760-251 Script and Theatre

12.5 points of theatre studies at first year level or equivalent.

The subject examines the relationship between script and theatre and draws initially on Roland Barthes' notion of the writer as 'scriptor' and the text as an inscription. Its focus is thus on writing for theatre rather than playwrights. Students will study plays but also non-dramatic texts such as the novel, poetry and the essay that are also scripted for the stage. The adaptation of television drama to the stage and the use of intertext and hypertext will also be considered as a way in which contemporary theatre draws on a wide range of source materials. Students should develop an understanding of dramatic structure and composition, play interpretation and analysis, genre, the multiple relations of text to performance, performance analysis and the experimental script. The subject also enables students to consider the cultural and historical contexts in which script is produced and performed.

A 2000 word essay, a twenty minute performance piece and a 1000 word tutorial paper.

A subject reader will be available.