School of Arts, Social Sciences and Management Drama and Performance Level 3 Performance Project 3 (T3187)

Semester 1, 2012-13

Practicals
Wednesdays 15.15-19.15 and Thursdays 10.15-14.15 For details of studios, please consult the PP3 Hub area.

Module Co-ordinator
John Dean e-mail: jdean@qmu.ac.uk

Supervisors
Robin Wilson, Irvine Allan, Scottie Anderson, Ksenija Horvat, Bianca Mastrominico and other members of the D&P team as appropriate

Appointments arranged by e-mail

Module Overview
This module allows students to collaborate on a performance based task, taking on specific roles and responsibilities within a group (i.e. dramaturge, director, performer, designer, technician etc), and through the co-ordination and integration of these roles, finding group based solutions to the creative staging of a short piece of work. The group projects will all take their starting point from a text or texts studied in Level 1, 2 or 3, though the form of the outcome is entirely dependent on the interests of the individual groups. The projects, lasting no longer than 25 minutes each, will be supervised by one staff member per group and will be staged in the Performance Studio. This module builds on the level two modules Performance Project 1&2, amongst others.

Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, you should be able to: Evaluate the core principles and strategies involved in collaborative production of performance Take individual responsibility for a defined area of work within a collaborative task Develop specialist skills and practices in order to construct a response to prewritten textual stimuli Exercise autonomy and initiative in a defined role at a professional level Demonstrate creative and practical prowess in the staging of an original work

Modes of Learning & Teaching

The module will be taught on the basis of practical sessions. These practical sessions are student-led, though there will be regular supervision and support from an allotted member of staff (one specific staff supervisor per group). Staff supervisors will not direct the work, but rather offer practical, theoretical or conceptual advice for facilitating the work you want to create. Each week you will have up to 4 hours of pre-booked studio rehearsal time, during either the Wednesday or the Thursday session, though you may need to make additional room bookings of your own in order to satisfactorily complete the work in the time available. In weeks 1 to 2 you will negotiate your groups (of approximately 8 students per group) and roles, and decide on a text to base your project proposal around. By week 3 you should have submitted your completed project proposal to the module coordinator for approval. Once approved, you will be allotted a supervisor. In your proposal you will have the possibility to bid for additional technical support either costume, LX&SFX, or scenographic support, and in each case a very small budget and expertise will be made available to you. Sarah Paulley (spaulley@qmu.ac.uk) is the Technical Coordinator for the module. In week 7 there will be a scratch presentation of initial performance material, to allow supervisors and peers to feed back on the work-in-progress.

Modes of Assessment
In order to ensure that process and learning (and not just results) are assessed fairly in this module, and also because you will be applying very varied practical skills, your achievement will be evaluated using the following assessment pattern: Group performance - 40% Week Beginning 26/11/12 (exact dates TBC) This assessment of a collaborative 25min original performance, based on a pre-existing dramatic work, will take place in the Performance Studio and will be assessed by members of staff on the following criteria: Your ability to integrate defined roles, skills and practices in an ensemble creation, the effectiveness of your response to a pre-written textual stimuli, and evidence of your creative and practical prowess in staging the work. Peer and staff feedback will be given following the performances, which will then inform your Analytical Reports. 1500 word Analytical report - 60% Hand-in 4pm 14/12/12 This analysis of your classwork, creative process and performance should bring together and make sense of your learning journey within the module. Guidance is given below. Assessment criteria will include the content, style, presentation, depth of analysis, and structure of the report.

Students should refer to the Undergraduate Student Handbook for information on the University Grading Scheme, the criteria for award of grades and procedures for special arrangements. You should expect to receive feedback from staff no later than 4 working weeks after the assessment or hand in date.

Structure of the Programme Week

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Programme
Introduction and group formation Rehearsals and proposal deadline, lecture (TBC) Rehearsals Rehearsals Rehearsals Rehearsals Rehearsals and scratch presentations Rehearsals Rehearsals Rehearsals Performances Feedback session

Study and Transferable Skills

A wide range of basic academic skills will also be developed:

1. Communication skills: Discussion and practice in groups will develop skills in both
verbal and non verbal communication and debate.

2. Self-management skills: advice on practical/academic study skills and organising

work will be offered throughout the unit. Additionally, you will learn to meet deadlines by working under pressure.

3. Interpersonal skills: by working in groups on appropriate tasks, leadership and

listening skills will be encouraged.

