The twentieth century can be defined in European theatrical terms as the period that engendered concrete methodologies to performance. Previously, there is little evidence of there being any sort of structured approach to ‘acting’. The Moscow Arts ‘System’ of the late 19th century was the starting point for said methodologies. This course is a taste of some of these methodologies, investigated, for the most part, practically, as performance, in a workshop environment.
Prerequisites:
This course is for students who have performed at any previous level; although participants do not need to be Theatre or Performance majors. There will not be class time to dis-inhibit the student. S/he should be comfortable putting a script on its feet, trying things, failing, trying again, and making choices as a performer; and making constructive observations as a member of the ‘class/audience’.
Additional student cost:
The student will be billed for an additional fee to contribute to the cost of theater performances (approximately ₤125) unless enrolled in DR355, DR315, or TH390, in which case this fee will already be applied.
Learning outcomes:
The course will equip participants with the dramaturgical language to practice the methods studied, as a performer, or to extend appreciation of textual analysis as a non-performer. It will also give students the ability to deconstruct a dramatic text and go some way in helping to deconstruct a dramatic performance; be that on stage, or on the screen.
Method of presentation:
This course takes place in a rehearsal room, not a classroom.
With primary attention given to Stanislavski, we will investigate such other practitioners as Bertolt Brecht and his ‘A’ effect and the contemporary British practice of Actioning of the text. We will use texts that are best suited to each method, often taken from the show seen the previous week. We may also use a Master Text to be handed out on week 1 that can be applied to all the methods.
Students will be given specific reading each week to prepare them for the following week’s exploration, and additional research may be required. Students may also need to rehearse scenes between classes. Each week’s work is led by one or more students.
Required work and form of assessment:
Continuous Assessment (50%); and Final Exam (50%)
Final Exam breakdown:
Working in pairs, students will be given two scenes from two separate stage plays at the midterm period in preparation for the exam – which will take the form of an oral (on scene A), and a practical (on scene B)
(a) Talk about a method you might use to approach the realization of a character of your choice within scene A. This can be a method of your own devising, an amalgam of those we studied through the course, or could
follow the dictates specifically of any one of the practitioners studied.
You will then respond to a series of questions put to you about your approach, or about your interpretation.
This will essentially form a discussion between you, your tutor, and an external drama practitioner who will be a reputable actor or director. You will also need to have understood and interpreted the play as a whole.
(b) Perform the second scene; there may be some re-direction, re-working of the scene. But it is essentially a performance assessment.
The above will take an hour maximum per pair of students.
content:
Week 1: Introduction to Course
Allocate weekly 10-minute max warm ups and allocate who will be leading which sessions. Students will have read the Master Text by this session
Week 2: Stanislavski 1
The Unit of Action, Superobjective and Objective
Week 4: Stanislavski 3
Imagination and emotional memory
Week 5: Guest Practitioner
Week 6: Brecht 1
Hand out scenes for final exam
MIDTERM
Week 7: Brecht 2
Week 8: ACTIONING 1
Week 9: ACTIONING 2
Week 10: Natural Casting Workshop & Applying Techniques to the Audition Piece
Week 11: Exam Scene Study 1
Week 12: Exam Scene Study 2
Final Exam
Required readings:
Students will be given specific reading each week to prepare for the following week’s exploration, and additional research may be required. Reading materials will be handed out to students on a rolling basis.
Additionally, we will refer to:
Brook, Peter. “The Empty Space”
Eyre Methuen “Stanislavski’s Legacy”
Willett, John “Brecht on Theatre”
Caldarone, Marina “Actions - An Actors’ Thesaurus”
Gillett, John “Acting on Impulse”
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Marina Caldarone is a theatre director, BBC Radio drama producer, acting coach in film and television, and is actively involved in monitoring actor training in Britain. Her book, Actions – An Actor’s Thesaurus, is a set text in every drama school in Britain and in many schools in the U.S. She has written five monologue/duologue collections and is in commission for another 4 texts. Having received her BA Honours Drama degree from University College of Wales, she has worked since 1984 in the main London Drama Schools, Universities (Thames Valley University, Birckbeck, Middlesex University and City University), and at The Actors’ Centre. Marina has held key positions at a number of different theatres, including Theatre Clwyd, The Queens Theatre, and the National Theatre Studio. Still directing theatre, (more than 100 productions in Britain and abroad to date), she began working in radio in 2000 as a drama producer, the year she started teaching at IES Abroad.
