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Interpretive Acting

Module description

The aim of this module is to provide you with an understanding of several tools and methods for approaching acting a text and creating a role. Much more than a workshopping of text, this module is an exploration of the craft of the actor and the psychophysical preparation necessary to develop a basis for entry into that craft.    In addition, the module will  extend your understanding of the theories and processes of acting through exposure to a variety of readings and other sources about the art of the actor.  Learning and teaching methods include workshops, rehearsals, seminars, and practical presentations.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to offer you the opportunity to explore the interpretive possibilities of the actor, to develop the psychophysical preparation necessary for acting and the ensemble collaboration essential to theatre. The module will further extend your understanding of the theories and practices of performance and encourage an exploratory approach towards processes for preparing texts for performance. The histories of actor training will be introduced and you will be further encouraged to explore the politics involved in the transmission of specific acting approaches. In this way, you will be asked to generate and reflect upon your own approaches to acting.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Translate theoretical approaches to acting into performance
• 2. Analyse theatre texts in preparation for performance
• 3. Engage with experimentation and considered risk taking by applying a range of trial and error methdologies in your creative practice

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Relate to others in theatrical processes and performances; work effectively with others in small task- orientated groups valuing your own and others’ ideas and beliefs
• 5. Contribute research to small groups in effective presentations; evaluate visual evidence and analyse, critique and manipulate complex material.
• 6. Explore theoretical concerns through practice, and vice versa, and synthesise findings in practical and written tasks; Interpret research into physical practice and vice versa.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Demonstrate group cooperation skills, including the ability to give and receive constructive critical feedback; improve communication skills and analytic abilities in discussions.
• 8. Demonstrate confidence in performance skills and public presentation, both of dramatic practice and researched material.
• 9. Initiate and sustain creative work; set personal objectives that are linked to a sense of challenge; problem solve and adapt to change and/or the needs of the project or group objectives

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that this module will include:

• individual work on chosen monologues in order to explore various working methods for approaching a role.
• workshops on the craft of acting and various methodologies for approaching character-based acting
• discussion of the practical experiences in relation to readings and resources to develop critical and reflective skills.
• work on duologues or ensemble scenes for performance.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Alfreds, Mike (2007) Different Every Night, London: Nick HernBrown, Bryan and Petrakova, Olya (2016) Devising a Playground: ARTEL's Strategies for Embodying Research and Text [unpublished conference paper].
• Chekhov, Michael (1953/2002) To The Actor, London: Routledge.
• Donnellan, Declan (2005) The Actor and the Target, London: Nick Hern.
• Evans, Mark, Fleming, Cass and Reed, Sara (eds) (2020) ‘Against the Canon’, Theatre, Dance and Performance Training, 11:3
• Kapadocha, Christina (2021) Somatic Voices in Performance Research and Beyond, Abingdon: Routledge.
• Krasner, David (2000) Method Acting Reconsidered: Theory, Practice, Future, Basingstoke: Macmillan.
• Luckett, Sharrell D. and Shaffer, Tia M. (2017) Black Acting Methods: Critical Perspectives, New York: Routledge.
• Merlin, Bella (2001) Beyond Stanislavsky: the Psycho-Physical Approach to Actor Training, London: Nick Hern.
• Oida, Yoshi (1997) The Invisible Actor, London: Routledge.
• Otes, Kevin and Shively, Kim (2021) Applied Meisner for the 21^st century actor, New York: Routledge.
• Overlie, Mary (2016) Standing in Space.
• Panet, Brigid Essential Acting: a practical handbook for actors, teachers and directors, Oxon: Routledge.
• Pitches, Jonathan and Aquilina, Stefan (eds) (2017) Stanislavksy in the World: The System and its Transformations across continents, London: Bloomsbury.
• Rea, Ken (2015) The Outstanding Actor: Seven Keys to Success, London: Bloomsbury Methuen.Stanislavsky, Konstantin; Benedetti, Jean (trans.) (2008) An Actor's Work: a student's diary, London: Routledge. 
• Wangh, Stephen (2000) An Acrobat of the Heart: a physical approach to acting inspired by the work of Jerzy Grotowski, New York: Vintage books.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• Exeter Digital Archive
• Digital Theatre Plus
• ‘Ryzard Cieslak: The Body Speak’, directed by John Musili, Creative Arts Television
• Various yoga, kalaripayattu and breathwork trainings online
• ELE: https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=11507
  

Key words search

Character Acting, performer training, psychophysical acting, text interpretation