Riots, Censorship and Offence

This module will locate particular socio-cultural moments in which dominant ideological structures strain under disruptions, crises and contradictions causing playwrights and theatre companies to defy the social, moral and aesthetic contract between stage and audience. The module will focus on case-studies of theatres of revolt, demonstrating the specific cultural emergence of new conventions of dramatic form and new dramatic and theatrical languages. Overall, the course will develop in students a practical understanding of these issues and a critical consideration of the moments at which certain modern theatre movements and dramatic forms are on the brink of collapse. The course complements the programme’s overall focus on Western drama and theatre, providing focused attention on the historical and cultural dimensions of dramatic and theatrical practice.