski Toolkit (Nick Hern Books 2007) Dominic Shellard: British Theatre Since the War (Yale, 1999)
21 September 2010
