Drama Research Volume 5

In the two decades since the publication of the second edition, Learning Through Theatre has further established itself as an indispensable resource for scholars, practitioners and educators interested in the complex interrelations between teaching and learning, the performing arts, and society at large. Theatre in Education (TIE) has consistently been at the cutting edge of the ever-growing field of Applied Theatre; this comprehensively revised new edition makes an international case for why, and how, it will continue to shape ways in which the participatory arts contribute to the learning of young people (and increasingly, adults) in the 21st century.

A truthful, personal and insightful exploration of the state of arts funding and carrying on in the face of adversity, by the renowned founder of Out of Joint.
One March morning, out of the blue, Max Stafford-Clark learned that the Arts Council had drastically cut their grant to his theatre company, Out of Joint, leaving it in danger of imminent collapse. Journal of the Plague Year is his account of what happened next, as he sets out to contest the cut, make the case for public funding of the arts, and continue producing the work for which he and his company are renowned.
Max’s journal often takes on an autobiographical flavour, including the unexpectedly moving story of his two fathers, his surreal encounter with the New York theatre world, and the shocking details of what it is to suffer a massively debilitating stroke.
By Max Stafford-Clark

Applied Drama, a companion to Intellect’s Applied Theatre, fulfills the need for an introductory handbook for facilitators and teaching artists working with the dramatic process in diverse community settings. The authors distill the best practices to transfer into the settings within which these applied drama projects occur. Crafted for use in schools, classrooms, community groups, healthcare organizations, and all manner of social institutions, this book aids practitioners in developing and honing the skills needed to serve these communities.
By Monica Prendergast and Juliana Saxton

How Drama Activates Learning: Contemporary Research and Practice draws together leaders in drama education and applied theatre from across the globe, including authors from Europe, North America and Australasia. It explores how learning can be activated when drama pedagogies and philosophies are applied across diverse contexts and for varied purposes. Drawing on a range of theoretical perspectives, the contributors present case studies of drama and applied theatre work in school and community settings, providing rich descriptions of practice accompanied by detailed analysis underpinned by the theoretical perspectives of key thinkers from both within and beyond the field of drama.
By Michael Anderson and Julie Dunn (eds)

Gavin Bolton’s Contextual Drama is the result of more than two decades of study of Bolton’s theory and practice. For teachers and those in the caring professions, it will clarify the power of contextual drama as a beneficial learning medium for children and adults, both within and beyond the classroom. The core of the book is a detailed analysis of nine examples of the contextual drama mode; the first five demonstrate and analyse Bolton’s practice with children and young people and the final four describe his teaching with adults. Each chapter is framed by an introduction that contextualizes Bolton, from his initial beginnings working with visually and aurally challenged children to his position as reader in drama at Durham University. The final two chapters offer reflection on the nature of this work and, in particular, the significance of Bolton’s contributions to education.
By Margaret Burke

An introductory critical study for first year undergraduates which bridges the gap between A Level and university study. The book offers an accessible overview of key critical perspectives, early modern contexts, and methods of close reading, as well as screen and stage performances spanning several decades. Organised around the discussion of fourteen major plays, it introduces readers to the diverse theoretical approaches typical of today’s English studies. This is a go-to resource that can be consulted thematically or by individual play or genre. Critical approaches can overwhelm students who are daunted by the quantity and complexity of current scholarship; Bickley and Stevens are experienced teachers at both A and university level and are thus uniquely qualified to show how a mix of critical ideas can be used to inform ways of thinking about a play.
By Pamela Bickley and Jenny Stevens