TH984-6-AU-CO:
Performance Project

The details
2025/26
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 12 December 2025
15
22 October 2025

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

(none)

Module description

This module offers students the opportunity to focus on a small-scale performance project that will be suitable for studio spaces or audio audiences. Driven by their own interests and strengths, students will form small companies/groups to develop, rehearse, and perform, short, 'festival length' performances of approx 40 minutes. In addition, each company will develop marketing materials, such as an e-flyer and press copy, and will consider some of the practicalities of making small-scale, easily portable work for festivals or touring to small venues.


 Performances will premiere at the end of the module in the Lakeside Theatre Studio, or other suitable performance space, in front of fellow class members and including a post-show Q&A and critique.


The module will introduce students to a range of drama techniques for developing a show, which may include all or some of the following areas: working with an existing playscript; adaptation of existing non-dramatic texts such as folk-tales, or short stories; storytelling and young audiences; responding to place and making work that engages with a particular landscape or region; commedia work and archetypes; audio drama and headphone theatre; mask work; table-top theatre; improvisation and devising.


The aim is that this module will be responsive to student need and interest, whilst introducing a range of techniques that can be used by companies or individuals developing new work or projects.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:



  • To expose learners to a range of practical, creative theatre-making and drama techniques,

  • Develop students’ skills in writing marketing copy and cresting para-theatrical materials such as e-flyers.


To give students the skills and practice in developing, rehearsing and producing a small-scale performance project which may be an original piece, or an adapted piece.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be able to:



  1. Select or devise appropriate material for a small-scale studio performance and develop it to performance standard.

  2. Make use of a range of creative techniques to produce innovative, low-budget theatre, and be able to articulate their choices in a post-show Q and A.

  3. Produce paratheatrical materials such as marketing copy

  4. Work collaboratively in a small company and devise their own rehearsal schedule and technical approaches appropriate to a low-budget show.

Module information

Sessions will cover some or all of the following:



  • Devising, improvising and collaborative processes

  • Scriptwriting, adaptation and dramaturgy

  • Maskwork, simple puppet-work and audio drama techniques

  • Commedia and archetype character work

  • Working with headphones and audio drama

  • Marketing copy and approaches to lighting and design for small-scale or touring productions

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

  • Weekly 3-hour workshops over 10 weeks.

Students will be expected to rehearse together outside classtime, although towards the end of the module some class sessions will be given to supervised rehearsal sessions for peer and lecturer feedback.

Bibliography

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Participation    5% 
Coursework   Marketing Materials  18/12/2025  25% 
Practical   Performance [Week 11]    70% 

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Elizabeth Kuti, email: ejkuti@essex.ac.uk.
Main office - liftstt@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
No
No
No

External examiner

No external examiner information available for this module.
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 6 hours, 6 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

 

Further information
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies

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