Week 1 - Theoretical

Introduction to the course The Types of Plays

Week 2 - Theoretical & Practice

Oedipus Rex by Sophocles The Greek Chorus / Hubris Four students in a group. the prompt is "The Plague of Thebes." They must create a frozen image representing the suffering of the city. One student acts as the sculptor. Tableux Viviant

Week 3 - Theoretical & Practice

Soliloquy / The Globe Architecture Macbeth by William Shakespeare "Dagger" speech or Lady Macbeth’s "Unsex me here." Conscience Alley One student plays Macbeth. The others form two lines facing each other (the alley). As Macbeth walks down, one side whispers reasons to kill the King; the other whispers reasons not to.

Week 4 - Theoretical & Practice

Stock Characters / Lazzi The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni Physical comedy and stereotypes. Grammelot (Gibberish) Two students in a group. Students must act out a scene of "Ordering a Pizza" using only meaningless/gibberish and exaggerated gestures.

Week 5 - Theoretical & Practice

The Fourth Wall / Subtext A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen The final scene (Nora leaving). Hot Seat One student sits in the "Hot Seat" as Nora. The rest of the class asks her questions about her future ("Where will you go?", "Do you miss your children?"). The student must answer in character. We wll change the students and characters for some time!!

Week 6 - Theoretical & Practice

Verfremdungseffekt (Alienation Effect) Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht Didactic theatre; making the familiar strange. Teacher in Role You are supposed to be military recruiter and tries to convince the students (villagers) to give up their sons for the war. First you will make inner monologue. Yet, they must argue against you.

Week 7 - Theoretical & Practice

Existentialism / Circular Plot Mantle of the Expert Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett The class are "Time Experts" hired to solve the problem of boredom. They must design a protocol for how to wait efficiently. The breakdown of language and purpose.

Week 8 - Practice

Student presentations (Mid term examination)

Week 9 - Theoretical & Practice

Social Realism / Class Conflict Thought Tracking Look Back in Anger by John Osborne Two students act out a polite dinner scene. You clap your hands and say "Freeze! What is Jimmy thinking?" The actor breaks the fourth wall and speaks their inner angry thoughts, then resumes the polite scene. Disillusionment in post-war Britain.

Week 10 - Theoretical & Practice

Hybridity / The Other White Hat: Facts of the play. Death and the King's Horseman by Wole Soyinka The clash of Western and African values. Six Thinking Hats (De Bono) * **Red Hat:** Emotional reaction to the ritual. * **Black Hat:** The dangers of the ritual. * **Yellow Hat:** The benefits/cultural value. * **Green Hat:** Creative alternatives. * **Blue Hat:** Summarizing the discussion."

Week 11 - Theoretical & Practice

In-Yer-Face Theatre Forum Theatre (Augusto Boal) Blasted by Sarah Kane or Shopping and Fucking by Mark Ravenhill Act out a scene of oppression or bullying. The audience can yell "Stop!", replace the protagonist, and try to change the outcome of the scene.Removing the "safety" of the audience.

Week 12 - Theoretical & Practice

Verbatim / Documentary Theatre Creating a silhouette in AI The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman Edited Reality You will create a situiation in real life experience and try to reflect that it is a misunderstanding in accordance with your thought Theatre created from real interviews.

Week 13 - Theoretical & Practice

Total Theatre The Machine Metamorphosis (Steven Berkoff adaptation) Create a "School Machine." One student starts a repetitive motion and sound (e.g., writing). Another joins (e.g., the bell). All students join to create one giant, moving, rhythmic machine. Using the body to create the set and environment.

Week 14 - Theoretical & Practice

Self-Referentiality Gossip Circle Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard Whisper a plot point from the play to one student. They pass it around. Compare the final statement to the original.

Week 15 - Practice

The Students presentations