Undergraduate Course: Contemporary British Drama (ENLI10223)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This module explores a wide range of contemporary British drama from the 1950s to the present day, examining its existence on both page and stage. |
| Course description |
This module explores a wide range of contemporary British drama from the 1950s to the present day, examining its existence on both page and stage.
We will:
- read a broad spectrum of work, including plays by John Osborne, Samuel Beckett, Sarah Kane, Jez Butterworth, Tim Crouch, Caryl Churchill, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Liz Lochhead, Ella Hickson, debbie tucker green, Mojisola Adebayo and Travis Alabanza.
- consider the evolution of specific trends, movements and forms across twentieth- and twenty-first-century drama, including in-yer-face theatre, participatory performance and state-of-the-nation drama.
- engage with critical and theoretical perspectives on these playtexts and performances.
Indicative reading list for 2025/26
Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot (1954)
John Osborne, Look Back in Anger (1956)
Shelagh Delaney, A Taste of Honey (1958)
Samuel Beckett, Happy Days (1961)
Liz Lochhead, Mary Queen of Scots Got her Head Chopped Off (1987)
Caryl Churchill, The Skriker (1994)
Sarah Kane, Blasted (1995)
Sarah Kane, Cleansed (1998)
Tim Crouch, The Author (2009)
Jez Butterworth, Jerusalem (2009)
Duncan Macmillan, Every Brilliant Thing (2013)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag (2013)
Kieran Hurley, Rantin (2014)
Ella Hickson, Oil (2016)
Breach Theatre, It's True, It's True, It's True (2018)
Selina Thompson, salt (2018)
debbie tucker green, ear for eye (2018)
Travis Alabanza, Overflow (2020)
Mojisola Adebayo, STARS (2023)
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | A MINIMUM of three college/university level literature courses at grade B or above (should include no more than one introductory level literature course). Related courses such as civilisation or creative writing are not considered for admissions to this course.
Applicants should also note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. In making admissions decisions preference will be given to students who achieve above the minimum requirement with the typical visiting student admitted to this course having three to four literature classes at grade A.
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| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 28 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
2000 word coursework essay (30%) submitted mid-semester;
plus 3000 word final essay submitted during exam period (70%). |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- offer convincing close-reading analysis of written dramatic texts (assessment essay 1 and assessment essay 2);
- show knowledge of a range of theatre modes, forms and genres (assessment essay 1 and assessment essay 2);
- construct clear and coherent arguments about the production of meaning and effect by contemporary British dramas on the page and/or in performance (assessment essay 1 and assessment essay 2);
- find, evaluate and engage with ideas from a range of secondary sources to inform and substantiate your own analysis and argument (assessment essay 1 and assessment essay 2).
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Additional Information
| Course URL |
https://www.ed.ac.uk/literatures-languages-cultures/english-literature/undergraduate/current/honours |
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Special Arrangements |
Numbers are limited, with priority given to students taking degrees involving English or Scottish Literature and Visiting Students placed by the Admissions Office. Students not in these categories need the written approval of the Head of English Literature before enrolling. In the case of excess applications places will be decided by ballot. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Seminar: 2 hour(s) per week for 10 week(s); plus attendance for 1 hour a week at Autonomous Learning Group - times to be arranged |
| Keywords | Contemporary,British,Drama,Theatre,Performance |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Zosia Kuczynska
Tel:
Email: zkuczyns@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Lina Gordyshevskaya
Tel:
Email: pgordysh@ed.ac.uk |
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