Handbook

Subject Area: Theatre and Performance Studies

Pioneered by the ancient Greeks and reanimated in the twentieth century, theatre that explicitly cites or summons the real world and 'true stories' is one of the most enduring modes of performance. Throughout this course you will explore the histories, theoretical debates, and practices associated with diverse theatres of the real across a variety of periods and places. This exploration will be staged through a series of modules on topics that may include: theatre made in response to real events, for example war, riot and criminal trials; theatre that represents real voices such as naturalist, documentary and verbatim plays; and theatre made with real people including autobiographical, community-based, and everyday expert theatre as well as reality television. This course offers you the opportunity to study the production and reception of these theatres, as well as the chance to meet the artistic and ethical challenge of representing the real or true by making a short play or performance of your own. This course is part of the Theatre and Performance Studies stream.