DRAMA AND THEATRE
A History of Irish Theatre in Ten Scandals
Autumn DN102
Mondays
Tutor: Lisa Coen
The recent history of Irish theatre has been characterised by controversy and vigorous public debate. Plays like JM Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World and Séan O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars caused riots and outrage, but are now a valued part of Irish literary history. More recently productions like Sebastian Barry’s Hinterland and Ramon Maria del Valle-Inclán’s The Barbaric Comedies have shown that theatre is still a volatile forum in Ireland. This course aims to familiarise students with some major texts in Irish drama of the last century, to show how these have shaped, or responded to, theatre in Ireland and contributed to the narrative of national identity, through controversy, rioting and scandal. It will include an emphasis on production histories, such as that of the Abbey Theatre and the Dublin Theatre Festival to contextualise the nature of each scandal, and will include a class visit to a production staged in this year’s Dublin Theatre Festival.
We will discuss each designated play in terms of its artistic merits, as well as its ability to provoke, to give each student an opportunity to engage with the work of ten of the most important theatrical events in Irish history. Students will gain a broad view of the history of Irish drama as well as an understanding of what drives contemporary Irish theatre.
This year’s Dublin Theatre Festival runs from September 27 - October 14 2012.
| BELFIELD | ||
| 10 Mondays |
Sep 24, Oct 1, 8, 15, 22, Nov 5, 12, 19, 26, Dec 3 (No class Oct 29) |
7.30pm - 9.30pm |
| FEE:€190 | Print Open Learning Application Form 2012.13 or ring (01) 7167123 for Laser/credit card payment |
Tutor Bio:
Dr Lisa Coen completed a Ph.D thesis in Irish Theatre from Trinity College Dublin, where she also previously completed an M.Phil in Anglo-Irish Literature. She was awarded a fellowship from the Irish Theatrical Diaspora project under the IRCHSS Government of Ireland Scholarship. She tutors in the School of English at Trinity and the Adult Education Department at UCD.
List of provisional key/core topics:
- JM Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World
- Séan O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars
- Tennessee William’s The Rose Tattoo
- Tom Murphy’s The Sanctuary Lamp and A Whistle in the Dark
- Sebastian Barry’s Hinterland
- Ramon Maria del Valle-Inclán’s The Barbaric Comedies
Who is the course for?
This course will appeal to anyone who has an interest in Irish theatre and would like to gain an understanding of a number of important Irish plays in their historical contexts, while also developing the tools for critical evaluation. We will discuss each play weekly, so prior knowledge of the texts is not essential. You do not need to be a regular theatre-goer, and may find this a useful starting point.
