BA in Performing Arts

SEMESTER 1

2008-2009 THEATRE SEMIOTICS MODULE HANDBOOK

Module Co-ordinator: Olivia Pallikari

Module Descriptor
Title THEATRE SEMIOTICS
Semester & Mode of Study SPRING / Full Time

Code (if known) Credit Rating 10

SHE 3 Level SCQF 9 Level Module Co-ordinator Module Team Pre-requisites Co-requisites Prohibited Combinations

Olivia Pallikari

Theatre History / Dramaturgy or equivalent

Aims To introduce students to the theories and methodologies for the analysis of performance and the importance of theatre semiotics

To provide a tool for examining and understanding 20th and 21st century performance
Learning Outcomes On successful completion of the module the student will be able to: L1 Identify and demonstrate label the codes (signs) of
Assessed in this module

A B * *

C D

YES

performance, use the terminology provided by the study of semiotics and analyse a performance through semiotics L2 Develop a systematized analytical method capable of dealing with a range of performance strategies and processes Critically and historically examine a wide variety of theatrical texts and articulate what they mean and how meaning is communicated Understand the key concepts discussed including the relevance of conscious intent in the meaning of a performance. Apply the approaches and methodologies in order to analyse performances. YES YES * * *

L3

L4

L5

YES

A Knowledge and Understanding B Intellectual Skills C Practical Skills D Transferable Skills

Learning Experiences The module will engage the student in the following types of learning experiences: Lectures 24 hours Workshops Independent study Performance attendance Total 24 hours 32 hours 20 hours 100 hours

Assessment Pattern Presentation (40%): Students, in groups of two to four, will share in the class a creative oral presentation as debate with a comparative/ semiotic analysis concentrating on specific theatrical elements on a given topic (the significance of acting, design, music, light, dramaturgy, text etc) in relevant performances. All the presentations will be recorded. Submission date: Week 8 Essay (60%): Students will submit an essay with a critical/ semiotic analysis of a professional production being performed during the period of the course. Length: 2000 words Submission: End of Semester Can this Module be Anonymously marked? Yes If No please provide an explanation.

Content

A historical overview of theories for drama and performance from antiquity to the present (Poetics, High and low art, Hamburg Dramaturgy, Naturalism and on, Bakhtine, Artaud, Brecht, Barthes, Grotofski etc) - The relation and distinction between text and performance. The readings of a play, related to the aesthetic and content needs of performance. - The theatrical sign: Saussurian definition of sign, non- verbal signs, codes, connotation and denotation, theatrical symbols. -The theories of reception, genres and communication: theatre as an art developed in two stages (stage- audience). The major theories and theorists (Aristotle. Lessing, Goethe, Stanislavski, Hugo, Zola, Brecht to the present) covered and their usefulness in the analysis of theatrical culture. -The body of the actor, actor and character, a multiple signs interpretation -Theatre architecture semiotics semiology of theatrical space. - Dramaturgy: deconstructing the text, devising meaning, improvising sentiments, inventing symbols. The new role of the dramaturg in performances with or without text. - Elements of a performance: light, music, costumes, sets, technical devices. The importance of parameters on reception of a spectacle Main Texts

Aston, Elaine and Savano, George: 1991. Theatre As Sign-System, New York: Routledge, Elam, Keir. (2001) The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama, .: , 2000 (Patsalidis Savas , ( Theatre & Theory) (Thessaloniki) University Studio Press (Walter Puchner) 1985 , (Theatre semiotics) Athens Pairidis : Pavis, Patrice, 1982 Languages of the Stage , New York: Performing Arts Journal,.\ (Aristotle, Poetics) (various editions) (Zoe Samara) 2002 - (Prospective of theatrical text) : , (Athens Greek Letters) T, : 1999(Dimitris Tsatsoulis) , (Semiological Approaches of the Theatrical Phaenomenon) : , (Athens Greek Letters) Ubersfeld, Anne: Reading Theatre University of Toronto Press, 1999 Hamburg Dramaturgy (1982) Dover Publications Schumacher, Claude (ed.) (1996) naturalism and Symbolism in European Theatre 1850-1918. Cambridge University Press Brecht, Bertolt (1974) . short Organum for the Theatre. Translated by Myrat, Dimitris. Athens: Plias Styan, J.L. (1981) Modern Drama in Theory and Practice. vol. 1 Realism and naturalism, vol. 2 Symbolism, Surrealism and the Absurd, vol. 3 Expressionism and Epic Theatre. Cambridge University Press Carlson, Marvin A. (1993) Places of Performance: The Semiotics of Theatre Architecture. Mc Auley, Gay (2000) Space in Performance: Making Meaning in the Theatre University of Michigan Press Other relevant details

