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DRAM30280

Academic Year 2025/2026

Solo Performance (DRAM30280)

Subject:
Drama Studies
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
English, Drama & Film
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Emma Bennett
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Solo performance is one of the most vital and innovative areas of contemporary theatre practice. The immediacy and flexibility of solo performance make it attractive to many theatre artists, writers and actors who wish to test new ideas, experiment with form, and take their first steps in the theatre industry.

This module is a supportive and structured opportunity to develop your own original work of solo performance. You'll work not just on your own, but also in pairs and small groups, to develop distinctive approaches to generating material, writing, devising, performing, and shaping your work towards performance. This is not an acting or playwriting class, and you will not work with existing monologues or play texts. Instead we focus on experimental approaches to developing original material, and we question the boundaries of what a "solo" might be or mean now.

Although you are welcome to work with autobiographical material, this is not compulsory or expected. There are many other ways of approaching solo performance, and you will have a range of opportunities to experiment and find what feels right for you.
You will encounter a range of artistic techniques, which may include improvisation and live writing, found text and verbatim, movement scores, immersive theatre, and intermedial practice. Throughout, the emphasis is on developing your own performance as the culmination of a sustained creative enquiry. But you won't be alone; despite the powerful allure of a lone figure onstage, a "solo" performance is always necessarily communal and collaborative, made possible by a community of offstage supporters, colleagues, and friends. With this in mind, the module aims to cultivate a supportive community of creators, an artistic "scene" which enables experimentation and self-expression to flourish.

**NOTE: Students may wish to take the practical and creative work of this module further by enrolling in DRAM30350 Performance Festival in Spring, a collaborative production module focusing on professional skills in theatre practice, production and audience engagement, and culminating in a public showcase of performance.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the module, students will have encountered and critically analysed selected works by leading contemporary performance makers, and engaged in practice-based research into the effects and impacts of solo performance. 
Students will be able to:
• Develop and sustain a creative enquiry culminating in an original work of performance.
• Identity, test and reflect on various approaches to devising performance.
• Interpret and analyse selected examples of performance, including their own and the work of their peers.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Practical

22
Specified Learning Activities

20
Autonomous Student Learning

78
Total

120

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module will be taught via weekly classes combining lecture/seminar and practical workshop activities. In addition to weekly scheduled activities, students will be assigned practical tasks to be completed independently. In addition, students will be asked to engage with selected readings and video excepts prior to each class. All module materials will be accessible via Brightspace, or via free online video platforms. To support the development of their final project, students will be offered a one-on-one tutorial to discuss their plans and receive formative feedback.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Mid-Term Assignment
1. Presentation of a work-in-progress.
2. Critical framing of your creative process and proposal for its development.
 Week 7 Graded No
40
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Brief written responses to encounters with the work of three solo performance makers (via live performance, video, or engagement with other documents such as essays, interviews, or websites). Week 3, Week 6, Week 9 Graded No
10
 No
Portfolio: 1. Presentation of a short solo performance (5-8 minutes).
2. Critical contextual reflection on the creative enquiry leading to the performance.		 Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
50
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Individual written feedback will be provided to students within two weeks of the submission of the Mid-Term assignment. Students will receive formative oral feedback on the practical work they are developing - informally, during weekly workshops, and in a one-on-one tutorial with the module tutor. Students will receive formative oral feedback on an essay plan. Individual written feedback on the Final Performance and end-of-term Essay will be provided post-assessment.

Name Role
Samantha Cade Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Tues 16:00 - 17:50
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