Contemporary Theatre Theory

Subject is not scheduled Not scheduled

Code Completion Credits Range Language Instruction Semester
204PUTT credit 1 30 hours (60 minutes) of practice or independent work in school per semester, -5 to 0 hours of self-study English

Subject guarantor

Name of lecturer(s)

Contents

The course includes a review of the evolution of the art of theatre and drama in the context of the changes in world and European dramatic arts, from ancient times until the present, taking into consideration the sources of theatre, theatre genres, drama genres, époques, and theatre styles, the most outstanding creators of theatre and drama and their works.

The aim of the course is to consider the problems of the contemporary theatre in Poland and in the world. The core issue seems to be the effort to define contemporary theatre which escapes the fixed norms and genre-based classifications. The objective is to define the place of theatre among other forms of art, analyse the means of artistic expression, the place of the stage designer in contemporary theatre, the role of new dramaturgy, the position and the inter-relations of the director and the actor.

Objectives: The aim of the subject is students’ acquisition of the skills to analyze form as well as literary and cultural codes incorporated in drama texts (elements of comparative literature) and in contemporary stage practice. Moreover, the participants of the course gain knowledge concerning contemporary, polymorphic forms of literary materials (scripts) –

eg. documentary theatre (verbatim method), postdramatic theatre, ethno-oratory, etc. Students improve their skill in reading and identifying literary tropes as well transformations of traditional (historical) forms and motives in contemporary performances.

Learning outcomes

Skills to analyze form as well as literary and cultural codes incorporated in drama texts (elements of comparative literature) and in contemporary stage practice. Moreover, the

participants of the course gain knowledge concerning contemporary, polymorphic forms of literary materials (scripts) – eg. documentary theatre (verbatim method), postdramatic theatre, ethno-oratory, etc. Students improve their skill in reading and identifying literary tropes as well transformations of traditional (historical) forms and motives in

contemporary performances.

Prerequisites and other requirements

None

Literature

Daniel Gerould Theatre/Theory/Theatre: The Major Critical Texts from Aristotle and Zeami to Soyinka and Havel

Eugenio Barba The Paper Canoe: A Guide to Theatre Anthropology

Eugenio Barba and Nicola Savarese A Dictionary of Theatre Anthropology: The Secret Art of the Performer

Edward Gordon Craig, On the art of the theatre

Evaluation methods and criteria

Written work

Further information

No schedule has been prepared for this course

The subject is a part of the following study plans