Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The proliferation of Western actor training methods in the past century had mainly been derived from the groundbreaking research undertaken by Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko and Constantin Stanislavski at the Moscow Art Theatre, as well as their students Michael Chekhov, Vsevolod Meyerhold and Evgeny Vakhtangov. Poor translations of their original Russian texts have however meant that many of the principles they discovered were compromised due to misinterpretations. Yet, the ‘system’ of Stanislavski, a veritable repository of these theories, served as a template for acting teachers ranging from former American Group Theatre members such as Stella Adler, Morris Carnovsky, Robert Lewis, Sanford Meisner and Lee Strasberg, and the Polish director Jerzy Grotowski, to formulate their own distinctive techniques. The result has been a challenge to traditional notions of actors as impersonators to a more holistic view of actor-performers; versatile, multi-skilled artists willing to reveal themselves through sincere disclosures to an audience, as the theatre poet Antonin Artaud advocated they should. Although this interrogation of the essential nature of the 2,600 year old art of Thespis was necessary, there is a danger that its core tenets may have been marginalised in the process, a setback which might further delay the formulation of its own science. This research was undertaken to identify the core principles of the actor’s art that distinguish it from the other performing arts, as well as to determine how these might best be conveyed to student actors in a contemporary context. Employing the ‘system’ as a guide, in particular its ‘work on oneself’ process, which refers to an actor’s personal training, as opposed to ‘work on a role’, which relates to characterisation and performance, the theories of the abovementioned practitioners were examined and compared to Stanislavski’s to ascertain if they contributed to the further evolution of the art. Once an integrated theory of training emerged it was then tested in praxis, working with different groups of students during a three year period. This thesis documents the findings of both the literary research, based on an analysis of texts related to actor training, and those derived from ‘real-world’ applications of these theories in an Higher Education environment. A key aim of the study was thus to determine whether a ‘work on oneself’ form of training could be offered in the formal education sector, despite its psychological implications, and how this might be approached in a ‘healthy’ manner. A selection of audio-video recordings done during the empirical investigation accompanies the thesis in order to substantiate its theory. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verspreiding van opleidingsmetodes vir Westerste akteurs in die afgelope eeu het hoofsaaklik ontstaan uit die baanbrekers-navorsing van Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko en Constantin Stanislavski aan die Moskou Kunsteater, sowel as dié van hul studente Michael Tsjechov, Vsevolod Meyerhold en Evgeny Vakhtangov. Swak vertalings van die oorspronklike Russiese tekste beteken egter dat van die beginsels wat hulle ontdek het weens misverstande gekompromiteer is. Tog het die 'stelsel' van Stanislavski, as neerslag van hierdie teorieë, as 'n templaat vir toneelspelopleiders gedien wat wissel van voormalige lede van die Amerikaanse Groep Teater soos Stella Adler, Morris Carnovsky, Robert Lewis, Sanford Meisner en Lee Strasberg, sowel as die Poolse regisseur Jerzy Grotowski, om hul eie kenmerkende tegnieke te formuleer. Die gevolg was 'n uitdaging van tradisionele sienswyses van akteurs as nabootsers tot 'n meer holistiese sienswyse van akteurs as veelsydige, multi-bekwame kunstenaars wat gewillig is om hulself opreg te onthul voor 'n gehoor, soos die teater-digter Antonin Artaud voorgestel het hul moet. Alhoewel hierdie bevraagtekening van die essensiele aard van die 2,600 jaar oue kuns van Thespis nodig was, is daar 'n gevaar dat sy kern-beginsels in die proses gemarginaliseer is, 'n terugslag wat die formulering van die kunsvorm se eie wetenskap verder mag vertraag. Hierdie navorsing is onderneem om hierdie kernbeginsels van die akteur se kuns te identifiseer wat dit van die ander uitvoerende kunste onderskei, asook om te bepaal hoe hulle die beste oorgedra kan word aan student-akteurs in 'n kontemporêre konteks. Deur die 'stelsel' as 'n gids aan te wend, in besonder die ‘werk aan jouself’ proses wat verwys na 'n akteur se persoonlike opleiding in teenstelling met ‘werk aan 'n rol’ wat verwys na karakterisering en performance, is die teorieë van die bogenoemde praktisyns ondersoek en vergelyk met Stanislavski s’n om te bepaal of hul bygedra het tot die kunsvorm se verdere ontwikkeling. Toe 'n geïntegreerde teorie van opleiding te voorskyn gekom het, is dit prakties getoets met verskeie groepe studente oor 'n tydperk van drie jaar. Hierdie tesis dokumenteer die bevindinge van beide die literêre navorsing, gebaseer op 'n ontleding van tekste wat verband hou met akteuropleiding, en die bevindinge wat uit die toepassing van die teorieë in 'n Hoër Onderwys omgewing gegroei het. 'n Belangrike doel van die studie was dus om te bepaal of 'werk aan jouself’ as opleiding in die formele onderwys sektor aangebied kan word, ten spyte van die sielkundige implikasies, en hoe dit dalk op 'n ‘gesonde’ wyse benader kan word. 'n Seleksie van klank-en-video opnames wat tydens die empiriese ondersoek gedoen is, word dus by die tesis ingesluit om sekere teorieë te ondersteun.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Creative writing forms an essential part of the English language learning area in any curriculum. The expression of knowledge and ideas through writing is an integral part of the communication process; however, some learners struggle to express their thoughts and ideas in creative writing tasks. As such, this thesis strives to discover how creativity can be stimulated in order to assist learners in their written expression. Drama techniques, stimulation activities and other multi-literacy resources have been employed to try and understand the discovering and ‘finding creativity’ process through creative writing, journaling and performance in the drama classroom. The research utilises the action research methodology, employing participant observations, semi-structured interviews and reflective classroom discussions. It also uses the creative writing journals of the learners in an attempt to investigate how drama techniques can stimulate creativity for the creative writing process. The units of analysis in this case study are 13 grade 9 learners at a private school in the Western Cape, South Africa. The analysis of the data collected reveals that by utilising drama techniques, along with other stimuli and resources, in the classroom the process of creative writing become less troublesome and more enjoyable for both learners and teacher-researcher alike. Another finding is that the open, free and flexible atmosphere, which is created in the classroom assists learners not only with the development of their written expression, but also with verbal expression. The learners learn how to express their creative thoughts and ideas, about the world they live in, in a respectful, sensitive and empathetic manner. The creative writing programs have proved to be more than just tools to improve writing competence, but also have equipped learners with the tools to become creative, thinking citizens. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kreatiewe skryfwerk vorm ‘n essensiële deel van die Engelse leerarea in enige kurrikulum. Die uitdrukking van kennis en idees deur die skryfproses vorm ‘n integrale deel van die kommunikasieproses, maar sommige leerders vind dit uitdagend om aan hulle gedagtes en idees in kreatiewe skryftake uiting te gee. Met hierdie tesis beoog ek om dus om te ontdek hoe kreatiwiteit gestimuleer kan word om leerders met hulle geskrewe uitdrukkings vermoë te ondersteun. Dramategnieke, stimulerende aktiwiteite en ander meerdoelige geletterdheidshulpbronne is gebruik om te probeer verstaan hoe die ontdekking van die kreatiwiteitsproses deur kreatiewe skryf, joernaalinskrywings en opvoerings in die dramaklas, kan plaasvind. Hierdie studie het die aksienavorsingsmetodologie gevolg, waar deelnemende waarneming, semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en reflektiewe klaskamergesprekke, asook die kreatiewe skryfjoernale van die leerders, gebruik is om te ondersoek in hoe ‘n mate dramategnieke kreatiwiteit vir die kreatiewe skryfproses kan stimuleer. Die studie is op 13 graad 9-leerders wat by ‘n privaatskool in die Wes-Kaap, onderrig word. Die analise van die versamelde data openbaar dat, wanneer dramategnieke in samewerking met ander stimulus en hulpbronne gebruik word, dit die kreatiewe skryfproses vergemaklik en dit meer genotvol vir beide die leerders en die onderwyser-navorser word. Nog ‘n bevinding toon dat die oop, vry en inskiklike atmosfeer, wat in die klaskamer geskep word, nie net die leerders in die ontwikkeling van hul geskrewe uitdrukking bygestaan het nie, maar ook met hul verbale uitdrukkingsvermoë. Die leerders het geleer hoe om hul kreatiewe gedagtes en idees oor hul individuele wêrelde in ‘n respekvolle, sensitiewe en empatiese manier uit te druk. Die kreatiewe skryfprogram blyk veel meer as bloot ‘n hulpbron te wees om die skryfvermoëns van die leerders te verbeter. Dit het hulle ook toegerus om kreatiewe, denkende landburgers te word.