4. Academic skills: writing skills will be developed through essay work. You will be
encouraged to write in a critical and analytical manner, encompassing knowledge gained from your own research process and elements of your own creativity. Guidance will be offered on preparation and tutor comments given on all written work.

Extenuating circumstances, extensions and late submissions

Students should refer to the University regulations concerning extenuating circumstances, extensions and late submission of assessments. To reiterate, any student who thinks they may not be able to complete an assignment, or considers that their work may be compromised due to unforeseen external circumstances, should contact the module co-ordinator as soon as possible. Students may also wish to contact their Personal Academic Tutor and, if appropriate, the subject areas Academic Disabled Student Co-ordinator (Kate Nelson).

Texts
You may choose any of the plays or performance texts that you have studied so far on the course to base your work around. Here below are some of the options (though you will of course have studied many more). Please bear in mind that your final choice of text will need to be agreed by the module co-ordinator as part of your project proposal. Abe, K. 1997. Involuntary Homicide in Three Plays by Kobo Abe. Columbia University Press. Anon., 1993 Everyman. Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays Ed. Cawley, A.C., . Phoenix Anouilh, J. 2005. Antigone. European Schoolbooks. Aristophanes. 2003, Lysistrata. in Lysistrata, Lysis and Other Plays, Penguin Classics Baillie, J. 2000. De Montfort. Ed. Peter Duthie. Plays on the Passions (Broadview Literary Texts). Broadview Press Ltd. Beckett, S. 2006. Waiting for Godot. Faber and Faber.

Behn, Aphra. 2007 The Rover. The Rover, Oxford: Oxford University Press Brecht, B. 1994. Drums in the Night. Collected Plays: Baal, Drums in the Night, In the Jungle of Cities, Life of Edward II of England, and Five One Act Plays vol. 1. Methuen Drama. Camus, A. 2006. Caligula. Caligula and Other Plays. Penguin Classics. Chekhov, A. 2004. The Seagull. Plays. Penguin Classics. Fo, D. 2004. Accidental Death of an Anarchist in Fo Plays 1: Mistero Buffo, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Trumpets and Raspberries, The Virtuous Burglar, And One Was Nude and One Wore Tails. London: Methuen Gems, P. 2005. Piaf in Gems: Plays One. Oberon Books. Genet, J. 2000. The Maids. The Maids/Deathwatch. Avalon Travel. Glover, S. 2008. Artist Unknown. Edinburgh: Capercaillie Books. Hwang, D H. 1998. M. Butterfly. Dramatists Play Service Inc. Ibsen, H. 2008. The Dolls House. Plays. Oxford Paperbacks. Ionesco, E. 2000. Rhinoceros. Rhinoceros and Other Plays. Avalon Travel. Jarry, A. 1997. King Ubu. Three Pre-Surrealist Plays. Oxford Paperbacks. Jones, LR. 1999. Dutchman in Dutchman and The Slave: Two Plays. William Morrow Kiyotsugu, Kwanze. Matsukaze. (ed. W. B. Worthen) Wadsworth Anthology of Drama. Wadsworth Publishing, 2006. 2000 Mahabharata. University of California Press Kushner, T. 2007. Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. Parts One and Two. Nick Hern Books Littlewood, J. 2006. Oh, What a Lovely War. London: Methuen Classics. Lorca, F. G. 2003. Dona Rosita the Spinster. Plays One: Blood Wedding, Yerma, Dona Rosita the Spinster. Methuen Drama. Marlowe, C. 2004, The Tragical History of Dr Faustus. W.B. Worthen (ed) Wadsworth Anthology of Drama. 4th ed. Berkeley: University of California McDonagh, M. 1998. The Beauty Queen of Leenane in The Beauty Queen of Leenane and Other Plays. Vintage. Miller, A. 1994. Death of a Salesman. Heinemann Educational. Moliere, 2008 Tartuffe. Hackett Pub. Mueller, H. 2001. Hamlet-Machine in Hamlet-Machine and Other Plays for the Stage. Performing Arts Journal. Pinli, Xu. 1997. Old Forest in An Oxford Anthology of Contemporary Chinese Drama (ed.) Marth P Y Cheung. Oxford University Press. Pirandello, L. 2003. Six Characters in Search of an Author. Nick Hern. Plautus, T.M.,. 2004 The Pot of Gold and Other Plays. Harmondsworth: Penguin Racine, J. 2004 Phaedra and Other Plays. Penguin Classics . 2000 Ramayana. University of California Press Schiller, F. 2008 Mary Stuart. (trans. Hilary Collier) Don Carlos and Mary Stuart. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Shakespeare, W. 2005 Hamlet. Arden Shakespeare Shepard, S. 1997. Buried Child in Plays: 2. Faber and faber Sophocles. 2006, Antigone. Methuen Drama Stoppard, T. 1973. Rosencrantz and Guilderstern Are Dead. Faber and Faber. Stoppard, Tom. 1973. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Faber and Faber Strindberg, J. A. 2008. Miss Julie. Ed. Michael Robinson. Miss Julie and Other Plays. Oxford Paperback. Ure, J. 1979. Something in it for Ophelia in Five Short Plays. Glasgow: Scottish Society of Playwrights. Wertenbaker, T. 1996. The Love of the Nightingale in Plays One. London: Faber and Faber. Wilde, O. 2003 The Importance of Being Earnest. The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays, Penguin Classics Wilson, A. 2007. The Piano Lesson. Theatre Communications Group.

