DTS2520 - The Actor, Past and Present

Leader: Fiona Gregory

Offered

Not offered in 2007

Synopsis

This unit will introduce students to ways of thinking about the actor and identity. It will examine actors of the past and present and explore means of researching historical performances. It will consider how issues of sexuality, nationality, ethnicity, age, and status impact on our understanding of a performer and his or her celebrity.

Objectives

Students successfully completing DTS2520 should develop:

1. an understanding of approaches to the study of the individual actor as a unit of analysis in theatre and performance studies;
2. an awareness of how issues of identity (sexuality, ethnicity, nationality, age) impact on readings of the actor and his or her work and celebrity
3. a broad understanding of key theoretical concepts and their application in theatre history
4. skills in practical research
5. the ability to articulate ideas in sustained written analyses and clear and confident oral presentations

Assessment

Analytical exercise (500 words) : 20%
Research project (2000 words) : 50%
Examination (2 hours) : 30%
Third-year students will be required to make greater use of theoretical concepts in their written work

Contact hours

1 one-hour lecture and a one-hour tutorial per week

Prerequisites

First-year DTS sequence (or other sequence by approval)