Ateneo - UPO

Cinema, television, adaptation: the case of Sherlock Holmes; performing race in Black British and Asian theatre in Great Britain

debbie tucker green, nut (2013), Nick Hern Books
Errol John, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, Faber and Faber 2012
Inua Ellams, Barber Shop Chronicles, Oberon Modern Plays, 2017
AAVV, Six Plays by Black and Asian Women Writers, Aurora Metro, 2022
Mojisola Adebayo, Plays One, Oberon Books 2011
Jackie Kay, Red Dust Road, Oberon Books 2019
Roy Williams, Plays Two, Methuen 2013
SuAndi, The Story of M, Oberon Books 2017

* The course aims to provide the basic elements for understanding the contemporary audiovisual landscape. At a basic level, students will be required to demonstrate an understanding of the main features of film history; at an advanced level, students will be able to discuss selected films by situating them within their respective genres and historical periods.
* The course aims to contextualise the concept of ‘adaptation’ within a historical framework, applying it to different media forms; at a basic level, students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the main concepts and terminology relating to adaptations across various audiovisual media; at an advanced level, students will be able to discuss specific case studies, comparing different strategies and offering their own assessment.
* The course aims to provide the theoretical and critical foundations for the study of contemporary Black British theatre by examining, in broad terms, the major contributions within the fields of Black Cultural Studies and Black Theatre Studies. At a basic level, students must demonstrate that they have understood the fundamental concepts explained in the module; at an advanced level, they must demonstrate that they have assimilated these concepts to the extent that they can relate them to the section on play texts and the historical context of Black British theatre, and in particular by referring to them when writing their examination essay.
* The course aims to provide a general overview of contemporary Black British theatre from the 1970s to the present day through its most significant playwrights and theatre companies. At a basic level, students must demonstrate an understanding of the general historical development of themes and playwrights from the 1970s to the present day; at a more advanced level, they must be able to draw comparisons between the various decades and establish links with the theoretical and critical aspects of Black Cultural Studies and Black Theatre Studies.
* The course also aims to provide tools for learning how to read and analyse dramatic texts by discussing their most significant formal aspects, through the reading and analysis of a sample text. At a basic level, the aim is to enable the student to independently analyse, in their examination essay, a text chosen and agreed upon with the lecturer, utilising all the key terms relating to the Elements of Theatre; at an advanced level, the student will be able to present, in their examination essay, an analysis of the overall structure of the chosen work and its possible effects and meanings.
* Finally, students are asked to put into practice their ability to recognise the main elements of theatre in two live performances, by writing two subjective ‘reflections’ on performances agreed with the lecturer. At a basic level, the student will write a reflection using the key terms from ‘Elements of Theatre’ and avoiding a mere chronicle of the performance; at an advanced level, the student must write a reflection capable of engaging even those who have not seen the performance.
The course credits are earned through a blended learning approach: distance learning (DAD) for the theatre component, and face-to-face teaching for the cinema component.

English level B2, or minimum B1 per the module on cinema
Ability to write, in English (or in Italian for students of Letteratura e spettacolo teatrale) an essay analysing a play agreed with the lecturer

The theatre section of the integrated module is delivered exclusively via distance learning on the DIR platform (pre-recorded lectures, external videos, PowerPoint presentations, self-assessment exercises, study materials), with the exception of two 2-hour face-to-face sessions: one at the start of the first semester and one before the start of the examination period.
For the cinema module: lectures; viewing of audiovisual material followed by classroom discussion.

For the theatre module delivered via distance learning, it is strongly recommended that you attend the first face-to-face session, during which the module will be introduced and the organisation of distance learning explained.

