Political Theatres - TFT00004I
- Department: Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: I
- Academic year of delivery: 2026-27
Module summary
This module explores the ways in which the political can be understood in theatre through playtexts and practices. Explorations are conducted in seminar discussions and practical workshop exercises.
Elective Pre-Requisites
These pre-requisites only apply to students taking this module as an elective.
Willingness to take part in practical rehearsal room activities
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2026-27 |
Module aims
The module aims:
-
to examine ways in which different definitions of the political manifest themselves in playtexts and theatre practices;
-
to analyse the choices made by playwrights and theatre practitioners in creating playtexts and staging performances;
-
to engage with the philosophical, ideological and aesthetic ideas behind politics in the theatre;
-
to help you to analyse scripts for performance in ways that consider the political meanings of the actors’, directors’ and/or designers’ choices.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module, you will be expected:
-
to develop an appreciation of a variety of approaches to political theatre from both an intellectual and a practical standpoint;
-
to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of practical and analytical strategies to articulate politics in playtexts and performances;
-
to demonstrate your ability to develop an argument regarding the potential political impact of a script and to support that argument with evidence.
Module content
This module comprises lectures and seminar-workshops which will introduce you to a range of political plays and theatre-makers. The seminar-workshops will include discussion and practical tasks through which you will explore theatre through various political lenses.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100.0 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
You will receive feedback on a formative essay as well as through seminar discussions throughout the module.
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100.0 |
Module feedback
Students will receive formative feedback on short essays to prepare them for the summative assessment.
With written summative assessments we aim to provide written feedback within the 25 working day return period specified by the university.
Indicative reading
Texts may include works such as:
Brian Friel, Translations
debbie tucker green, Truth and Reconciliation
Moira Buffini, Welcome to Thebes
Heiner Müller, The Hamletmachine