This dissertation analyses the influence theatre space and the dramatic genre have on the design process, by examining three designs of Greg King: Aladdin (2007), a pantomime presented at the Playhouse Drama Theatre, Oleanna (2008) a drama at the Seabrooke's Theatre, and The Wizard of Oz (2008), a musical presented at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. Through a semiotic analysis of the productions, the scenographic choices of King are interrogated to ascertain the ways theatre space and dramatic genre affected his design choices. The theories around sign systems in the theatre of Keir Elam (1980), Martin Esslin (1987), and Elaine Aston and George Savona (1991) are examined and used to decode King's designs. This dissertation theorises that the theatre space has influenced and continues to influence the decisions and choices of the scenographer, and it is this linkage that informs the discussion around the historical development of the proscenium arch theatre and the scenographer. The case studies offered in this dissertation highlight the challenges involved with the physical limitations of the theatre space, as each venue selected differs in size, shape, and the technical equipment available for the designer. The dramatic text provides the primary basis for both the director and the designer to develop a production concept. However, dramatic texts can be divided into many different genres and the following three genres, namely drama, musical and pantomime, provide the focus for this study. As these three genres have evolved from earlier forms, the historical development of the three genres is examined to ascertain how the genre affects the scenographic process. Atheatre production is the result of a collaboration between many specialists and therefore, the relationship between the designer and other member of the production team is examined. A set design is a visual image of an imagined environment and many designers use symbols, consciously or subconsciously, to communicate their ideas. A theatre production is the result of a collaboration between many specialists and therefore, the relationship between the designer and other member of the production team is examined. A set design is a visual image of an imagined environment and many designers use symbols, consciously or subconsciously, to communicate their ideas. The work of three international designers, Josef Svoboda, Ming Cho Lee and Ralph Koltai is examined further to understand the influence theatre space and the dramatic genre have on the design process. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Thesis (DPhil (Drama))--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / The purpose of this study is to examine critically the phenomenon of participatory video and to situate within this the participatory video project that was initiated as part of this study in the informal settlement area of Kayamandi, South Africa. The overall objective of the dissertation is to consider the potential of participatory video within current-day South Africa towards enabling marginalised groups to represent themselves and achieve social change. As will be shown, the term ‘participatory video’ has been used broadly and applied to many different types of video products and processes. For the preliminary purposes of this dissertation, participatory video is defined as any video (or film) process dedicated to achieving change through which the subject(s) has been an integral part of the planning and/or production, as well as a primary end-user or target audience. The two key elements that distinguish participatory video are thus (1) understanding video (or film) as a tool for social change; and (2) understanding participation by the subject as integral to the video process. An historical analysis thus considers various filmmaking developments that fed into the emergence of participatory video. These include various film practices that used film as a tool for change -- from soviet agitprop through to the documentary movement of the 1930s, as well as various types of filmmaking in the 1960s that opened up questions of participation. The Fogo process, developed in the late 1960s, marked the start of participatory video and video advocacy and provided guiding principles for the Kayamandi project initiated as part of this dissertation. Practitioners of the Fogo process helped initiate participatory video practice in South Africa when they brought the process to South African anti-apartheid activists in the early 1970s. The Kayamandi Participatory Video Project draws on this background and context in its planned methodology and its implementation. Out of this, various theoretical issues arising from participatory video practice contextualise a reflection and an analysis of the Kayamandi project. Lastly, this study draws conclusions and recommendations on participatory video practice in South Africa.