EA246-5-FY-SO:
Contextual Studies
2023/24
East 15 Acting School
Southend Campus
Full Year
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 28 June 2024
15
08 April 2021
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA W496 Acting and Community Engagement
This is a full-year module for students on the BA Hons Acting and Community Theatre course. The module explores the development of ideas of interactive and participatory forms of theatre, 'popular theatre', including theories of carnival, spectacle and community empowerment, and learning theory and its application to community development. Students will also explore theories of representation including semiotics.
You will critically analyse performances, lectures and classes you have attended, drawing on appropriate technical and theoretical vocabulary. You will learn to locate performance practice within a social and cultural framework.
To offer students the opportunity to:
1. Understand the wider historical and contemporary context of ‘community theatre’ in the UK and Europe
2. Explore debates about empowerment, participation, subversion and spectacle in relation to both formal and everyday performance practices
3. Develop an understanding of the forms of ‘popular theatre’ and the theory of carnival and traditions of outdoor spectacle
4. Develop a conceptual framework in which to consider performance practice in community settings
5. Develop a critical vocabulary with which to describe and discuss the relationship of performance to audience and community contexts
Students’ ability to:
1. Locate performance practice within a social and cultural framework
2. Write critically and analytically about performances that they have attended, drawing on appropriate technical and theoretical vocabulary
3. Analyse and explore live performance using semiotic analysis and a variety of other analytical frames of reference
4. Read and debate theoretical texts, developing skills in research, textual analysis, information gathering and critical debate
5. Articulate an understanding of how to assess success in teaching and learning through the arts
6. Make use of appropriate skills and theory to devise a workshop and assess whether the intended learning outcomes have been achieved.
No additional information available.
Lecture/ seminars, independent study, readings, screenings.
Students receive written evaluations for presentations, essays and for their ‘Red Book’.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Personal Record |
|
|
| Coursework |
Forum Theatre Essay |
|
|
| Practical |
Presentation |
|
|
Additional coursework information
The module is assessed through three elements and the final mark is the unweighted average of the three constituent grades:-
1. Critical Essay
2. Presentation
3. Personal Record
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
Mr Zois Pigadas, email: zpigadas@essex.ac.uk.
TBA
For further information please email zpigadas
No
No
No
Dr Katie Beswick
University of Exeter
Senior Lecturer in Drama
Available via Moodle
Of 311 hours, 28 (9%) hours available to students:
283 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.