Signed

Date

Timetable
Week No Week beginning

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Lecture 1: Introduction to Theatre Semiotics Lecture 2: Historical Overview of Theories for Drama and Performance Lecture 3: Historical Overview of Theories for Drama and Performance-Part Two Lecture 4: Relation and Distinction between Text and Performance Lecture 5: The Theatrical Sign Lecture 6: The System of Theatrical Signs Lecture 7: The system of theatrical signs Lecture 8: Theatre architecture semiotics Lecture 9: Dramaturgy Lecture 10: Deconstructing the text Lecture 11: Theories of reception, genres and communication Lecture 12: Theories of reception/major theories and theorists

12

13 Independent revision 14 Exam week 15 Exam week

TS Week One Introduction to Theatre Semiotics

Main themes/topics for the week
What is Theatre Semiotics Why is it useful to prospective actors Difficulties in forming a theory about Drama and Performance

Learning Outcomes
Understand in general what Theatre Semiotics means Understand its use for a drama analysis and a performance observation

Key references
Elam. Keir (2001) The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama . Athens: Ellinika Grammata Puchner, Walter (1985) . Theatre semiotics. Athens: Pairidis

Self study
Read introduction of Elam Keir and Walter Puchner

TS Week Two Historical Overview of Theories for Drama and Performance

Main themes/topics for the week
Poetics of Aristotle and how it influenced drama until nowadays French Classicism and the drama of Shakespeare: two different approaches about drama Lessings perception of drama (Hamburg Dramaturgy)

Learning outcomes
Understand the theory of Aristotle and its influence until nowadays Understand the difference between French Classicism and the drama of Shakespeare Understand how Shakespeare influenced Lessing in his perception of drama

Key references
Aristotle Poetics Hamburg Dramaturgy (1982) Dover Publications

Self study
Read lecture notes in conjunction with key references stated above

TS Week Three Historical Overview of Theories for Drama and Performance-Part Two
Main themes/topics for the week
Main characteristics of Realism and Naturalism and their influence until nowadays Symbolism, Surrealism and the Absurd in the Theatre Expressionism and its influence until know days Brecht and his theory about theatre as part of an aesthetic debate of the 20th century

Learning Outcomes
Understand the main characteristics of Realism and naturalism Understand Surrealism, Symbolism, Absurd and Expressionism and be able to define the differences between them Understand Brechts theory about drama

Key references
Schumacher, Claude (ed) (1996) Naturalism and Symbolism in European Theatre 1850-1918. Cambridge University Press Brecht, Bertolt (1974) . A short Organon for the Theatre. Translated by Myrat, Dimitris Athens: Pias Styan, J.L. (1981) Modern Drama in theory and practice/ vol. 1 Realism and Naturalism, vol. 2 Symbolism, Surrealism and the Absurd, vol. 3 Expressionism and Epic Theatre. Cambridge University Press

Self Study
Review lecture notes in conjunction with the key references stated above

TS Week Four Relation and Distinction between Text and Performance

Main themes/topics for the week
Approaches to the study of theatre put forward by the semioticians of the Prague School (Zich, Mukarovsky, Bogatyrev, Honzl)

Approaches to theatre study by Tadenzs Kowzan and Anne Ubersfeld Explain how to read a play from visual and literary perspective (setting, stage, directions, structure, names, visualiza the characters, figurative language, allusions, imagery.)

Learning outcomes
Understand the theatre theory of Prague School Understand theatre theory of tadenzs Kowzan and Anne Ubersfeld Be able to read o play in all its visual and literary perspectives

Key references
Elam, Keir (2001) The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama. . Athens: Ellinika Grammata Puchner, Walter (1985) . Theatre semiotics. Athens: Pairidis Ubersfeld, Anne (1999) Reading Theatre. University of Toronto Press

Self study
Review lecture notes and the key reference material listed above . Select a play and read it from a visual and literary perspective

TS Week Five The Theatrical Sign

Main themes/topics for the week
Explain the Saussurian definition of sign Explain the process of semiotization Syntagmatics, semantics, Pragmatics) Conotations and Denotations of the sign Internal and External Code Analyze theatre code in all its dimensions

Learning Outcomes
Understand the Saussurian definition of sign and how this applies to theatre Understand the process of semiotization Understand the difference between Connotations and Denotations Understand what code means, define the difference between internal and external codes and be able to define the theatre code

