This course will introduce and analyse the theories, performances and productions of the impressive line-up of American, British, and European theatre practitioners - Stella Adler, Eugenio Barba, Bertolt Brecht, Peter Brook, Joseph Chaikin, Michael Chekhov, Jacques Copeau, Jerzy Grotowski, Joan Littlewood, Sanford Meisner, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Wlodzimierz Staniewski, Konstantin Stanislavski, and Lee Strasberg. It aims to provide students a theoretical and historical map of the performance practices of these renowned directors and practitioners of acting on stage, and thus to form a seminal guide for students who want to investigate acting processes for stage with a diversity of approaches.

This course is lecture and theory-oriented, offers students a comprehensive assessment, from basic principles of performance to exploration through practices, and finally to practice in stage production. Lectures will focus on practitioners whose work is widely recognized with acting analysis and/or screening of audio-visual resources.

Students will do a theory presentation on a topic introduced in class. They will report their readings and critical analysis with relevant materials and lead the discussion in class. For the Acting project, students will create or pick a written scene to act on stage, illustrate one of the theories they learned in class, make an in-depth study led practice to systematically reflect on the subject and produce a stage performance. After performance discussion will also be assessed.