Using the research methods from grounded theory and action research, the study examines a research method used for the development of a Group Devised Performance Piece. It details and analyses the process used in the transactional system of change and action/interaction resulting from the specific conditions that surrounded the Group Devised Performance, and examines the products of that process: the written script and the final performance. The study was conducted with a group of HSC 2 Unit Drama students at a non-government high school in March 1996. The performance formed part of an assessment program for these students and was student devised and student driven. The research methods included the collection of data in questionnaires, the maintaining of detailed daily records, video tapes, photographs and the compilation of the written script. Like any series of rehearsals, the process produced surprising and unplanned consequences (outcomes) and provided an environment that encouraged interaction and involvement, companionship and competition, / Master of Arts (Hons) (Performance)

No description available.

Cette etude developpe un concept original en theorie dramatique: "l'illusion de la vie hors-scene," moyen auquel a recours le dramaturge quand le monde imaginaire qu'il a cree ne peut etre depeint dans sa totalite sur scene a cause des contraintes temporo-spatiales du theatre. L'expression "vie hors-scene" comprend tous les aspects non-visuels du monde cree par l'auteur; c'est le prolongement intangible de ce qui est represente sur la scene. Le charactere de cette illusion est revele par l'analyse minutieuse des principales categories qui constituent la vie hors-scene. / La theorie dramatique developpee est ensuite appliquee a l'art dramatique de Tchekhov, en particulier a la Mouette. Ainsi, la these met en lumiere la nature de l'illusion de la vie hors-scene et son role au theatre, a la fois de facon theorique et appliquee, offrant une methodologie de base pour l'analyse de cette illusion cle dans les oeuvres d'autres dramaturges et enrichissant la perception critique du theatre.

There is no abstract available for this thesis.

Justification of Neil Simon's credibility as a comedic playwright by examining established principles of comedy and humor from Aristotle to Bergson to Bier, and their prevalence in The Star Spangled Girl, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Promises, Promises, and Chapter Two.

No description available.

No description available.

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