FT2PS-Performance Skills: Acting and Directing

Module Provider: Film, Theatre and TV
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:5
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites: FT1DP Devising Performance: Politics and Citizenship or FT1ES Exploring the Studio or FT1ITF Introduction to Filmmaking
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Lisa Woynarski
Email: l.woynarski@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

In this module, you will enter the rehearsal room and practically explore acting and directing strategies. By exploring historic and contemporary acting and directing modes from a global context, this module will enable you to develop a tool-kit of practical acting and directing strategies and approaches to inform your work and identity as an artist-practitioner.  This is part of critical practice so you will be critically Through a case-study approach, you will engage with a diverse set of aesthetic forms of theatre and performance, exploring their associated directing and acting methodologies and critical ideas within them such as agency and expression. You will have the opportunity to test out these different modes of acting and directing in hands-on sessions, reflecting on their use and application of different strategies and approachesin practice.?

Aims:

This module aims to broaden the student’s understanding of the crafts of acting and directing, developing their confidence in these practices and introducing them to a wide range of directing and acting modes. In offering students a broad understanding of the conceptual ideas of directing and acting and the practical diversity in these crafts, this module aims to deepen and extend students’ knowledge of these practices and challenge students’ existing understanding of acting and directing by extending their knowledge. This module aims to develop students’ approach to performance-making through a consideration of acting and directing, encouraging them to be increasingly inquisitive about applying a range of diverse methodologies to their own practice.  

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module it is expected that students will be able to: 

• demonstrate an understanding of different critical and aesthetic approaches to acting and showcase these strategies in practice. 


• demonstrate an understanding of different critical aesthetic approaches to directing and showcase these strategies in practice.  


• document, analyse and critically evaluate their own engagement with a range of acting and directing styles and methods in practice.  


• critically reflect on their engagement with specific modes of acting and directing. 


• independently research, demonstrate and explain different acting and directing modes to the group. 


• show how they are going to put these skills into practice in a number of ways.  

Additional outcomes:

The module plays a significant role in the development of skills and competencies which are central to the course: oral communication, collaboration required for effective group work; project management, professionalism and communication skills required to satisfactorily carry out responsibilities in small exercises; appropriate deployment of research using printed and electronic resources; critical analysis and coherent argument, both individually and collectively; identifying and addressing problems in the analysis, evaluation and development of theatre and performance. 

Outline content:

The module will adopt a case-study approach that explores a number of aesthetic traditions and examines their associated acting and directing practices. Following an examination of the methodologies associated with these practices, students will then work in groups to engage in experiments of these strategies in class time. Students will engage in independent research in order to deliver group presentations on different directing and acting methods. Overall, students will work towards building a group  practical. They will articulate their approach that explores the critical and contextual issues relating to their practice and across the module. 

Global context:

This module develops students’ critical thinking and practical application of a range of acting and directing techniques in relation to a range of national and international contexts and traditions. The focus on developing a broad understanding of theatrical practices allows students to confidently approach a range of international theatre contexts in order to develop a broad understanding of diverse global directing and acting practices.   

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Seminar discussion will develop a broad understanding of different acting and directing methods from different aesthetic contexts, enabling the students to engage critically with different methods. Practice based work will be used as a central method allowing students to trial a wide range of acting and directing methods in groups while critical reading and individual research extends knowledge of contexts and models of practice. Studio experimentation and rapid response exercises explore phy sical acting and directing practices, allowing students to contextualise these approach in spatial context considering the integration of other theatrical systems. You will complete a range of directing and acting tasks, presenting different acting and directing methodologies in group workshops and reflecting on different methods and their applicability to your own practice. Research-based presentations on the different approaches to acting and directing will widen students’ understanding of the possibilities of these crafts. The emphasis on practice and oral reflection enables students to develop a strong studio-based engagement with these forms of performance-making.  

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Seminars	10
Tutorials	1
Project Supervision	2
Practicals classes and workshops	20
Supervised time in studio/workshop	45
Fieldwork	5
External visits	5
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)	10
Wider reading (directed)	10
Advance preparation for classes	6
Preparation for presentations	10
Preparation for seminars	6
Preparation for performance	30
Preparation of practical report	2
Group study tasks	18
Reflection	20
Total hours by term	200	0	0
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	40
Practical skills assessment	60

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Practical skills assessment 60% 

Critically reflection via Development Blogs 40% 

Formative assessment methods:

Presentation and in class exercises offer opportunities for formative, self and peer assessment.

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

40% overall

Reassessment arrangements:

Submission of additional coursework.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1. Required text books: 


2. Specialist equipment or materials: 


3. Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 


4. Printing and binding: 


5. Computers and devices with a particular specification: 


6. Travel, accommodation and subsistence: £25-£30

Last updated: 30 March 2023