EA132-4-SP-SO:
Verbatim Theatre and Contemporary Scene Study
2023/24
East 15 Acting School
Southend Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 4
Current
Monday 15 January 2024
Friday 22 March 2024
15
08 April 2021
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA W496 Acting and Community Engagement
This first year acting module provides students with the challenge of researching real life events through a dramatic format and through creating short scenes.
With their Director students may work on a piece of already scripted verbatim theatre or my develop their own piece using materials such as transcripts, newspaper articles, testimonials, interviews which are edited, arranged or recontextualised to form a dramatic presentation, in which actors take on the characters of the real individual whose words are being used.
Students will also work in groups to study scenes from a contemporary play, learning how to divide a scene into units of action, how to discover actions of a character and use the text to discover information – about the play, its themes and characters. You will workshop scenes in your groups, applying your learning from the early part of the course. By the end of this block of work you will be able to find a character's through line and recreate work achieved during the rehearsal process.
The module aims to provide students with opportunities to:
1. Work on material that demands truthful and in-depth investigation
2. Apply detailed and accurate research methods
3. Analyse text
4. Explore verbatim text
5. Put acting methods and theory to use in acting a piece of text.
6. Influence another character and be influenced in duologue
By the end of this module you will be able to demonstrate: understanding of:
1. Professional potential: range, focus, presence in verbatim theatre and contemporary scenes
2. Commitment: energy, positive attitude, personal contribution to the group
3. Creative inventiveness: fresh responses, spontaneity in a range of experiences taken from real life and from texts
4. Flexibility & sensitivity to change: responsiveness to others and to direction in verbatim theatre and contemporary scenes
5. Ensemble acting: adaptability, generosity, awareness of relationships
6. Objective self-assessment: awareness of own strengths and weaknesses as an actor, ability to accept criticism and act upon it
7. Research skills: in-depth interviews, objective observation, selection of appropriate material, accurate documentation.
Module Content:
Applying research and imagination to create the world of the play
Character analysis
Character relationships
Understanding characters' objectives, intentions and actions
Breaking down plays into 'units of action'
Finding a character's through line
Understanding the context of a play
Rehearsal processes
Recreating rehearsed work
Documentary theatre
Verbatim theatre processes and ethics
Voice into Text - applying principles of voice production to work on text.
Students work with tutors in group practical classes.
Learning also takes place in workshops and rehearsals.
Verbal formative feedback and tutor feedback in written reports
Improvisation and group discussion.
This module does not appear to have any essential texts. To see non - essential items, please refer to the module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Practical |
Continuous Assessment |
|
100% |
Additional coursework information
Continuous assessment through observation of contribution to class work through improvisation and group discussion and key exercises/ showings.
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Ms Ainslie Masterton, email: amast@essex.ac.uk.
Ainslie Masterton
East 15 Acting School
Gateway Building
Elmer Approach
Southend-on-Sea
SS1 1LW
No
No
No
Dr Katie Beswick
University of Exeter
Senior Lecturer in Drama
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
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