The module will examine comic plays from the post-war period in Britain, as well as plays engaged with comedy as their subject matter. Students will be engaged in a study of, amongst other areas: theories of comedy, genres of theatrical comedy (for example, farce, satire, black comedy), the art/craft of comic drama, the 'politics of comedy' (including 'alternative comedy') the dramatic and theatrical techniques of comedy in text and performance.

Examples of playwrights to be studied may include: Alan Ayckbourn, Mike Leigh, Joe Orton, Trevor Griffiths, Terry Johnson, Willy Russell, Victoria Wood, Dario Fo

Banks, Morwenna and Swift, Amanda. The Joke's on Us (Pandora, 1987)
Billington, Michael Alan Ayckbourn (Palgrave, MacMillan, 1990)
Freud, Sigmund. Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious (London, Penguin, 1976)
Mitchell, Tony. Dario Fo: People's Court Jester (London, Methuen, 1999)
Sontag, Susan. Notes on Camp

GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION, 0.33HRS [Learning Outcomes 1-4]
COURSEWORK, Essay [Learning Outcomes 1-4]

IT equipment (e.g. word-processing or PowerPoint software)
Library holdings (inter-library loans as appropriate)
Internet servers as appropriate to the topic
CD-ROMs as appropriate to the topic

Lectures will outline historical, theatrical or theoretical contexts, key areas of debate, or introductory elements of case studies, some of which may be followed up by tutor-led seminars. Student-led group seminars (15-20 minutes) will enable students to follow through and present work based on their own interests within an overall framework set by the module tutor. The writing of an essay will enable students to demonstrate analytical and critical skills in relation to one of the texts studied.