1. Develop your knowledge and understanding of manifestations of contemporary pantomime practice: concepts, histories, traditions, ideas, forms, practices, styles and expressions.
2 Critically and Creatively engage in reading and research appropriate for your negotiated area of study.
3. Identify, locate and work with archival material, applying theoretical concepts and innovative approaches to inform and advance contemporary practice.
4.Critically review and appraise examples of historical and contemporary pantomime practice from a variety of contexts and viewpoints.

Independent research task and seminar presentation: Learning outcomes 1,2,3.

Negotiated research project presentation: Learning outcomes 1,2,3,4.
Students will propose a research question aligned to their areas of interest and expertise. This will be discussed with their Academic mentor and/or module tutor and a learning agreement will be formulated.

You will begin your study by researching the landscape of current pantomime practice from a variety of different theoretical perspectives. This will include surveying differing and diverse approaches to the form from commercially driven productions to those created in repertory and community contexts. You will research and identify seminal productions as case studies to evaluate and explore contested perspectives of contemporary pantomime including concepts, ideas, theories, forms, dramaturgy, styles and expressions. You will work with the Programme Course Leader to negotiate and determine your own Learning Agreement which may encompass the following areas: exploring the impact of past traditions and lineages, investigating and challenging notions of tradition: critically appraising and reflecting upon how the impact of the Covid pandemic, and recent advances in digital technologies, has led to innovation and change. Where appropriate, your work will be further contextualised by relevant developments in associated popular artforms including musical theatre, cabaret, drag, variety and circus. You will also study regional differences in the expression of the form both across the UK and overseas.

At the beginning of the module, sessions will introduce you research methods and skills to support your study. This will include examining examples of primary and secondary sources, how to use Harvard referencing and avoiding plagiarism.

In this module you will research and survey the landscape of contemporary pantomime practice, paying particular attention to the impact of past histories, traditions and forms. You will also converse with current ethical and moral industry debates appertaining to the creation, presentation and reception of contemporary manifestations of pantomime and examine the social, cultural and economic impact of traditional and contemporary pantomime in the UK.

During the module, you will be mentored by an experienced theatre practitioner. She/he will support your learning and help you to reflect upon, analyse, monitor, and develop your own work. Each mentor will recommend personalised reading lists appropriate to your interests and expertise.

A key part of your learning will be to advance your personal subject specific skills and collaborative theatre skills through individual and group research. You will be actively encouraged to critique your own practice and learn from your fellow students by sharing knowledge through engaging in critical and creative debates, seminar and workshop tasks and learning activities and through reflecting upon and applying both staff and student feedback.

You will be given opportunities to negotiate with staff on the areas you wish to research, study and how you wish to be assessed. A record of the outcomes of your negotiations will be formalised in a learning contract.

You will be taught by Creative Industry experts, professional theatre practitioners and departmental staff who will offer differing opinions and perspectives, which will hopefully challenge, extend, stimulate and inspire your thinking and practice.

Your learning will also be supported by wider university staff, including specialist help to support research and study skills.

Bradfield, Jon and Hooper, Martin. 2020. He’s Behind You: Eleven Gay Pantomimes. Tolworth: Grosvenor House Publishing.
Davis, Jim ed. 2011. Victorian Pantomime. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Davis, Jim. 2012. First Bouquets, Big Heads and Obstinate Horses: Illustrating the Victorian Pantomime. Popular Entertainment Studies, 3 (2), 4-30.
Marsden, Robert. 2020. “Monsters and the Pantomime.” Palgrave Communications 6 (1): 36.
Sladen, S., 2012. The Globality of Pantomime: A Brief Excursion. Popular Entertainment Studies, 3 (2), 65–71.
Taylor, Millie. 2007. British Pantomime Performance. Exeter: Intellect

Tutorial and seminar space, with facilities for portfolio creation.
Presentation facilities for formal presentations.
University Library
IT facilities
Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment will support this module where relevant.
Online Resources including:
Drama online - https://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/v
BBC Box of Broadcasts - https://libguides.staffs.ac.uk/libraryresources

In addition to the above, students will be expected to attend theatre visits and access recorded performances on-line.