The twentieth century can be defined in European theatrical terms as the period that engendered concrete methodologies to performance. Previously, there is little evidence of there being any sort of structured approach to ‘acting’. The Moscow Arts ‘System’ of the late 19th century was the starting point for said methodologies. This course is a taste of some of these methodologies, investigated, for the most part, practically, as performance, in a workshop environment.
This course is for students who have performed at any previous level; although participants do not need to be Theatre or Performance majors. There will not be class time to dis-inhibit the student. S/he should be comfortable putting a script on its feet, trying things, failing, trying again, and making choices as a performer; and making constructive observations as a member of the ‘class/audience’.
The student will be billed for an additional fee to contribute to the cost of theater performances (approximately ₤125) unless enrolled in DR355, DR315, or TH390, in which case this fee will already be applied.
The course will equip participants with the dramaturgical language to practice the methods studied, as a performer, or to extend appreciation of textual analysis as a non-performer. It will also give students the ability to deconstruct a dramatic text and go some way in helping to deconstruct a dramatic performance; be that on stage, or on the screen.
This course takes place in a rehearsal room, not a classroom.
With primary attention given to Stanislavski, we will investigate such other practitioners as Bertolt Brecht and his ‘A’ effect and the contemporary British practice of Actioning of the text. We will use texts that are best suited to each method, often taken from the show seen the previous week. We may also use a Master Text to be handed out on week 1 that can be applied to all the methods.
Students will be given specific reading each week to prepare them for the following week’s exploration, and additional research may be required. Students may also need to rehearse scenes between classes. Each week’s work is led by one or more students.
Continuous Assessment (50%); and Final Exam (50%)
Final Exam breakdown:
Working in pairs, students will be given two scenes from two separate stage plays at the midterm period in preparation for the exam – which will take the form of an oral (on scene A), and a practical (on scene B)
(a) Talk about a method you might use to approach the realization of a character of your choice within scene A. This can be a method of your own devising, an amalgam of those we studied through the course, or could
follow the dictates specifically of any one of the practitioners studied.
You will then respond to a series of questions put to you about your approach, or about your interpretation.
This will essentially form a discussion between you, your tutor, and an external drama practitioner who will be a reputable actor or director. You will also need to have understood and interpreted the play as a whole.
(b) Perform the second scene; there may be some re-direction, re-working of the scene. But it is essentially a performance assessment.
The above will take an hour maximum per pair of students.
Week 1: Introduction to Course
Allocate weekly 10-minute max warm ups and allocate who will be leading which sessions. Students will have read the Master Text by this session
Week 2: Stanislavski 1
The Unit of Action, Superobjective and Objective
Week 3: Stanislavski 2
Inner & external circumstances
Week 4: Stanislavski 3
Imagination and emotional memory
Week 5: Guest Practitioner
Week 6: Brecht 1
Hand out scenes for final exam
MIDTERM
Week 7: Brecht 2
Week 8: ACTIONING 1
Week 9: ACTIONING 2
Week 10: Natural Casting Workshop & Applying Techniques to the Audition Piece
Week 11: Exam Scene Study 1
Week 12: Exam Scene Study 2
Final Exam
Students will be given specific reading each week to prepare for the following week’s exploration, and additional research may be required. Reading materials will be handed out to students on a rolling basis.
Additionally, we will refer to:
Brook, Peter. “The Empty Space”
Eyre Methuen “Stanislavski’s Legacy”
Willett, John “Brecht on Theatre”
Caldarone, Marina “Actions - An Actors’ Thesaurus”
Gillett, John “Acting on Impulse”
Marina Caldarone is a theatre director, BBC Radio drama producer, acting coach in film and television, and is actively involved in monitoring actor training in Britain. Her book, Actions – An Actor’s Thesaurus, is a set text in every drama school in Britain and in many schools in the U.S. She has written five monologue/duologue collections and is in commission for another 4 texts. Having received her BA Honours Drama degree from University College of Wales, she has worked since 1984 in the main London Drama Schools, Universities (Thames Valley University, Birckbeck, Middlesex University and City University), and at The Actors’ Centre. Marina has held key positions at a number of different theatres, including Theatre Clwyd, The Queens Theatre, and the National Theatre Studio. Still directing theatre, (more than 100 productions in Britain and abroad to date), she began working in radio in 2000 as a drama producer, the year she started teaching at IES Abroad.