Histories Theories and Contexts
In the autumn term, we look at the roots of Applied Theatre in Education, in Social and Political Change, and in Community. Classes include work with Geese Theatre on their use of masks in Prisons, Drama and Theatre in Education techniques with Gail Babb, intergenerational arts practices with Course Director Sue Mayo, and the use of Drama with Refugees and Asylum Seekers. Throughout this term, students are also engaged in skills-sharing sessions in order to pool their knowledge and expertise.
Practice-based classes are linked to a contextual strand, taught through seminars, that enables us to consider the thinking behind our embodied knowledge. Through a series of seminars, we consider the development of applied methodologies from its roots in political theatre; radical and celebratory arts; drama and theatre-in-education; community theatre; prison theatre; therapeutic creative practices and the legacy of Freire and Boal. We study the growing body of writing on applied theatre and its practitioners, and theatre theory.
In the Spring Term, the module Analysing Practice focusses on the practices of Applied Theatre. We have a short festival of art forms, with classes in song, puppetry and dance, and a residency shared with students of the MA in performance making, working across modules with artists of distinction from within the Goldsmith’s staff and beyond.
Throughout the practical sessions, we work with students to develop their facilitation, devising, project planning and management skills with attention to issues such as group dynamics; power and leadership; inclusion; accessibility; equality; conflict; intercultural practice; safe space and the ethics of touch.
Tutor Raj Bhari from the Peaceful Change Initiative leads a module on creative approaches to Community Cohesion, Conflict Resolution, and the artist as activist. At the end of the term, students design and lead a weekend of workshops for a public audience.
Complementary Contextual modules
Students also choose two lecture or practice-based Option modules from one of our other exciting MA programmes. Previous modules have included, Disability Theatre, African Theatre, Performance Praxis, Radical Performance, Cultural Theory, and The Reflexive Practitioner (which is open only to Applied Theatre students). These are taken in Year 2 by part-time students.
Placement
The Convenor, Sue Mayo, supports students to locate and develop a placement in a recognised host organisation. On the placement students further the skills they have practised on the programme, whilst dealing with the challenges of a professional context. Placement hosts include London Bubble, Magic Me, Resonate. Greenwich & Lewisham Young People's Theatre, Talawa Theatre, Pan-arts, Crisis, Ovalhouse, Green Shoes Arts, The Young Vic, MIND, CEN8, Lewisham Youth Theatre and Spare Tyre.
Professional development
As part of our commitment to student’s employability, we offer up to five workshops covering various areas directly relevant to workplaces where drama may be applied; for example, planning and managing projects, child protection and working with vulnerable adults, ethics, evaluation, setting up a theatre company or working as an independent artist.
Structure
Full-time students are in Goldsmiths Monday to Wednesday in terms 1 & 2.
Part-time students are in Goldsmiths Tuesday and Wednesday in terms 1 & 2 of year 1, and Mondays only in year 2.
In the summer term, for both years, there are 5 days of teaching in April and May, dates to be confirmed.
Assessment
The MA Applied Theatre has five points of assessment:
- a 6,000-word essay based on material covered in Term 1
- a 6,000-word reflective portfolio on the placement
- a 12,000-word research project/dissertation
These assessments count towards 80% of the final mark.
The remaining 20% is derived from assessment of the two shared complementary/contextual modules, which include Disability Theatre, Performance Praxis, African Theatre, Musical Theatre and Cultural Theory.
Overview
During this masters, you'll complete the following compulsory modules:
Module title |
Credits |
Applied Drama: History, Theory, and Contexts
Applied Drama: History, Theory, and Contexts
30 credits
Practice classes in:
- The field of Applied Theatre
- Participation & Collaboration
- Ethical issues in Applied Theatre
- The politics of theatre-making
- Drama-in-Education
- Theatre-in-Education
- Prison Theatre
- Forum Theatre
- Intergenerational Theatre Practices
- Refugee Arts
Seminars in:
- The field of Applied Theatre
- Facilitation, Participation and Collaboration
- Ethical issues in Applied Theatre
- The politics of theatre-making
- Drama-in-Education
- Theatre-in-Education
- Prison Theatre
- The influence of Augusto Boal
- Understandings of Community
- The arts, migration and displacement
Lectures in:
- Narrative
- Liminality
- Play
- Power relations
|
30 credits |
Analysis of Practice
Analysis of Practice
30 credits
Students undertake a placement within an arts or community organisation. These are varied but can include opportunities to shadow experienced practitioners, facilitate workshops, learn about infrastructure and funding, design evaluations, support individual participants.
In addition, they have practical classes in:
- Theatre making, alongside students of the MA in Performance Making
- Dance
- Music
- Puppetry
- Visual Practice
- Conflict Resolution in group work
- Planning
- Evaluation
And seminars in:
- Aesthetics
- Collaborative practice
- Objects and the material
- Touch and Voice in Applied Theatre
- Documentation in the digital age
- The artist as Activist
- Multi-culturalism, interculturalism, anti-racism
- Issues in Evaluation
They will also visit a range of arts organisations and theatre companies in London.
|
30 credits |
Dissertation
Dissertation
60 credits
More information about this module will be published soon.
|
60 credits |
In addition to these core modules, you'll also complete a series of contextual courses to the value of 60 credits.
Download the programme specification.
Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.
Between 2020 and 2022 we needed to make some changes to how programmes were delivered due to Covid-19 restrictions. For more information about past programme changes please visit our programme changes information page.