DRAM20220 Documentary Theatre

Academic Year 2022/2023

This module traces the advent, endurance and resurgence of documentary theatre, or what is sometimes called docudrama, verbatim, theatre of testimony or witness and fact-based theatre in various parts of the world. In an era of fake news and post-truth we examine how notions of truth, authenticity and what is real are constructed in a theatre genre that claims to be fact-based, verbatim and which at times recounts biographical experiences, social issues, and or historical accounts. We engage with the problematic intersections of truth, politics and ethics in the theatrical representation, performance and staging of documentary theatre. We do this through a close and critical study of seminal global practitioners and performances that have shaped and continue to influence this performance genre to address its continuous development and evolution. We interrogate the form, purpose and content of documentary theatre as well as its potential to manipulate our understanding of truth and the real.


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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

- Students will be able to situate the selected documentary performances in their cultural, political, and historical context.
- Students will be able to distinguish the variety of ways documentary theatre has adapted in its approach to acting and staging facts.
- Students will develop a nuanced appreciation of the various aims and objectives of Documentary Theatre in the 20th and 21st century and understand the influence of media and technology in the development of the form.
- Students will understand the various ways documentary theatre and performance facilitates a sense of community, citizenship and participation in the public sphere and the ethical dilemmas of this praxis.
- Students will be able to produce organized, coherent, and critically engaged written and/or oral work about Documentary theatre and performance.

Indicative Module Content:

Week 1. Documentary Theatre - Challenges, Limitations and Potential Developments
Week 2. Memory Matters-Namibia Themba Mbuli and Unmute Sold! (2016)
Week 3. Holocaust- Aviva Pelham Santa’s Story (2012)
Week 4. Apartheid- Mbongeni Ngema Sarafina! (1987)
Week 5. Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa Nothing But the Truth John Kani (2002)
Week 6. Midterm Presentation
Week 7. Xenophobia and Race- Gina Shmukler The Line (2012)
Week 8. Migration- Jonathan Khumbulani Nkala The Crossing (2008)
Week 9. Prison and Justice in Zimbabwe Lloyd Nyikadzino, Cadrick Msongelwa and Ronald Sigeca Zandezi! (2018)
Week 10. Student Activism- Ameera Conrad et al The Fall (2017)
Week 11: Revision
Week 12: Final essay

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Autonomous Student Learning

88
Total

100
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
-lectures
-active/task-based learning
-case-based learning
-critical writing
-reflective learning
-student presentations
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: Continuous Assessment (Attendance and contribution): 10%

Midterm Presentation: 30%

Final Essay: 60%
 Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded Yes

100

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
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
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will be guided and assessed to ensure that they master core and secondary module skills. These include communication skills, improving student learning and performance, information technology, personal development and career planning, problem solving, research skills, teamwork, and subject specific skills. Individual feedback will be offered prior to the summative assessment to ensure that students write and clearly articulate ideas and analysis in written and oral assessments. Through guided and independent research; tutor feedback on written work and oral presentations in class; interaction with peers during seminar presentations; developing time/work management skills; reflecting upon presentational skills and other written work students will improve their own learning and performance. Group feedback will be offered after the Midterm Presentation and Final Essays. These tasks will equip students with critical thinking, problem solving and research skills. This will be assessed through by critical engagement (verbal and written) with intellectual concepts raised by plays and their context.

Cantrell, T., 2013. Acting in documentary theatre. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Forsyth, A. and Megson, C. eds., 2009. Get real: Documentary theatre past and present. Springer.
Hammond, W. and Steward, D. eds., 2012. Verbatim, verbatim: Contemporary documentary theatre. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Maedza, P., 2017. Performing asylum: theatre of testimony in South Africa. African Studies Centre Leiden (ASCL).
Martin, C. ed.,2010. Dramaturgy of the Real on the World Stage. Palgrave Macmillan.
Pine, E., 2019. The Memory Marketplace: Witnessing Pain in Contemporary Irish and International Theatre. Indiana University Press.
Raftery, M., Murphy, C., Murphy, J., Lynch, M., Nunez, D. and Dyas, G., 2020. Contemporary Irish Documentary Theatre. Methuen Drama.
Roth, D., 2008. A Practical Course in Documentary Theatre. ProQuest.
Youker, T., 2017. Documentary Vanguards in Modern Theatre. Routledge.
Name Role
Dr Pedzisai Maedza Lecturer / Co-Lecturer