Course description
Course outline
Field trip fee: £35
What is a play and how is it made? In this practical course for playwrights, you will look at the essentials of theatre and the mechanics of playmaking, first by studying the structure, argument, character development and plot in four classic plays; then by creating and producing your own short dramas. You will investigate how Euripides, Shakespeare, Chekhov and Pinter operated within known and invented dramatic rules; how the words came off the page and onto the stage and how observers from Aristotle to today’s critics have judged them. Then from a simple story, a snatch of dialogue, a prop or a skill, you will piece together your own play; write it, then cast, design, rehearse and present it to a small public audience. There will be writing and acting workshops, discussion of text and visits to theatres. Previous play-writing experience is not essential.
See also Shakespeare’s Plays and the Elizabethan Theatre, listed under English.
Assessments
| Type | Timing | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 100.00% | |
| Exercise | Sumsch1 Week 3 (10 minutes) | 30.00% |
| Learning Diary | Sumsch1 Week 4 | 40.00% |
| Presentation | Sumsch1 Week 4 | 30.00% |
Timing
Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.
Weighting
Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.