ACTING - 2021/2

Module Overview

This module offers students the opportunity to practise and enhance their skills in acting technique. Depending on the needs and interests of the students and the specific competencies of the tutor, the module will focus on an in-depth exploration of principles of acting as demonstrated in the work of influential practitioners such as e.g. Stanislavski, Vakhtangov, Michael Chekhov, Lecoq. Module content will also allow for non-Western theatre traditions and practitioners where appropriate. Classwork will take the form of workshops and rehearsals of a theatrical text or a range of texts for small group presentation. The module affords an opportunity for the student to engage with practical methods of vocal and bodily training and improve their own practical knowledge and skill in acting.

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

WAGNER Matthew (GSA)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

Indicative content includes:

 

In class, students will rehearse short scenes taken from important play texts. At the same time, students will be asked to explore in detail a given set of acting techniques drawing upon the work of specific practitioners, which may include but is not restricted to: Konstantin Stanislavski, Michael Chekhov, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Yevgeny Vakhtangov, Jacques Lecoq. The module content thus combines practical rehearsal work with investigation of fundamental principles underpinning the work of influential acting teachers.
 

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Individual short performance

Assessment Strategy

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

 

• presentation of short (3-5 mins) scenes from existing play texts in small groups (2-3 students) in final week of module

 

Formative assessment

 

Students will be invited to present to class in their groups contextual research material related to their chosen scene. This may take a range of appropriate forms including e.g. discussion, artwork, social/historical information, personal journal material.  

 

 

Feedback

 

Verbal feedback will be given as part of the workshop and rehearsal process throughout the module, and will focus upon students’ engagement with core principles of the module as well as evidence of improvement in acting technique. Summative assessment feedback will be process-oriented in order to focus students upon their progress through the course of the module.

Module aims

• • Further students’ engagement with principles behind influential acting traditions and techniques
• • Facilitate an understanding of the relationship between theatrical text and performance, specific to the development of character and atmosphere on stage
• • Develop techniques of creative and imaginative expression in the performance of coherent, complex characters and atmosphere
• • Develop techniques of effective communication while on stage

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

 

• enhance knowledge and practice of influential acting methods;


• foster technical and performance skills;


• enhance confidence in the ability to articulate ideas clearly and effectively.
  
   

 

The learning and teaching methods include:

 

workshops, supervised and unsupervised rehearsals, practical presentations, peer-to-peer learning, independent research and reflection.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: THE3036

Other information

Under the three term structure that commences from academic year 2019/0 – this module’s delivery falls in Semester 1 due to the teaching occurring in Teaching Block 1.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.