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation investigates the notion of realism and in particular its applicability to the visual and narrative strategies employed in eight of Michael Winterbottom’s films. Realism is a term that has strong ties to the reality of the viewer, but this reality that governs the conventions for making a judgment on a work’s realism is in constant flux. Likewise, on the side of the film’s production, any number of tactics may be deployed to increase the viewer’s sense of realism and the research undertaken here looks at a variety of approaches to the creation and assessment of realism in a film. Many of the films discussed here are depictions of past events and the tension between the realistic reconstruction of the past and the necessary artifice that is inherent in such representations are studied in the light of the theories of possible and fictional worlds. Possible worlds are constituted by states of affairs that would be possible in the actual world; in the same way, realistic representations reflect the possibilities of the actual world without necessarily being an identical copy of reality. David Lewis’s concept of counterparts plays an important role in the analysis of filmic components, especially when these components are representations of actual entities. In addition to a consideration of counterparts, this dissertation will also look at the role of the “fictional operator” which facilitates discussion about fictional truths. While the fictional operator creates counterparts of actually existing entities and films remain always already fictional, the actual world retains an important role in fiction. In postmodern cinema the viewer is encouraged to use knowledge obtained from other worlds – either actual or imaginary – so as to enhance appreciation (analytical as much as emotional) of the film even more. The concept of realism has been thoroughly problematised, but many strategies continue to connect the events of the fiction either with the “real” world or with other worlds that rival the importance of the “real” world. It is suggested that the so-called “real” world used to measure realism can refer to any world outside the realm of the particular fiction. Realism can be a product of a visual style as well as the particular development of a narrative and in both cases the viewer measures the conditions against her own experience of other worlds. The world of the film is a fictional reality that is sometimes a representation of the actual world, but the relationship between the two worlds can never be completely transparent, in spite of the efforts that many filmmakers have made in this respect. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie proefskrif word die idee van realisme bestudeer deur veral te let op die term se toepaslikheid op die visuele en narratiewe strategieë wat agt van Michael Winterbottom se films op verskillende maniere aanwend. Realisme is gekoppel aan die kyker se werklikheid, maar hierdie werklikheid wat die konvensies bepaal vir enige uitspraak oor ʼn werk se realisme is gedurig aan die verander. Op soortgelyke wyse kan ʼn film enige aantal taktieke gebruik om by te dra tot die kyker se indruk van realisme en die navorsing wat hier onderneem is kyk na ʼn verskeidenheid benaderings tot die skepping en assessering van realisme in ʼn film. Talle van die voorbeelde wat hier bespreek word is uitbeeldings van gebeure uit die verlede en die spanning tussen ʼn realistiese herskepping en die noodwendige kunsmatigheid wat daarmee saamgaan sal toegelig word deur die teorieë van moontlike wêrelde en wêrelde van fiksie (fictional worlds). Moontlike wêrelde bestaan uit stande van sake wat in die aktuele wêreld moontlik is; op dieselfde wyse weerspieël ʼn realistiese uitbeelding die moontlikhede van die aktuele wêreld sonder om noodwendig ʼn identiese afbeelding van die werklikheid te wees. David Lewis se konsep van ewebeelde (counterparts) speel ʼn groot rol in die ontleding van hierdie films se onderdele, veral wanneer die ewebeelde voorstellings van werklike entiteite is. Behalwe vir ewebeelde, sal hierdie proefskrif ook kyk na die rol van fiksie-operators (fictional operators) wat die gesprek oor fiktiewe waarhede heelwat makliker sal maak. Hoewel die fiksie-operators ewebeelde skep van entiteite wat werklik bestaan en films uiteraard altyd reeds fiktief is, kan die rol van die aktuele wêreld in fiksie nie ontken word nie. In postmoderne films word die kyker juis aangemoedig om haar kennis te gebruik wat sy uit ander