Program Description
The program provides a rich experience of theatre and performance happening in the UK from three complementary angles.
First, the course provides in lecture format an overview of post-war British theatre history as a backdrop for exploring the diversity of contemporary performance practices on the London stage. The readings have been selected not only to orient the students in the contemporary theatrical landscape, but also to offer a critical vocabulary that will help open up and sharpen their responses to the diverse cultural life of the city. Students will begin to think about the theatre as part of a wider social milieu, putting "performances" that occur in the everyday life of the international metropolis as well as in tourist-oriented heritage sites in dialogue with the performances of the London's theatre scene.
In tandem with the lecture component, the course offers students a workshop opportunity to explore what is involved in the performer's art through class participation and discussion; this portion of the course will be structured as an acting class that will provide an introduction to performing classical (Shakespeare) and contemporary drama and theater. The performance aspects of the class require no audition and will be responsive to the skill level of the students.
Finally, students will be exposed to the best of the London's extraordinary theatre in a wide variety of spaces and performance styles, from the Royal National Theatre to the fringe. Students will also visit important cultural landmarks and institutions such as the Tower of London, the British Museum, and Stratford-Upon-Avon (Shakespeare's birthplace) as part of the program.