Module: COM5004-20 Comedy Skills 4

Level: 5

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor: Pat Welsh

Module Tutor Contact Details: P.Welsh@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

This module refines movement, voice and comedy skills and applies them in a range of comedic performance related challenges

The module aims are:

• To secure your performance skills set as pertinent to a career in comedy.

• To assure your ability to integrate and apply learned skills in industry-focused comedy projects

• To develop your appreciation of the transferability of comedy-related skills to a broad range of different working scenarios and comedic genres

2.Outline syllabus

This module provides you with the opportunity to cement your comedy performance skill set. Focused tuition in individual skills areas continues, but the emphasis is on securing integration and synthesis and the development of a holistic view. The module provides you with the opportunity to further evaluate your skills in a range of more complex acting and making challenges than previously experienced. You learn how to take responsibility for applying your practical knowledge of vocal and movement self-care, observation, warm-up strategies to the different qualitative performance processes at level 5 in preparation for the demands of level 6.

3.Teaching and learning activities

Movement training aims to further your work with complex movement processes such as Contact Improvisation or Acrobatics to develop intermediate level of partnering skills. These classes extend your capacity for embodied communication through complex movement within stylised theatre approaches such as Commedia dell’ Arte and extend your practical understanding of slapstick.

Comedy classes enable you to apply your practical understanding of the comedic principles and structures introduced at level 4. Strong, sustained comedic characterisation is a focal point of the learning. Drawing on the stock characters of Commedia dell’ Arte you devise simple character driven comedic scenarios with an emphasis on playful interaction and achieving complicite between actors and with the audience. You increasingly draw on and integrate your developing skills in movement to create exciting and dynamic ensemble performances. You will incorporate your extended skillset in slapstick.

Voice work involves preparation for the demands of level 6. Text classes focus further on the application of technique to words. This involves looking at the clues in the text and an exploration of the energy of the thought and how it is articulated. There will be a significant focus on working with Shakespeare and the advanced technical demands of working with language of that style.

Staff assess your movement, voice and comedy skills across a range of short performance exercises that will give you a clear indication of your skills acquisition. Self-directed study will be expected to help you to prepare for assessments.

It is important to keep a journal or blog recording your development and to use this to evidence any required research along with annotated texts, character profiles, etc. This is not an assessed item, but you are expected to refer to this in class discussion.

The Bath Spa VLE, Minerva, provides information to help develop an appreciation of the broader technical and artistic aspects, which underpin this subject area, and develop skills in independent learning.

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Skills Profilem

• % Weighting: 75%

Assessment Item 2:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Reflective Essay (1,500 words)

• % Weighting: 25%