Key references
Puchner, Walter (1985) . Theatre semiotics. Athens: Pairidis Aston, Elaine/Savano, George (1991) Theatre as Sign-System. N.Y.: Routledge

Self Study
Read lecture notes in conjunction with key references stated above

TS Week Six The System of Theatrical Signs

Main themes/topics for the week
Which are the Theatrical Signs How the acts of actor become signs (the body of the actor, actor and character) The appearance of an actor as a sign

Learning Outcomes
Identify and understand the theatrical signs Understand how the acts of actor become signs Understand how the appearance of the actor is a sign

Key references
Patsalidis, Savas (2000) . Theatre and Theory. Thessaloniki: University Studio Press Puchner, Walter (1985) . Theatre semiotics. Athens: Pairidis

Self study
Read lecture notes in conjunction with key references stated above See a performance and try to identify the theatrical signs and the meaning they have

TS Week Seven The system of theatrical signs

Main themes/topics for the week
Present and analyse all characteristics of a theatrical sign Present all elements of a performance (light, music.) Discuss how far the theatre code can be a semiotic system

Learning Outcomes
Identify all characteristics of a theatrical sign Identify all elements of a performance Understand the function of theatre code as a semiotic system

Key references

10

Puchner, Walter (1985) . Theatre Semiotics. Athens: Pairidis Pavis, Patrice (1982) Language of the Stage. N.Y.: Routledge

Self Study
Read lecture notes in conjunction with key references stated above See a performance and prepare for the presentation with a semiotic analysis on specific theatrical elements on a given toric

TS Week Eight Theatre architecture semiotics

Main themes/topics for the week
Explain how a theatre building and its location within a city reflect that societys attitude and concerns Describe the way theatre buildings function to frame the performance event Analyse the nature of the stage and the models of representation it facilitates Present the relationship between the real space of the theatre and the fictional places that are evoked Presentation of the assignment

Learning Outcomes
Understand how theatre buildings reflect the attitudes and concerns of a society Analyse the way theatre buildings function to frame the performance event Analyse the nature of the stage Understand the relationship between real space and fictional places that are evoked

Key references
Carlson, Marvin A. (1993) Places of Performance: The Semiotics of Theatre Architecture Mc Auley, Gay (2000) Space in Performance: Making Meaning in the Theatre. University of Michigan Press

Self study
Read lecture notes in conjunction with key references stated above

TS Week Nine Dramaturgy

Main themes/topics for the week
Introduction to what dramaturgy means What a dramaturg is/does Discussion about the new role of the dramaturg in performances with or without text

11

Learning outcomes
Understand what dramaturgy is Understand all the different roles a dramaturgy has

Key references
Elam, Keir (2001) The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama. . Athens: Ellinika Grammata

Self Study
Read lecture notes in conjunction with key references stated above

TS Week Ten Deconstructing the text

Main themes/topics for the week
How the dramatic world is constructed How action and dramatic space relate Actant and actantial model Different roles of dramatic language

Learning Outcomes
Understand how the dramatic world is constructed Understand how action and dramatic space relate Analyse the actantial model Distinguish the different roles of dramatic language

Key references
Elam, Keir (2001) The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama. Athens: Ellinika Grammata , (Tsatsoulis Dimitris) . Semiological Approaches of the Theatrical Phaenomenon. Athens: Ellinika Grammata

Self Study
Read lecture notes in conjunction with key references stated above Analyse a text using the above models

TS Week Eleven Theories of reception, genres and communication

12

Main themes/topics for the week

Theatre as an art developed in two stages Elements of the communication in theatre The major theories and theorists: Aristotle

Learning Outcomes
Understand the different aspects of theatre as an art Define the elements of communication in theatre Understand the Theory of Aristotle about reception/genres

Key references
Elam, Keir (2001) The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama. . Athens: Ellinika Grammata Aristotles Poetics

Self study
Read the lecture notes and the key references listed above

TS Week Twelve Theories of reception/major theories and theorists

Main themes/topics for the week
Present Theory of Lessing/Goethe/Hugo about reception/genres/communication in theatre Present theory of Zola/Stanislavsky and Brecht Discuss about present theories and theorists

Learning Outcomes
Understand all the theories stated above Define similarities and differences between the theories

Key references
Hamburg Dramaturgy (1982) Dover Publications Brecht, Bertolt (1974) . a short Organum for the Theatre. Translated by Myrat, Dimitris, Athens: Plias Styan, J.L. (1981) Modern Drama in Theory and Practice (3vol.) Cambridge University Press

13

Self Study
Review lecture notes in conjunction with key references stated above

14