Theory of Theatre and its Components 2

Tutor:

Jan HYVNAR, Zuzana SÍLOVÁ

Synopsis:

The class combines a lecture and seminar (2 hours a week) to develop knowledge and skill obtained in the Bachelor's level courses on theory of theatre and drama at a new level where the students' interest is concentrated both on more general questions and, on the other hand, on the problems of individual fields (theory of directing, theoretical dramaturgy, theory of acting).

Prerequisites:

The course ends with a text on knowledge learned, taking into account tasks completed dealing with at least one topic in the form of a coherent essay (ca. 3 to 5 standard pages), and reflection on one's own practical activity on stage.

Study Objectives:

Systematic reflection on basic problems and questions connected with the emergence and development of dramatic art, analysis of concrete examples from contemporary stage practice.

Outline and Syllabus:

The course curriculum consists of questions for the Master's examination on history and theory of drama theatre formulated so that they should lead to brief comment supplemented with specific examples; this should be based not only on knowledge learned, but also on thinking over one's own experiences from Stage Creation and practice in productions.

1. Basic characteristics of European acting. Transformations of Czech acting from Vojan until today

2. „Psychophysical“ types and types of approach of actors to a character (including relevant theories)

3. The actor on stage and in a camera shot a) with respect to the overall problem of behaviour and feeling for the body in space; b) with respect to the question of spontaneous reaction and building (and setting) the line of action.

4. Dramatic action and acting (stage) expression. (Desirable) dramatic and acting tension. From the attitude of the character in the situation to mobile expression.

5. From the written text to the actor's speech. Types of verbal expression in drama, stylistic/genre intentions of the text, dialogue and monologue. „Civilian“ speech and verse.

6. Acting and non-acting means of building a character. The acted character as the subject of action and an element of the stage image.

7. Interpretation or testimony (about one's self).

8. Position of the actor with respect to genre and style and conditions for the creation of staged works.

In connection with the main courses, in the case of this seminar it involves, besides an opportunity to supplement and expand one's knowledge with respect to history and theory, also the opportunity to confront acquired knowledge with practical experiences gained in earlier study and first contacts with practice.

Study materials:

Brockett, Oscar G.; Hildy, Franklin J. - History of the theatre [2008]

Císař, Jan: The History of Czech Theater: a Survey (2010)

Brandon, James R. (ed.) - The Cambridge Guide to Asian Theatre

Braun, Edward - Meyerhold: a revolution in theatre

Brook, Peter - The Empty Space [1996]

Burian, Jarka - Leading creators of twentieth-century Czech theatre

Clurman, Harold - The naked image: observations on the modern theatre

Craig, Edward Gordon - On the art of the theatre [2009]

Evans, Mark - Jacques Copeau

Fencl, Otakar - The Czechoslovak theatre today

Fischer-Lichte, Erika - Theatre, sacrifice, ritual: exploring forms of political theatre

Gassner, John - A Treasury of the theatre: from Henrik Ibsen to Arthur Miller: rev. ed. for colleges

Gassner, John - The theatre in our times: a survey of the men, materials and movements in the modern theatre

Gassner, John; Allen, Ralph G. - Theatre and Drama in the Making

Goldberg, Rose Lee - Performance art: from futurism to the present [2001]

Grotowski, Jerzy - Towards a poor theatre

Hazlitt, William - A view of the English stage: or a series of dramatic criticism (1906)

Hüsken, Wim and Eisenbichler, Konrad (ed.) - Carnival and the carnivalesque: the fool, the reformer, the wildman, and others in early modern theatre

Innes, Christopher - Avant Garde Theatre: 1892 - 1992

Kaye, Nick - Postmodernism and performance

Kaye, Nick - Site-specific art: performance, place and documentation

Kazda, Jaromír - A Guide to the history of czech theatre

Komissarževskij, B. - Moscow theatres

Kuhns, David F. - German expressionist theatre: the actor and the stage

Lawson, Joan - Mime: the theory and practice of expressive gesture with a description of its historical developtmen

Mamet, David Alan - Three uses of the knife: on the nature and purpose of drama

Miholová, Kateřina - Ubu the King: Jarry & Grossman & Fára. Theatre on the Balustrade, 1964-1968. An Interactive Reconstruction

Miller, Judith G. - Ariane Mnouchkine

Morash, Chris - A history of Irish theatre: 1601-2000

Nicoll, Allardyce - World Drama from Aeschylus to Anouilh

Quinn, Michael L. - The Semiotic stage: prague school theatre theory

Ridout, Nicholas; Kelleher, Joe - Contemporary theatres in Europe: a critical companion

Robb, David - Clowns, fools and picaros: popular forms in theatre, fiction and film

Roberts, Philip - The Royal Court Theatre and the Modern Stage

Roose-Evans, James - Experimental theatre from Stanislavsky to Peter Brook

Savarese, Nicola; Barba, Eugenio (ed.) - A Dictionary of theatre anthropology: the secret art of the performer. Second edition

Scott, A. C. - The classical theatre of China

Sierz, Aleks - The theatre of Martin Crimp

Southern, Richard - The Seven Ages of the Theater

Southern, Richard - The staging of plays before Shakespeare

Stanton, Sarah; Banham, Martin - The Cambridge Paperback Guide to Theatre

Steiner, George - The Death of tragedy

The theatre of the Bauhaus [1996]

Wilmeth, Don B. - The Cambridge Guide to American Theatre

THEORY:

Pavis, Patrice ? Dictionary of the theatre

Artaud, Antonin - The theater and its double

Bakhtin, M.M. - The dialogic imagination: four essays

Barba, Eugenio - The paper canoe: a guide to theatre anthropology

Bentley, Eric - The Life of the Drama

Bentley, Eric - The Theory of the Modern Stage: an introduction to modern theatre and drama

Bentley, Eric - What is Theatre?

Bowlt, J.E. - Russian art of avant-garde: theory and criticism: 1902 - 1934

Clark, B.H. - European theories of the drama with a supplement on the American drama

Elam, Keir - The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama

Fortier, Mark - Theory/Theatre: an introduction

Note:

Schedule for winter semester 2009/2010:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

Schedule for summer semester 2009/2010:

	06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon
Tue	místnost K225 Pracovna pedagogů (Karlova 26, Praha 1) SÍLOVÁ Z. 15:00–16:30 (paralelka 1)
Fri
Thu
Fri

The subject is a part of the following study plans:

• Doporučený magisterský dramaturgie ČD (compulsory subject)
• Doporučený magisterský režie ČD (compulsory subject)