Covid 19 has given theatre, like the rest of us, a hard time. Over the year, some theatres have streamed previous productions via YouTube, or other platforms. What will be available this autumn is unknowable. We shall look at three or four productions, read some of the texts and discuss how they work. Depending on what is available we will study a mix of old and more recent drama. This is likely to include modern classics. Possibilities are: Anton Chekov’s "The Wood Demon", Oliver Goldsmith’s "She Stoops to Conquer", DH Lawrence's "The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd" or "The Collier’s Friday Night" and Harold Brighouse’s "Hobson’s Choice". There will also be opportunities for the class to choose a play to study.
Course aim
An online course looking at drama, available to all of us, without attending live theatre. During lockdown many theatres streamed new and old productions. We will select three or four plays, either current or in archive to study.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
- This course is for those who love drama in its many forms. You will need access to the internet to watch the plays chosen and to attend the course.
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Identify and discuss the challenges of presenting drama outside a theatre
- Explain the relevance of works written in earlier times to today's world
- Explain how the plays studied convey social and political commentaries, while keeping us entertained
- Show how these plays and their authors fit into the development of drama
- Describe the theatrical techniques used in the productions of the plays studied
What else do I need to know?
Access to the internet to watch the plays chosen and to attend the course itself. No special knowledge is needed, just an interest in theatre and drama
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