Outline

Overview

All performances exist at the interface of oral and literate culture, involving combinations of 'fixed' and 'free' elements. In this unit, you will explore, through practical workshops and group research, the flexibility of traditional genres like Commedia dell'Arte as well as contemporary forms of performance where improvisation can occur.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	PRFM2603
Academic unit	Theatre and Performance Studies
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	PRFM3005 or PRFM3014 or PRFM3016
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points in 1000 level PRFM including PRFM1601
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Paul Dwyer, paul.dwyer@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Paul Dwyer, paul.dwyer@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Essay Critical reflection on Commedia performances	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 07 Jun 2024 at 23:59 Closing date: 14 Jun 2024	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Journal ("Zibaldone") Short responses to homework tasks related to seminar/workshop content	20%	Week 06 Due date: 28 Mar 2024 at 23:59 Closing date: 14 Jun 2024	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Group Commedia dell'Arte performance In-class presentation of work-in-progress performances	30%	Week 11 Due date: 09 May 2024 at 10:00 Closing date: 09 May 2024	20 minutes/equivalent to 1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Task #1 (Journal or "Zibaldone") — Each week, between weeks 2 and 5, you will be asked to provide a short response (300-400 words each) to a question arising from the seminar/workshop material. Collectively, these responses will help prepare you for the task of workshopping and rehearsing a Commedia-style performance in the second half of semester.

Task #2 (In-class group Commedia performance) — In Week 11, all students will be involved in a small-group performance that they will have workshopped and rehearsed during weeks 7-10.

Task #3 (Essay) — This final task gives each student the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the key concepts and historical information provided in the first half of semester by applying these to an analysis of the in-class Commedia performances (and, where relevant, by making comparisions with other genres of semi-improvised, "flexible" performance)

Assessment criteria

For each task, a detailed rubric will be provided with descriptions of the standards expected for each grade, mapped against each of the assessment criteria. These rubrics will be included in the full assessment guidelines to be distributed through the PRFM2603 Canvas site.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late penalties for the individual assignments (Task #1 and Task #3) will be applied in accordance with University policy. The group performances (Task #2) must be presented in-class on Thursday 9th May (Week 11). No extension to this deadline will be given to any group. If an individual student experiences illness or misadventure, alternative arrangements will be made in consultation with the tutor and unit of study coordinator.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to key concepts ("text", "improvisation", "flexible performance") and overview of assessment tasks. (Plus introductory workshop exercises to develop ensemble awareness.)	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 02	Approaches from oral-formulaic theory and folklore studies to understanding genres of flexible performance. (Plus tutorial activities on deciphering features of oral tradition in various texts)	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 03	Residual orality in an emergent literate culture: the origins of Commedia dell'Arte. (Plus workshop exercises to develop a Commedia performance style.)	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 04	Functions of the scenario in Commedia dell'Arte practice: a coordinating but not controlling document. (Plus introductory workshop exercises on the traditional characters/masks of Commedia.)	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 05	Further exploration of traditional Commedia dell'Arte character types/masks and workshopping of "lazzi" (physical and/or verbal gags, set routines).	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 06	Workshop with artists-in-residence at the Rex Cramphorn Studio: Nikki Heywood (writer/performer), Andrew Batt-Rawden (composer), Lizzie Thompson (dancer), and Sam James (video artist). Nikki and her associates will be in the early stages of creative development for a contemporary dance theatre work informed by improvisational practices.	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 07	Group work to devise a Commedia dell'Arte-style scenario.	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 08	Group work to refine and rehearse scenarios	Rehearsal (3 hr)
Week 10	Final rehearsals for group performances	Rehearsal (3 hr)
Week 11	In-class group presentations of work-in-progress Commedia performances	Performance (3 hr)
Week 12	Debriefing the in-class performance exercise and preparing for the final essay	Tutorial (3 hr)
Week 13	Presentation of a "highlights reel" from the group performances in an outdoor setting on campus. (Followed by a review of key concepts and assessment criteria for the final essay — and cake!)	Performance (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Given the nature of the practical work involved in this unit of study, and particularly in relation to the group performances that will be workshopped and rehearsed in class, it is essential that all students are present each week.

Any absences on the basis of illness or misadventure must be supported by appropriate documentation and clear communication with your tutor, Dr Paul Dwyer.

In addition, students should familiarise themselves with the resolutions of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences regarding attendance, including the following:

Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90 per cent of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Associate Dean or relevant delegated authority. The Associate Dean or relevant delegated authority may determine that a student fails a unit of study because of inadequate attendance. Alternatively, at their discretion, they may set additional assessment items when attendance is lower than 90 per cent.