Planning of Essay Work and Essay Returns

Students are advised to plan their essay work carefully and to seek advice from the module co-ordinator. Procedures for the submission of written work are detailed in the student handbook. You should submit one paper copy and one electronic copy of your work. Students may, upon receipt of the marked assessment, arrange brief one-to-one tutorials with the module coordinator, their PAT, or specialism tutor. These tutorials are designed to enable discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of your work, and to help you to develop your essay writing skills.

ESSAY TITLE AND DUE DATE

Analytical Report. You should submit your Report by 4pm on Friday 14th December 2012.

ADVICE ON THE ANALYTICAL REPORT

During the process of creating the performance, youll also be starting to work on the 1500 word analytical report. You are strongly advised to keep a record (blog, diary, notes etc) of your processes and discoveries in order to aid you in the eventual analysis of your learning journey. The aim of the report is to get you to reflect on what you have learnt about theatre and performance throughout the process of creating a collaborative piece of work. This is a relatively short piece of writing so you need to focus on what is important and avoid unnecessary description. Do not use heightened language or jargon for effect and never use words the meaning of which you are not 100% certain this gives a far worse impression than something written in very simple language ever will. Short, straightforward sentences that try as clearly as possible to express what you want to say are always the best. Try not to make sweeping generalizations be specific, and focus on a limited number of particular examples looked at in some detail. Any statement you make (e.g.: This was especially challenging or this was effective) must always be followed up by an example and a discussion of why and how something was as you have stated (you cant just write this was effective and end the discussion there). Of course, in any piece of writing you should always provide an introduction and a conclusion these do not have to be separate from the main body of the report, but at the very least your opening must clarify which area(s) you will focus on, and your ending must sum up all of your main points. In this analytical report you should identify the specific role or roles that you undertook in the collective working process and indicate what challenges and opportunities this/these presented for you. This discussion MUST relate CLOSELY to a consideration of what the individual as well as collective creative strategies and the resulting piece was about and the particular forms and structures which constituted it and which were used to convey meaning in this instance. Do not write personal commentaries or unsupported opinions it is NOT a diary of your ups and downs throughout the process/performance. However, reflection on your own contribution to

the performance can be analysed through the process of working towards the piece in general. You might find it easier to start with a list of what you learnt or learnt more about from being involved both in the process and in the performance. These points could form the basis of your introduction. In the main body of your report choose ONE or TWO short(ish) sections from the performance or process in which you were directly involved and analyse them through references to questions, such as what is this section trying to do? How does it try to do it? What challenges/opportunities does it offer to the performer(s)? What in the process was most helpful in allowing you to understand and attempt to meet these challenges, so as to communicate to an audience? In analysing these sections you should consider the following, although you may not have the space to discuss all these things in detail: a) The way the performance text was composed, edited and/or adapted from the preexisting work b) The relationship between different layers or strata of the performance text (e.g. between text and physical action, or between text and spatial relationship of the performers) c) The relationship between performers and audience, including spatial considerations d) The use of sound/music, lighting, objects, costumes, set and their relationship to text and physical action e) The way different roles and skills were integrated in the process In this analysis you might also want to include and/or refer to feedback gathered in a post-show discussion and/or scratch session, if appropriate. Please bear in mind that as with all essays, a full reading list and bibliography is required, and the usual standards of presentation will need to be adhered to (i.e. double line spacing, etc). Please consult the Write and Cite document for correct Harvard referencing: http://www.qmu.ac.uk/lb/IFS_Harvard.htm .