wêrelde – hetsy aktueel of denkbeeldig – opgedoen het en sodoende die film (op ʼn analitiese en ʼn emosionele vlak) meer te waardeer. Selfs al is die konsep van realisme reeds behoorlik geproblematiseer, is daar steeds baie strategieë om die gebeure van die fiksie te verbind met die “regte” wêreld of met ander wêrelde wat die belang van die “regte” wêreld ondermyn. Ek stel voor dat die sogenaamde “regte” wêreld wat gebruik word om realisme te meet eindelik kan verwys na enige wêreld buite die onmiddellike fiksie; realisme kan die produk van ʼn visuele styl of die ontwikkeling van die verhaal wees en in albei gevalle meet die kyker die toestande aan haar eiesoortige ervaring van ander wêrelde. Die wêreld van die film is ʼn fiktiewe werklikheid wat soms ʼn voorstelling van die aktuele wêreld is, maar die verwantskap tussen die twee wêrelde kan nooit heeltemal deursigtig wees nie, ten spyte van talle pogings wat filmmakers al in hierdie opsig aangewend het.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation investigates and examines the dynamics of intercultural theatre practice. Existing scholarship on interculturalism in theatre praxis regards intercultural theatre as a site for bridging cultures and cross-cultural performance traditions, and for investigating the performance of power between the collaborating parties, learning, cultural imperialism, cultural translation and hybridity, among other features. However, much of the existing literature does not offer a historical perspective allowing one to understand the dynamics of contemporary North-South collaborations. Moreover, most studies do not adequately weave the experiences of the participants in such collaborations into their analyses. This study contributes to filling that research gap. This research specifically seeks to investigate and examine the dynamics of intercultural theatre collaborations in Uganda, taking Makerere University‘s Department of Performing Arts and Film‘s intercultural theatre activities in recent years as case studies. The inquiry was mainly driven by the impetus to explore the North-South intercultural theatre dynamics and to examine the socio-cultural, socio-political, socio-economic features and other notions that were manifested in these intercultural theatre collaborations and performances. In order to pursue the above line of inquiry I used a multiple case study design by examining three cases: the Stanford-Makerere, New York-Makerere and the Norwegian College of Dance-Makerere collaborations. The multi-case study model was reinforced by the use of personal interviews, direct observation, focus group discussions, document analysis and emails of inquiry in order to solicit the views of individuals who had participated in the above collaborations. Theoretically, the study is hinged on a multiplicity of concepts and discourses: symbolic interaction, intercultural communication, theatre studies, postcolonial studies, international education and the discourse on globalisation. In the analysis of the different cases it was discovered that the issue of economic inequality in the contribution towards the funding of the collaborations, among the different modes of power performativity manifested in the collaboration processes, sometimes leads to an imbalance in the decision-making process. Consequently, the power imbalance contributes to the North-South intercultural theatre collaborations‘ unending crisis of identification with imperialism. The study further shows that there are cultural, linguistic, pedagogical, structural and socio-psychological aspects of difference that are negotiated during the course of the collaborations. It was found that the process of navigating the socio-cultural differences provides the participants with an experiential learning environment of living with/within and appreciating cultural differences, thus providing a bridge across the socio-cultural divide. The cultural bridge in theatrical terms, however, leads to the generation of theatrical hybridity and fusion, which again brings into play the debate on intercultural performance authenticity/inauthenticity in theatre discourse. Also, based on the view that intercultural theatre collaborations are microcosms of multifaceted global intercultural interactions, it was seen that the socio-cultural differences that are negotiated through the intercultural theatre collaborations can give one a microcosmic platform for critiquing the grand concept of the ―global village‖ and the associated notion of ―world cultural homogenisation‖. Since this study uses a novel multidisciplinary approach in the analysis of intercultural theatre phenomena, I believe it will contribute to critical theatre studies in Uganda and elsewhere. The findings will also hopefully contribute towards the assessment of intercultural theatre collaborations at Makerere University in order to improve them. The study will also advance the view that intercultural theatre‘s aesthetic and experiential processes can help in interpreting and understanding our respective multicultural environments. Broadly, it will contribute to the discourse on intercultural communication, performance and cultural studies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif ondersoek die dinamika van interkulturele teaterpraktyk. Bestaande navorsing oor interkulturaliteit in die teaterpraktyk beskou interkulturele teater as ‘n forum vir die oorbrugging van kultuurgrense en interkulturele opvoeringstradisies, en vir die ondersoek na aangeleenthede soos die uitvoering van mag tussen die deelnemende partye, leer, kulturele imperialisme, kulturele vertaling en hibriditeit. Die bestaande literatuur bied egter grotendeels nie ‘n historiese perspektief waaruit die dinamika van kontemporêre Noord-na-Suid-samewerkings verstaan kan word nie. Verder verweef die meeste ondersoeke nie die ervarings van die deelnemers aan sulke samewerkings bevredigend in hul analises nie. Hierdie ondersoek dra by tot die vul van daardie navorsingsgaping. Hierdie navorsing poog spesifiek om die dinamika van interkulturele teatersamewerkings in Uganda te ondersoek deur van onlangse interkulturele teateraktiwiteite aan die Departement Uitvoerende Kuns en Film aan die Makerere Universiteit gebruik te maak as gevallestudies. Die beweegrede vir die ondersoek is hoofsaaklik die verkenning van die dinamika van interkulturele Noord-na-Suid-teatersamewerking en ‘n ondersoek na die sosio-kulturele, sosio-politiese en sosio-ekonomiese kenmerke en ander opvattinge wat in hierdie interkulturele teatersamewerkings en -opvoerings gemanifesteer het. Om hierdie ondersoek te onderneem, het ek drie gevalle in ‘n meervoudigegevallestudie-ontwerp bestudeer: die samewerkings tussen onderskeidelik Stanford en Makerere, New York en Makerere, en die Norwegian College of Dance en Makerere. Die meervoudigegevalle-ontwerp is versterk deur die gebruik van persoonlike onderhoude, direkte waarneming, fokusgroepgesprekke, dokumentanalise en e-posnavrae in ‘n poging om die opvattings van individue wat aan die bogenoemde samewerkings deelgeneem het, te verkry. Teoreties is die studie gefundeer in ‘n veelvoud konsepte en diskoerse: simboliese interaksie, interkulturele kommunikasie, teaterstudies, postkoloniale studies, internasionale opvoedkunde en die diskoers oor globalisering. In die analise van die verskillende gevalle is bevind dat die kwessie van ekonomiese ongelykheid in bydraes tot die befondsing van samewerkings, onder die verskillende modusse van magsperformatiwiteit wat in die samewerkingsprosesse gemanifesteer het, soms ‘n wanbalans in die besluitnemingsproses tot gevolg het. Gevolglik dra hierdie magswanbalans by tot die nimmereindigende krisis van identifikasie met imperialisme waaronder interkulturele Noord-na-Suid-teatersamewerkings gebuk gaan. Die ondersoek toon verder dat daar kulturele, linguistiese, pedagogiese, strukturele en sosio-psigologiese verskille is wat oorkom moet word vir suksesvolle samewerkings om plaas te vind. Daar is bevind dat die hantering van sosio-kulturele verskille die deelnemers van ‘n eksperimentele leeromgewing voorsien vir die belewing en waardering van kultuurverskille, waardeur die sosio-kulturele skeiding oorbrug word. Die kulturele brug lei egter, in toneelmatige terme, na die ontwikkeling van toneelmatige hibriditeit en versmelting, wat weer die debat oor die outentisiteit al dan nie van interkulturele opvoerings in die teaterdiskoers aktiveer. Verder is daar, gebaseer op die siening dat interkulturele teatersamewerkings mikrokosmosse van veelvlakkige globale interkulturele interaksie is, bevind dat die sosio-kulturele verskille wat deur interkulturele teatersamewerkings oorkom word, ‘n mikrokosmiese platform kan voorsien vir die kritisering van die begrip van die sogenaamde ―wêrelddorpie‖ en verwante nosies van wêreldwye kulturele homogenisering. Aangesien hierdie ondersoek ‘n nuwe multidissiplinêre benadering tot die analise van interkulturele teaterverskynsels gebruik, glo ek dit sal bydra tot die teaterkritiek in Uganda en elders. Die bevindinge sal hopelik bydra tot die assessering van interkulturele teatersamewerkings aan Makerere Universiteit om hulle te verbeter. Die ondersoek sal ook die siening voortdra dat interkulturele teater se estetiese en ervaringsprosesse kan help met die interpretasie en verstaan van ons onderskeie multikulturele omgewings. Breedweg sal dit bydra tot die diskoers oor interkulturele kommunikasie, opvoering en kultuurstudie.

Thesis (MDram)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: HIV/AIDS has escalated into a global health pandemic. Africa has emerged as the most severely affected continent with more than half of the world’s HIV infected population residing in Sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently various awareness campaigns have been launched in attempts to stifle the rapid spread of the pandemic. Much emphasis has been placed on communication as effective strategy specifically when it has a participatory and community-based approach which offers education through alternative ways of responding to HIV/AIDS in order to reach and involve the individual target audience. The value of entertainment as an effective intervention tool through which to inform and educate is of major importance. Theatre is widely implemented as a tool when attempting problem solving and group and/or individual behaviour-change. Lucky, the Hero! an HIV/AIDS Educational Theatre intervention initiative was launched by The Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management after research established that alarmingly low levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge existed amongst the predominantly Afrikaans speaking farm workers communities of the Western Cape region as media campaigns had not successfully reached them due to geographical isolation and illiteracy. Theoretical guidelines for the development process and implementation of Lucky, the Hero! are provided: how it came about; its content and messages; and the intricacies of how the show was rolled out to audiences. The specific results and findings of such an Educational Theatre intervention campaign in the Breede River Valley during September 2007 are discussed, as well as how successful the practical implementation of the intervention has been in terms of its theoretical base and initial purpose. Lucky, the Hero! was found to be overall successful in achieving its aims and proved to be entertaining and educational. It improved general knowledge of HIV infection amongst participants and motivated intentions towards positive behaviour change. Over 2000 participants were also tested during the 14-day intervention. Theatre as intervention tool proved to be effective in this specific instance as most participants agreed that educational theatre was an appropriate method to positively influence HIV/AIDS related behaviour in the community. They also expressed the wish to see the performance again and said they would encourage others to see it. Although the evaluation methods served their purpose in proving that theatre was an effective tool in HIV/AIDS education and provided basic information and results about HIV/AIDS and the intervention strategy method and campaign, a multi-integrated approach needs to be considered. The latter should include follow up interventions focusing on ongoing HIV/AIDS education and training in order to achieve feasible and sustainable long term results. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: MIV/VIGS het in ’n globale pandemie ontwikkel met Afrika die kontinent wat die ergste geraak word. Meer as die helfte van die wêreld se bevolking wat die MIV-virus het, bevind hulle in sub-Sahara Afrika. Gevolglik is verskeie bewusmakingsveldtogte van stapel laat loop in ’n poging om die snelle verspreiding van die pandemie te probeer stuit. Kommunikasie as doeltreffende strategie geniet veral aansien, spesifiek wanneer ’n interaktiewe, gemeenskapsgebaseerde aanslag gevolg word om so individuele teikengroepe op te voed en deur middel van alternatiewe MIV/VIGS aksie te betrek. Heelwat klem word geplaas op die waarde van vermaaklikheid as doeltreffende intervensiemeganisme met die doel om in te lig en op te voed. Die teater word wyd as meganisme geïmplementeer ten opsigte van probleemoplossing en die verandering van groeps- en/of individuele gedrag. Lucky, the Hero!, ’n MIV/VIGS Opvoedkundige Teaterintervensie-inisiatief, is deur die Afrika Instituut vir MIV/VIGS Bestuur van stapel laat loop nadat navorsing daarop gedui het dat die kennisvlakke van plaaswerkersgemeenskappe in Wes-Kaapland oor dié pandemie ontstellend laag is. Weens geografiese isolasie en ongeletterdheid het veldtogte in die media oor MIV/VIGS bitter min impak op dié gemeenskappe gemaak. In die hoofstukke wat volg, word teoretiese riglyne vir die ontwikkelingsproses en toepassing van Lucky, the Hero! bespreek – hoe dit gebeur het; die inhoudelikheid daarvan tesame met boodskappe, asook die ingewikkeldhede rondom die wyse waarop dié opvoering aan gehore gebring is. Die spesifieke resultate en bevindinge van so ’n Opvoedkundige Teaterintervensieveldtog in die Breederiviervallei gedurende September 2007 word gemeld, asook die sukses van die praktiese implementering van dié intervensie in terme van sy teoretiese grondslag en aanvanklike doelwitte. In die geheel is bevind dat Lucky, the Hero! suksesvol was in die bereiking van sy doelwitte en dat dit vermaaklik en opvoedkundig van aard was. Dit het algemene kennis rondom MIV-infeksie onder deelnemers verbeter en voornemens teenoor positiewe gedragsverandering gestu. Meer as 2000 deelnemers is ook tydens die intervensie van twee weke getoets. Teater as intervensiemeganisme het in dié spesifieke instansie geblyk doeltreffend te wees aangesien die meerderheid deelnemers saamgestem het dat opvoedkundige teater ’n gepaste metode is om MIV/Vigs-verwante gedrag in die gemeenskap positief te beïnvloed. Ook wou hulle die opvoering graag weer kyk en sou ander mense aanraai om dit te gaan kyk. Hoewel die evalueringsmetodes hulle doel gedien en bewys het dat teater ’n doeltreffende meganisme ten opsigte van MIV/VIGS-opvoeding is en basiese inligting en resultate omtrent MIV/VIGS en die intervensiestrategiemetode en -veldtog opgelewer het, behoort ’n multi-geïntegreerde benadering egter oorweeg te word – een wat opvolgintervensies insluit wat gefokus is op voortgesette MIV/VIGSopvoeding en opleiding met die oog op haalbare en volhoubare langtermyn resultate.

Thesis (MDram (Drama))—University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This study wishes primarily to explore re-positioning the H.B.Thom Theatre as a cultural amenity in the Stellenbosch region. The first step was to place the building of the H.B. Thom Theatre in 1966 in the context of the cultural and political dynamics of the time as well as to trace the cultural politics of the Western Cape in particular during the turbulent years leading to the first Democratic Elections in 1994. The question is asked, to what extent do the changes in the political climate and cultural thinking impact on the use of this important, regional arts facility? A Cultural Impact Study was made to evaluate the scope of cultural production in the region. Alongside this regional study, the past and present utilisation of the H.B.Thom Theatre as such has been thoroughly documented, processed and discussed. Areas of concern regarding the utilisation of the theatre in particular and possible solutions in meeting these concerns have been integrated into the study. The appropriate management structures and artistic vision leading to the establishment of the H.B.Thom Theatre as a Regional Arts Centre have been researched and detailed as well as mechanisms for its incorporation into the University of Stellenbosch’s broader Strategic Framework.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines cabaret in South Africa, and more particularly the use of a personation in cabaret. Cabaret employs a variety of comedic forms that combine to comment on social and political issues. The personation is often a manifestation of current social and political values, and the cabaretist uses such personation to deride these values and expose society. Themes such as human nature and life are foregrounded by means of comedy, parody and satire in order to highlighted weaknesses and malpractices. The personation often serves as a shield, affording the cabaretist the freedom of speech to assume a critical stance; it serves as a mouthpiece for enquiring societal mores and norms. The cabaretist not only entertains the audience in a comical way, but also strives to make audiences aware of social and political irregularities. Comedy, parody and satire are found in various forms of entertainment and literature, but in the cabaret genre it is purposefully applied to voice socio-political criticism. The success of cabaret is indebted to each caberetist’s unique style. South African performers such as Pieter-Dirk Uys, Casper de Vries and Hennie Aucamp apply these means successfully to entertain their audiences and encourage reflection. The cabaret persona, drawing upon comedic devices, is used to present reality as opposed to the human ideal, while treating the audience to a lighter view of life. Apart from the fact that cabaret, like comedy, parody and satire, is difficult to define, these forms often overlap, as they serve the same purpose, namely to entertain and to comment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek kabaret in Suid-Afrika en in die besonder die gebruik van ’n karakter in kabaret as sosiale en politiese kommentator. Kabaret gebruik ’n verskeidenheid komiese vorme wat saamspan om sosiale en politieke kommentaar te lewer. Die karakter verteenwoordig dikwels ’n gemeenskap se sosiale en politieke waardes en die kabarettis gebruik so ’n karakter om hierdie waardes te bespot en kommentaar op die gemeenskap te lewer. Temas soos die menslike natuur en die lewe word met behulp van die komiese, parodie en satire in die kalklig geplaas om swakhede en wanpraktyke te beklemtoon. Die karakter dien ook dikwels as ’n skild waaragter ’n kabarettis skuil en waarmee hy sodoende vryheid van spraak verkry met die doel om te kritiseer; dit dien as spreekbuis vir sosiale waardes en norme. Die kabarettis vermaak nie net ’n gehoor op komiese wyse nie, maar probeer ook om die gehoor van sosiale en politieke wantoestande bewus te maak. Die komiese, parodie en satire kom in verskeie vorme van vermaak en die literatuur voor, maar in kabaret word dit doelgerig as middel gebruik om sosio-politiese kommentaar te lewer. Die sukses van kabaret word gemeet aan elke kabarettis se unieke styl. Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars soos Pieter-Dirk Uys, Casper de Vries en Hennie Aucamp slaag daarin om hierdie middele aan te wend en sodoende hul gehore te vermaak en tot nadenke te stem. Die kabaret-karakter word met behulp van komiese vorme aangewend om die werklikheid teenoor die menslike ideaal op te weeg en aan gehore ’n ligter sy van die lewe te wys. Buiten dat kabaret en ook die komiese, parodie en satire moeilik gedefinieer kan word, oorvleuel hierdie vorme dikwels en word dit vir dieselfde doel gebruik, naamlik om te vermaak en kommentaar te lewer.

Thesis (MDram (Drama))—University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Spectatorship is an essential aspect of the film industry, and hence a key facet of film studies. In film studies, however, the notion of subjectivity is marginalized in a preference for broad generalizations. This is because any consideration of subjectivity leads to indeterminate results. Such research is consequently of no use to filmmakers in guiding them on how best to accommodate mainstream consumer preferences, which is most often the objective of spectatorship studies. However, apart from this, subjectivity is a key component in film reception as every human being views ‘reality’ subjectively and therefore films also. Although the outcome of studies that include the notion of the ‘subjective individual’ will be indefinite, it is an important aspect of any study of spectatorship. The notion of the ‘subjective individual’, as opposed to the generalized notions of ‘audience’ and ‘spectator’, is thus crucial and consequently underlies my entire discussion. In an attempt to demonstrate the importance of subjectivity in film spectatorship studies, I address three primary notions in film reception studies – the text’s structure, cultural complications and psychological satisfactions. In doing so, I consider how each of these notions significantly involves the ‘subjective individual’. In addressing the first notion – the text’s structure – I examine the role of the spectator in relation to the film text, particularly during the reception process. I show how codes function, are organized, and are very specifically encoded into the text by the filmmakers. I then examine how the spectator – the recipient of the communication, who is positioned by the text (interpellated) to receive the narrative – decodes the text’s message. This process thus involves not only subjectivity in the filmmakers’ choices, but also in the ‘reading’ position that the spectator adopts, according to his/her personal interpretation of the text. The second notion – cultural complication – involves the aspects which condition both the encoding and decoding processes of film, namely: ideology, polysemy, the overlapping ‘public’ and ‘private’ spheres, and the unconscious desires of spectators. Each aspect has a profound affect on spectator response and, consequently, on the study of spectatorship. Moreover, each aspect entails the notion of the ‘subjective individual’. The third notion – psychological satisfaction – deals with unconscious desires and thus addresses subjectivity in spectatorship in its most intense form. Lacan’s ‘Mirror Stage’ theory and Freud’s work on dream analysis demonstrate how personal the desires motivating the viewing of films are, again revealing subjectivity as a key aspect in film spectatorship study. In amalgamating these ideas, I draw on the phenomenon of celebrity. The film celebrity, originally an ‘object’ of the film text, has become central to popular culture for reasons of psychological satisfaction. I explore how spectatorship and what generates it – the film industry – have co-created the film celebrity and, in turn, how this phenomenon moulds popular culture and affects ideology; subsequently affecting the “theory of ‘reality’” by which we, as individuals in society, live. Since this “theory of ‘reality’”, although constituted by the dominant ideology, is personal and conditions the way we (as human beings and film spectators) view everything, spectatorship studies cannot ignore spectators as ‘real’ people – ‘subjective individuals’.

