Theatre of Social Change 3700-ISSC-TSC-MON
In his famous instructions to the players, Prince Hamlet defines the role of theatre, “whose end, both at the
first and now, was and is, to hold, as 'twere, the
mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature,
scorn her own image, and the very age and body of
the time his form and pressure” The metaphor of the mirror may be a little misleading, as it suggests a “passive” reflection or representation, while what Hamlet, or Shakespeare, means here is rather an active demonstration, showing and scorning, if necessary, the condition of the contemporary society that should be able to see their image drawn on stage. Another, better known, metaphor linking the world and stage found in Shakespeare is the old theatrum mundi metaphor claiming that “all the world’s a stage,/ And all the men and women merely players” enacting (social) roles already “written” and assigned to them. The deterministic interpretation is just one side of the theatrum mundi topos, to which the other would be the concept of the theatre as microcosm encompassing the stage and the audience who become involved in a transforming experience. Through the centuries, the relationship between theatre and society has been perceived and interpreted within a number of different philosophical, theological, social or political frameworks, where theatre would be seen as more than a metaphor of human condition, but an active agent (or actant) involved in social practices: performing a cathartic ritual, releasing tensions through carnivalesque subversions, defusing ideas, moving and persuading, catering for the tastes of the privileged or voicing social discontent, triggering cultural revolutions, opposing authorities and political systems, alienating the audience or involving them in a transformative experience of immersive theatre.
After providing students with a very general overview of selected theoretical frameworks and dominant practices in European theatre over centuries, the course will focus on a number of case studies in which selected plays and/or theatre productions will be analysed within their cultural, social and political context. We will examine actual (and potential) social impact of the texts and/or performances and discuss how they shaped social attitudes or practices, the way they became involved in the contemporary political, social or cultural events and controversies, and the effect they might have had on the audience. Canonical (ancient and modern) dramatic texts and their stage interpretations as well as contemporary plays and theatrical experiments will constitute the primary materials of the course together with press materials, TV and radio documentaries, theatrical reviews, as well as interviews with artists, critics and audiences.
Koordynatorzy przedmiotu
Efekty kształcenia
The graduate
- has an in-depth knowledge of selected terminology in cultural and literary studies, especially within the theories of theatre and performance (K_W05)
- has an in-depth knowledge of methods of analysing texts of literature and culture, especially dramatic texts and theatre productions (K_W07)
- knows and understands selected methods of interdisciplinary research (K_W09)
- is able to select and critically evaluate information from various sources: philosophical essays, literary criticism, press reviews, TV documentaries, interviews (K_U01)
- is able to apply their knowledge to analyze and interpret selected social and cultural processes involved in the staging and reception of theatrical plays (K_U04)
- is able to participate in academic debate and prepare oral and written presentations on the role of theatre in cultural and social processes. They are able to present arguments to support their beliefs and knowledge in a logical and convincing manner (K_U05)
- is able to prepare written assignments that meet the requirements of academic writing (K_U07)
- is ready to recognize the importance of knowledge about theatre and drama in understanding and solving problems connected with cultural and social change (K_K01).
Kryteria oceniania
- 4-5 short written assignements (on selected case studies) – 60?%
- one in-class presentation – 20%
- active participation in group and class discussions – 20%
Literatura
Primary sources: different in each cycle
Secondary sources:
Martin Banham, James Brandon, The Cambridge Guide to Theatre, 1995
Eric Bentley, The Theatre of Commitment, and Other Essays on Drama in Our Society, 1967
Norma Bowles and Daniel_Raymond Nadon (eds), Staging social justice: collaborating to create activist theatre, 2013.
John Russel Brown, The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, 1995.
Robert Brustein, The Theatre of Revolt: An Approach to the Modern Drama, 1965
The Cambridge Companion to Greek Tragedy, 1997.
Marvin Carlson, Theories of the Theatre: A Historical and Critical Survey, from the Greeks to the Present, 1993.
Joshua Edelman et al., The Problem of Theatrical Autonomy: Analysing Theatre as a Social Practice, Amsterdam University Press, 2016.
Terry Eagleton, Sweet Violence. The Idea of the Tragic, 2003.
Kathleen Gallagher and Barry Freeman, In Defence of Theatre: Aesthetic Practices and Social Interventions, Toronto University Press, 2018.
Jodi Kanter, Performing Loss: Rebuilding Community Through Theatre and Writing, 2007.
Patrice Pavis, Theatre at the Crossroads of Culture, trans. by L. Kruger, Routledge, 1992.
George Steiner, The Death of Tragedy
Simon Trussler, The Cambridge Illustrated History of British Theatre, 1994
Ralph Yarrow (ed.), European Theatre 1960-1990: Cross-cultural Perspectives, 1992
Więcej informacji
Dodatkowe informacje (np. o kalendarzu rejestracji, prowadzących zajęcia, lokalizacji i terminach zajęć) mogą być dostępne w serwisie USOSweb: