European Theatre – (M.A.)

This one-year taught MA offers a unique insight into European theatre practice, contrasting the specific Continental and British contexts, systems, and aesthetics. Students on the course have the opportunity to work alongside Professor Patrice Pavis, one of the most renowned international theatre scholars, Professor Paul Allain, leading authority on Grotowski and Eastern European performer training, Professor Robert Shaughnessy, expert on British theatre history, Dr Peter Boenisch, specialist on Continental directing and dramaturgy as well as dance performance, and other members of staff with strong interests in European theatre. Also, you will be able to participate in the ongoing activities of the European Theatre Research Network
The core modules are “European Theatre: Landscapes and Dramaturgies” in Autumn Term, and “Thinking Theatre: Theories and Aesthetics of Performance” in Spring. In addition to regular theatre visits and meetings with European theatre artists, the course usually includes at least one European study visit.

In the past, students have attended a symposium on ‘Migration in Europe’ in Belgium, spent a period of study at the University of Kent’s Paris campus exploring the theatre in the French capital, and attended a theatre festival in Germany as well as travelling to the Festival d’Avignon in France.

In addition, they had the opportunity to participate in symposia on and with the theatre directors Ivo van Hove and Thomas Ostermeier, and have organized their own research colloquia and events. - There is the opportunity to spend one term at one of our MA partner programme at the University of Ghent, Belgium.

During the Spring term, there are also optional modules in dramaturgy, a performance project with students from other Masters courses, in selected complementing modules from other MAs across the Faculty of Humanities, or to take a placement module.

We recommend this course for students who want to carry out further postgraduate research on a topic in European theatre, as it is an ideal platform to develop and prepare a PhD proposal.