Thesis (MDram (Drama))—University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Oral Art (Woordkuns) as a performing art form is a burgeoning independent theatre genre that has developed especially over the last decade with the rise of the national arts festivals. By investigating the literary term word art, the eclectic nature of oral art as a theatre genre, the oral art text and the role of the visual within an oral art performance, we are able to give a paraphrase or definition of oral art as a theatre genre. Oral art as a performing art form can firstly be defined with reference to the origins of the oral art text, namely an existing work(s) that originated as a non-dramatic literary work(s) and that is revisited within a new context; secondly a shift in the dramatic presentation from physical action to the spoken word. The eclectic nature of oral art is a further characteristic of this theatre genre. Oral art has the ability to change in form and function and not only can it be biographical or autobiographical, but it can also be socio-politically intended. The hybrid nature of oral art – oral art texts combine in many cases works from different genres – also shows many similarities with other theatre genres like cabaret and black political protest theatre. Three possible structures are identified within the oral art text, namely an episodic structure, a developing story line or argument and a compilation consisting of a number of short stories or narratives. The oral art text can be compiled from a number of literary genres and the choice of material is determined by the overarching theme and the format of the performance. Visual elements support the oration within an oral art performance. The different types of texts used in the compilation of an oral art program determine the presentation style and stage composition. Physical action is representational rather than realistic. The use of décor, props, costumes and lighting are minimal and multi-functional.

Thesis (MDram (Drama))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / In Britain provision is made for students with a low Basic Skills level (literacy and numeracy) to continue with their post-GCSE education in a low level vocational course. These low level courses aim to teach students basic, life and vocational skills necessary to progress to the next level. This study aims to find a pedagogy which is suited to the needs of these marginalised students and transforms them from spectators into spect-actors. Two programmes were designed, implemented, managed and measured by this study in order to find the pedagogy best suited to the needs of these students. Programme 1 was based on ideas by the educationalists Kolb, Petty, Honey and Mumford; and aimed to empower students with the basic and life skills necessary for progression. Programme 1 failed as the mostly narrative pedagogy was associated with a similar pedagogy used in schools. Assessment methods were unsuitable and the course paid more attention to the needs of the group than the needs of the individual. Programme 2 aimed to actively involve students in the learning of skills essential to progression and was based on theatrical techniques. Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed techniques, especially Forum Theatre, formed the basis of the student-centred programme. Boal’s interactive theatre techniques, together with ideas taken from Aristotle, Artaud, Brecht, Heathcote and Freire formed the pedagogy of an interactive course where the focus fell on the needs of the individual student. This study found that Programme 2 was successful. Students took to the taskbased interactive course where all solutions to problems were found by means of active investigation, no theorem was learned without application and no action took place without a purpose. Students changed from spectators into spectactors with a view that the world is not stagnant but transformable. Achievement and success rates back up the findings. The interactive pedagogy using theatre techniques to teach can be applied across the curriculum and it is suggested that such courses should run alongside main stream academic courses to accommodate the learning of all students.