CLS2810

Comparative drama of the twentieth century

Millicent Vladiv-Glover

8 points
* 3 hours per week
* Second semester
* Clayton
* Prohibitions: SLA2810/SLA3810 and DTS2810/DTS3810

Objectives On successful completion of this subject students should have acquired a historical perspective of the development of drama in various national theatres of the twentieth century (Russian, Scandinavian, French, German, Polish) and will be able to analyse individual works or dramatic movements or schools (like Naturalism, Theatre of the absurd, post-modern theatre) through theoretical concepts acquired in the subject.

Synopsis The subject will show the development of (post-) modern drama in European culture along a historical trajectory going back to the turn-of-the-century avant garde movements and in a comarative perspective which will include a reference to classical forms of drama in Europe, India and Asia. Particular attention will be paid to the theatre of the absurd of Artaud, Becket and Chekhov, the minimalist theatre of the post-impressionist Grotowski and postmodern productions of spectacular drama (Glass's opera, Japanese theatre Shakespeare). The theoretical component of the course will offer various contemporary and classical models (psychoanalysis, Aristotelian poetics, semiotics of the theatre) with which to analyse particular draa texts or trends.

Assessment Seminar paper (1500 words): 25%
* Essay (3000 words): 45%
* End-of-semester test (90 minutes): 30%

Prescribed texts

Artaud A The theatre and its double tr. M C Richards, Grove Press, 1958
Beckett S Endgame Faber and Faber
Bernhard T The Force of Habit: A Comedy Heinemann, 1976
Chekhov A `Three Sisters' in Chekhov: Five Plays OUP, 1980
Glass P On his new world of music theatre: Opera on the beach ed. R T Jones, Dunvagan Music Publishers, Faber and Faber, 1988
Grotowski J Towards a poor theatre Simon and Schuster, 1968
Mrozek S `The Police' in Mrozek: Six plays Jonathan Cape, 1967
Strauss B Big and Little: Scenes tr. Cattaneo, Farrar Straus Giroux, 1978
Vatsyayan K The square and the circle of the Indian arts Roli Books, 1983
Witkiewicz S `Shoemakers' in The Madman and the Nun and other plays tr. D Gerould, U Washington P, 1969