CONTEMPORARY BRITISH and IRISH THEATRE and PERFORMANCE
Dates: 3rd – 15 th August 2015
Times: 10am – 5pm (plus evening excursions)
Programme Directors: Dr Linden Bicket
Dr Tom Farrington
Programme Administrator: Lauren Pope
Academic Units: 12 SCOTCAT points / 6 ECTS / 2.5 US credits
Course Description:
Contemporary British and Irish Theatre and Performance is a unique course in the theory and practice of contemporary theatre in Britain and Ireland today. This twoweek course provides a challenging, dynamic, and diverse introduction to theatre that makes a global impact. The course takes place in Edinburgh, affording students the chance to study in Scotland’s beautiful capital city while the Edinburgh International
Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe take place.
This course offers students a supportive environment in which to develop and apply creative approaches to dramatic texts. SUISS tutors, who are experienced drama tutors and theatre-makers, lead the students in two-hour group seminars in which students workshop performances of scenes from contemporary British and Irish drama. In seminars, students also develop their critical analysis of dramatic texts and forms, with a focus on the practical implications of local, global, and socio-political contexts.
Students will attend exclusive masterclasses, where they will engage in discussions and practical activities set by a selection of Scotland’s award-winning writers, playwrights, and dramaturges. Among these are masterclasses offered by Scottish Playwrights’
Studio; Scotland’s only dedicated, independent development organisation for playwrights, who work actively with Scotland’s playwrights to support, develop, and celebrate their exceptional talents. Students will learn from a number of experts in the fields of dramaturgy, choreography, performance analysis, theatre criticism, and more.
In addition to the academic programme, SUISS offers an extensive programme of social and cultural activities. Students have the opportunity to attend events, which include talks on performance, film, and festival shows, as well as exclusive audiences with some of Scotland’s leading contemporary writers and practitioners, including Douglas
Maxwell and David Greig.
By the end of the course, students should have acquired and developed skills in performance and in performance analysis. They should be able to reflect on personal performance practice and on that of others. Students should also hone skills in textual analysis of contemporary British and Irish drama.
The two-week course offers:
 Seminars: SUISS tutors lead nine, two-hour daily performance and textual analysis seminars, with reference to our reading list.
 Masterclasses: Subjects include dramaturgy, performance psychology, direction, and theatre criticism.

 Festival Performances: TBA according to Edinburgh International Festival and
Festival Fringe programme.
 Scottish Playwrights’ Studio Discussions: These are run by accomplished practitioners from Scotland’s only independent development organisation for playwrights.
 Backstage Pass: In 2015 this will be with Wendy Timmons, Programme
Director for the University of Edinburgh’s MSc in Dance Science & Education.
This will include organising and scheduling rehearsals, event advertising, technical elements, and backstage management.
Essential:
John McGrath, The Cheviot, the stag, and the black, black oil (1973)
Caryl Churchill, Cloud 9 (1978)
Brian Friel, Translations (1980)
Sarah Kane, Blasted (1995)
Martin McDonagh, The Cripple of Inishmaan (1996)
Nicola McCartney, Heritage (1998)
Zinnie Harris, Further than the Furthest Thing (2000)
David Harrower, Blackbird (2005)
Gregory Burke. Black Watch (2006)
David Greig, The cosmonaut’s last message to the woman he once loved in the former
soviet union (2007) debbie tucker green, Random (2008)
Recommended:
Angelaki, Vicky (ed). Contemporary British Theatre: Breaking New Ground. (Basingstoke:
Palgrave, 2013)
Badiou, Alain. Rhapsody for the Theatre. (London + Brooklyn: Verso, 2013)
Balme, Christopher. The Theatrical Public Sphere. (Cambridge: CUP, 2014).
Fortier, Mark. Theory/Theatre: An Introduction. (London + NY: Routledge, 2002)
McGrath, John. A Good Night Out: Popular Theatre: Audience, Class and Form. (London:
Nick Hern, 1996)
Reid, Trish. Theatre & Scotland. (Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2013)
Shepherd, Simon. Theatre, Body and Pleasure. (London + NY: Routledge, 2006)
Attendance:
Attendance for all classes, plays and excursions is mandatory.
Contact Hours / Academic Credit
The SUISS credit scheme is based on a combination of contact teaching hours, independent study and formal assessment. SUISS students gain credit, therefore, by attending seminars and masterclasses, pursuing their studies in their own time, and completing both a performance and written assessment. This credit can be sought at two levels:
SCQF8 (equivalent to junior honours [1-2 years of study])

SCQF10 (equivalent to senior honours [3 or more year of study])
This allows SUISS students to pursue the same credit as any other student but at a level appropriate to the stage of their studies at their home institution.
Credit for the two-week course is formalised thus:
Contact Teaching Hours: 39
Expected Independent Study: 81
Total Hours: 120
SCOTCAT Credit Weighting: 12 points
(1 SCOTCAT point = 10 hour workload)
Grade Breakdown
SCQF8 (1 st -2 nd year undergraduate)
Assessment Portfolio
40% creative seminar exercises
20% class contribution
30% 1,000 word performance analysis
10% 1,000 word selfreflexive essay
Requirements
Develop creative approaches to dramatic texts. Students will be assessed on their application of these approaches.
This includes contribution to discussion in seminars, shared feedback on performance exercises, and participation in masterclasses.
A short performance analysis of a show seen as part of the Edinburgh
International Festival.
A short personal reflection on the student’s performance practice.
SCQF10 (3 rd -4 th year undergraduate)
Assessment Portfolio
40% performance exercises
20% class contribution
Requirements
Develop creative approaches to dramatic texts. Students will be assessed on their application of these approaches.
This includes contribution to discussion in seminars,

30% 1,500 word performance analysis
10% 1,500 word selfreflexive essay shared feedback on performance exercises, and participation in masterclasses.
A short performance analysis of a show seen as part of the Edinburgh
International Festival.
A short personal reflection on the student’s performance practice.