Accessibility statement

Playwriting & Form - TFT00067M

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  • Department: Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Bridget Foreman
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24

Module summary

This module focuses on writing as experimentation with a variety of approaches to dramatic form, both to develop a diverse writing portfolio and to discover the student’s own areas of strength. The teaching may include forms such as postdramatic theatre, literary adaptation, epic theatre, community plays, writing for children/young people, writing direct address, decentered playwriting. The module has a particular focus on how written play texts embody theatrical thinking and theatrical modes of imagining, a key aspect of demonstrating production potential to readers, dramaturgs and literary managers. The module will also include constant revisiting of, and expansion upon, the aspects of playwriting that were introduced in the Thinking Through Playwriting module, so that students will continue to develop their craft while exploring the various demands of dramatic writing for different purposes. Central to this process will be the development of skills in giving and receiving critical feedback as a community of writers.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24

Module aims

The aims of the module are:

  • to expose you to a wide variety of dramatic writing to develop your own creative practice and analytical skills

  • to enable you to discover your own areas of strength and interest as a writer

  • to provide you with opportunities to apply the dramatic writing skills learned in Thinking through Playwriting in increasingly flexible and creative ways

  • To develop develop peer-to-peer skills in giving and receiving feedback and to enhance your ability to support each other as a community of writers

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module you will be expected:

  • to have the tools to generate scripts in a wide variety of modes and forms

  • to have improved your ability to manipulate the basic elements of drama (plot, character, etc.)

  • to be able to identify and analyse how other playwrights use form

  • to be able to support each others work through useful and constructive feedback

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Script and reflective statement		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

Ongoing formative assessment and feedback on written work in seminars.

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Script and reflective statement		 N/A 100

Module feedback

You will receive written feedback in line with standard University turnaround times.

You have an option of an individual follow-up meeting if any aspect of the feedback is unclear to the student or if more guidance on interpreting the feedback is requested.

Indicative reading

Fliotsos, A. (2011). Interpreting the Play Script: Contemplation and Analysis. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Grace, F. and Bayley, C. (2015). Playwriting. London: Bloomsbury.

Grochala, S. (2017). The Contemporary Political Play: Rethinking Dramaturgical Structure. London: Bloomsbury.

Jarcho, J. (2016). Writing and the Modern Stage: Theater Beyond Drama. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Knopf, R. (2016). Script Analysis for Theatre: Tools for Interpretation, Collaboration and Production. London: Bloomsbury.

Storm, W. (2016). Dramaturgy and Dramatic Character: A Long View. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Taylor, G. and Wilson, P. (2015). Dramatic Adventures in Rhetoric. London: Oberon.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.