The case of any formally enrolled student who is absent from 50% or more of classes, regardless of the reasons for the absence, will be automatically referred to the end-of-semester departmental examiners’ meeting for a determination as to whether the student should pass or fail the unit, or, if a pass is awarded, the level of penalty that should be applied.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

There will be links, on the PRFM2603 Canvas site, to a set of readings available electronically from Fisher Library, with details of exactly what to read in preparation for each week's class.

For those who are keen to make a head-start, here is an indicative bibliography for the first few weeks of semester:

WEEK TWO

Ong, Walter. 1982. Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word. London: Methuen. 31-57.

Rosenberg, Bruce. 1970. The Art of the American Folk Preacher. New York: Oxford University Press. 9-34.

King, Martin Luther. 1968. “I See the Promised Land (I’ve Been to the Mountaintop)”. Speech delivered at the Mason Temple, Memphis. [Accessed via www.mlkonline.net, 29/01/2008] Note: you can access partial video recordings of this speech via the following You Tube and Vimeo links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1L8y-MX3pg or http://vimeo.com/3816635

WEEK THREE

Richards, Kenneth and Laura Richards. 1990. The Commedia dell’Arte. A Documentary History. Cambridge: Blackwell. 1-10; 126-40; 173-84.

Henke, Robert. 2002. “Residual Orality in Early-Modern Italy and the Commedia dell’Arte”. Chapter 3 in Performance and Literature in the Commedia dell’Arte. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 31-49.

Fitzpatrick, Tim. 1995. The Relationship of Oral and Literate Performance Processes in the Commedia dell’Arte: Beyond the Improvisation/Memorisation Divide. Lewiston, Queenston and Lampeter: Edward Mellen Press. 14-39; 47-60.

WEEK FOUR

Perrucci, Andrea. 1699/1952. “Impromptu Actors in Rehearsal”. Excerpt from Dell’arte rappresentativa, premeditata ed all’improvviso. In A. M. Nagler (ed), A Source Book in Theatrical History. New York: Dover Publications. 257-259.

Fitzpatrick, Tim. 1989. “Flaminio Scala’s Prototypal Scenarios: Segmenting the Text/Performance” in Domenico Pietropaolo, ed, The Science of Buffoonery: Theory and History of the Commedia dell’Arte. Toronto: Dove House Editions. 177-198.

Fitzpatrick, Tim. 1996. “The ‘lost’ techniques of the Commedia dell’Arte: Extra-daily or Everyday?” In Suzanne Kiernan (ed), Altro Polo: Italian Studies in Memory of Frederick May. Frederick May Foundation for Italian Studies: University of Sydney. 108-124.

Scala, Flaminio (trans Henry F. Salerno). 1967. “The Lady Who Was Believed Dead” in Scenarios of the commedia dell'arte: Flaminio Scala's 'Il teatro delle favole rappresentative'. New York: New York University Press and London: University of London Press. 55-59.

Scala, Flaminio (trans Tim Fitzpatrick). No date. “The Dentist”. Excerpt from Il teatro delle favole rappresentative. Unpublished manuscript.

Duchartre, P.L. (trans Randolph T. Weaver) 1966. “A Scene of Despair” in The Italian Comedy. New York: Dover. 150.

Oreglia, Giacomo (trans Lovett F. Edwards). 1970. The Commedia dell’Arte. London: Methuen. 107-11; 119-22.

WEEK FIVE

Goldoni, Carlo. 1787/1952. Excerpts from Mémoires. In A. M. Nagler (ed), A Source Book in Theatrical History. New York: Dover Publications. 272-281.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. identify and analyse features of performance that relate to oral traditions
LO2. develop skills for devising and presenting short performances in a Commedia dell'Arte style
LO3. critically evaluate relationships between written texts and performance, linking this issue to knowledge of production processes in different genres
LO4. explain the significance of theories derived from folklore studies, sociolinguistics and cultural anthropology for the development of Performance Studies as an academic interdiscipline

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit was last offered in 2018, when it was coordinated by a different member of staff. The face-to-face, practical workshop components—which, according to feedback from previous students, are highly popular—unfortunately meant that the unit could not be offered during the peak "Covid" years.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Some of the practical workshops will involve some stretching and movement exercises. Students will always be offered the opportunity to sit out of any exercises that may be overly strenuous or ill-advised on account of any temporary injuries or ongoing conditions.

Students will be reminded to practise excellent hand-hygiene and to monitor for any signs of Covid or other infections before coming to class and engaging in workshops/rehearsals with their peers.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PRFM2603: Between Improvisation and Text

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect