Aims
This module is designed to provide an introduction to the problems of directing Shakespeare and his contemporaries. It develops specific textual skills and places the plays within the context of the Elizabethan world view and its reflection in the playhouse. It focuses on techniques designed to help actors with speaking verse and examines problems of staging, design and interpretation.

Syllabus
Close textual examination of selected scenes
Development of method of analysis capable of yielding clues for actor and director
Examination of salient points of the Elizabethan world picture as a starting point for research specific to a given play
Examination of verse speaking technique
Exploring staging and design problems

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding of and ability to demonstrate:
Relationships between theoretical and practical challenges to directors
Appropriate research methods
Critical reflection on playtexts
Rehearsal techniques
Guidance of acting
Synthesis of diverse sources of knowledge