This program is designed to be consistent with Goals 4, 5, 16) of the UNESCO 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Quality Education, Reducing Gender Gap; Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

For the cinema component: an oral examination. Linked to the learning outcome: understanding the contemporary audiovisual landscape. At a basic level, students must demonstrate an understanding of the main features of film history and the fundamental concepts relating to audiovisual adaptation; at an advanced level, students will be able to discuss selected films, placing them within their respective genres and historical periods, and analyse case studies of adaptations of Sherlock Holmes stories, comparing the strategies employed and the final outcomes.
For the theatre component (distance learning): * Ongoing self-assessment tests on the theoretical aspects of Black Cultural Studies and the related historical and cultural videos. Linked to the learning objective: to provide the theoretical and critical foundations for the study of contemporary Black British theatre by examining, in broad terms, the major contributions within the fields of Black Cultural Studies and Black Theatre Studies. The minimum standard corresponds to a general understanding of what Black Cultural Studies entails, and in particular the CCCS in Birmingham; the advanced standard requires the ability to recognise the concepts developed by Black Cultural Studies in relation to the theatrical productions covered in the module, so as to be able to refer to them in the examination essay. * Ongoing quizzes on knowledge of the most significant playwrights and theatre companies (2 sets of 10 questions: a minimum of 6 correct answers for each). Linked to the learning outcome: To acquire an overview of contemporary Black British theatre from the 1970s to the present day through the most significant playwrights and theatre companies. The minimum level is achieved by passing the first quiz on general knowledge of the development of theatrical themes and forms decade by decade; the advanced level requires a more detailed knowledge of the playwrights and works covered in the module, achieved by also passing the second quiz. * A 10-page written paper in Italian, offering a theatrical, thematic and cultural analysis of a Black British or Asian play agreed with the lecturer, so as to put into practice the tools for analysing and describing the elements of theatre exemplified in class using a sample text. Linked to the learning objective: To be able to analyse and present a play in writing using appropriate language, identifying all the main elements of theatre that comprise it: the minimum level requires the identification within the chosen text of the elements of theatre explained in the module; the advanced level requires the ability to reflect on the general structure of the work, whilst also drawing on the theoretical and critical aspects of Black Cultural Studies and Black Theatre Studies. * Two essays (5 pages each) on theatre performances attended and agreed with the lecturer. Linked to the learning outcome: the ability to identify the main elements of theatre in two live performances. The minimum level requires the writing of two essays using the key terms of the Elements of Theatre and avoiding a mere account of the performance; the advanced level requires the writing of a well-written and engaging essay. The use of AI is not permitted for any of the assessed tasks for the examination.

The overall mark is awarded as follows: a pass (18–23) for students who have achieved all the basic levels in the various assessment components; an intermediate mark (24–27) for students who have achieved all the basic levels and have demonstrated, in some of the assessments, a deeper understanding of concepts and information, enabling them to discuss different examples of the texts (theatrical and audiovisual) studied, including by making comparisons; a mark of excellence (28–30 with distinction) for students who have achieved advanced levels in most of the assessments, demonstrating mastery of the knowledge acquired to the extent that they can provide their own reasoned analyses.

The module on theatre offers a historical, cultural and theoretical introduction, as well as a methodology for performative analysis applied to the study of Black, British and Asian theatre, based on the critical discussions surrounding ‘race’ developed since the 1970s by Black and Asian Cultural Studies in the UK; it presents decade-by-decade profiles of the leading Black and Asian playwrights and theatre companies in Britain, from the post-war period to the present day; It introduces all the key theatrical elements required for a performative analysis of a play. A detailed case study will be presented in the third part of the module, dedicated to Mustapha Matura’s "Welcome Home Jacko" (1979). The module requires students to attend two theatre performances, agreed upon with the lecturer, and to write two ‘spectator’s reflections’ (5 pages each).
The module on cinema will examine the transmedia history of the character of Sherlock Holmes, from Arthur Conan Doyle’s first novel through to the most recent adaptations.

* To acquire a basic understanding of the main forms of contemporary Black British and Asian theatre
* To be able to contextualise Black British and Asian theatre in terms of its specific characteristics in relation to mainstream British culture
* To be able to describe and analyse a play in writing, using appropriate language and identifying all its main components.
* Develop an interest in contemporary theatre arts, and a greater awareness of the audience’s role in the creation of meaning
* Students will acquire specific skills relating to the interplay of different media forms and narrative experiences, starting with a specific case study of the character of Sherlock Holmes