Wild Performances: Theatrical Encounters with Animals and Landscapes (DRA3096)

30 credits

This module examines human/non-human interactions through notions of performance/performativity and theatricality and with an accent on environmentalism. It explores human/non-human encounters in a range of Western contexts, including historical and contemporary representations of animals and landscapes (e.g. in theatre, film, television) and performances involving living animals in staged spectacles (e.g. in theatres, zoos, aquariums, circuses). In addition to considering animals and environments in performance the module will also explore wildlife and wilderness as performance. You will consider how theatre and performance can provide us with skills to understand the affective aspect of human/non-human interactions as well as the tools to influence pro-environmental behaviour. The module will draw on theoretical approaches from theatre and performance studies, ecocriticism, animal studies, cultural geography and leisure and tourism studies.