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• To introduce students to a range of modern and contemporary British playwrights and theatre forms.
• To enable students to engage with significant social and political issues through an examination of the way that they have been represented in modern British drama.
• To develop students’ understanding of the modern British theatre as a cultural industry and social phenomenon.
• To develop students’ analytical skills with specific reference to theatrical texts.

On successful completion of this module a student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the ways in which modern and contemporary dramatists have represented British society, showing awareness of different perspectives through reflection.
2. Critically appraise significant trends in post-war British theatre, in particular theatre since the 1990s
3. Investigate, review and evaluate the different theatrical effects that can be obtained through the utilisation of different theatrical forms.
4. Articulate an understanding of the context in which plays are produced and received in contemporary Britain, incorporating critical reflection on theoretical perspectives and their relevance to practice.
5. Demonstrate an enhanced ability to analyse and critically appraise theatrical text both in written form and in performance.

This module focuses on the way in which dramatists have depicted British society and responded to contemporary social issues. In the first term the focus will be on social realist plays which dramatize tensions in British society arising from class division, inequality, changing social attitudes and demographics and Britain’s altered status in the world. In the second term students will consider plays that take on more experimental forms to express the experiences of under-represented groups and to find ways of engaging with complex ethical and political questions. Some important and influential plays of the period since 1956 will be considered, such as John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger and Edward Bond’s Saved, but the module will move forward into the contemporary period to allow students to engage with drama depicting the society in which they live. Theatre visits will take place as an integral part of the course, allowing students to engage with the very latest developments in new writing and with theatrical practice beyond the confines of conventional playwriting.

The module will be delivered through lecture/seminar, supported by field trips and self-directed learning. In class, students will be provided with introductory material placing each text in its appropriate social, historical, cultural and (where appropriate) theoretical context. Dramatic scenes will be read and considered in class, with emphasis on both their linguistic features and their potential effect in performance. Focused discussion within class will encourage students to debate the issues raised by the plays, and to consider whether the playwright’s chosen theatrical form is well-suited to the exploration of these issues. At least four theatre trips will be arranged of which students should attend a minimum of two; the performances seen will be discussed in class in preparation for the composition of each student’s Performance Analysis Portfolio.

Portfolio: 50% Weighting, 40% pass mark.
Learning Outcome: 1-5.
Word Count: 3000 words.
Outine Details: A portfolio of analytical responses to two of the productions seen over the course of the year.
FORMATIVE assessment: 2,000 word essay due in the first term to prepare students for the challenges of the final assessment.

Essay: 50% Weighting, 40% pass mark.
Learning Outcome: 1-5.
Word Count: 3000 words.
Outline Details: A sustained engagement with theatrical text and related historical, social, cultural or theoretical context.