TH 380 - Acting: Then and Now

The course explores key historical theatre cultures in two complementary ways: firstly, in the main teaching block, in respect of their original historical, material and imaginative performance styles, processes, structures and reception. This element is delivered by Mountview Academy. Then in the second part of the semester, IES tutors support students’ understanding and integration of these historic aspects for contemporary critical and practical application by means of an individual research project. 

Through this combination of Mountview and IES components, students will complete the course with an experiential and reflective understanding of acting stylistics in general and of the contemporary relevance and applicability of historic theatre practices and cultures as realized for example in acting modes and play texts. Students will as a result be better equipped to meet the challenges of acting in the contemporary rehearsal room and/or of the production practice that is most relevant to their chosen performance-related discipline, such as for example acting, dramaturgy, directing, design, producing, stage management.