Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Communication & Arts School
This course examines the long tradition of Australian drama from early convict theatre, through nineteenth century melodrama, and across the bush drama, New Wave, Aboriginal drama and 'Internationalist' schools of the twentieth century to the present day. Questions the course asks include 'How is national identity reflected in the theatre Australia produces?', or even more importantly, 'How is national identity shaped by the work of theatre-makers across time?'
This course traces the development of a distinctive Australian voice in theatre and drama from its origins in late C19th melodrama to the present. Theatre topics covered include a survey of eighteenth-century convict theatre, nineteenth-century melodrama, federation era theatre, bush realism, urban theatre, the New Wave, and Indigenous theatre, and then a range of the most exciting plays and theatre trends of the late C20th and early C21st. The course thus traces a cultural and political history of Australia from British colonisation to the present, emphasising the integral role theatre plays in not only reflecting, but also helping to shape issues of national identity. In addition to an increased appreciation and understanding of an Australian national theatre canon, students are consequently expected to come out of this course with an increased understanding and appreciation of Australian national historiesﾠand identities.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Incoming Exchange Studies students are exempt from the requirement to have successfully completed DRAM1010 or DRAM1100, as are first year Drama Education students with a declared drama major.ﾠ
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
DRAM1010 or DRAM1100
Restrictions
Course offering may be cancelled unless a minimum of 20 students enrol.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Associate Professor Stephen Carleton
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
See the week-by-week breakdown under 'Learning Activities'.
Whilst every effort is made to place students in their preferred activity, it is not always possible for a student to be enrolled in their tutorial of choice. If you require assistance, please ensure that you email timetabling.commarts@enquire.uq.edu.au from your UQ student email with:
- Your name
- Your student ID
- The course code
- A list of three tutorial preferences (in order of preference)
- Reason for the change – e.g. timetable clash, elite athlete status, SAP
Teaching staff do not have access to change tutorials or help with timetables; all timetabling changes must be processed through the Timetabling Team.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to provide students with an intimate knowledge and appreciation of a national Australian theatre canon, as well developing the critical reasoning to question and challenge the very notion of canonicity itself, by examining theatre from the convict era to the present.
Students will explore broader over-arching themes and topics in Australian theatre and its tropes through tutorial work and performance, by attending live theatre, and through individual and/or collaborative performative research.
The course thus aims to instill in students a sense of 'narrative' not only of the history of Australian theatre from the late C18th to the present; but also to question and challengeﾠissues of national identity during the same period. The course inextricably links issues of national cultural and political identity with the theatre and drama being produced at any given time. To understand Australian drama is to better understand the culture that produced it.
As well as developing knowledge of theatre history and its themes, students are also expected to develop a knowledge of changing theatrical practices over the past two centuries.
Key topics covered in this course include: melodrama, bush realism, urban theatre, national political and cultural identity, Indigenous and multicultural theatre, and women and theatre.
Queensland-specific independent and mainstage theatre practice will also be placed in conversation with the national repertoire where appropriate.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Articulate an understanding of an Australian (and, where appropriate, Queensland-specific) theatre canon from British settlement/invasion/colonisation to the present
LO2.
Articulate an understanding of how Australian theatre engages with, reflects and helps shape issues of national identity.
LO3.
Understand how Australian drama differs from and/or complements cultural expression taking place in other forms, such as film, television and literature.
LO4.
Develop an understanding of an Australian theatrical canon both through independent learning and through group work, where appropriate.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution, Reflection, Tutorial/ Problem Set |
Tutorial Activity
|
40% 150 words/week plus in-class engagement |
29/07/2024 - 14/10/2024 |
| Essay/ Critique | Historiographical Research Essay | 40% 2000 words |
2/09/2024 4:00 pm |
| Performance |
10 Minute Group Performances
|
20% 10 mins |
16/10/2024
Performances: Week 12 tutorial slot |
Assessment details
Tutorial Activity
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral, Written
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution, Reflection, Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 40% 150 words/week plus in-class engagement
- Due date
29/07/2024 - 14/10/2024
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
This task assesses your engagement in the tutorial program across the semester.
Length - 150 words per week, divided into two entries, plus in-class engagement.
Weight - 40%. A mark out of four for each of the 10 weeks (Week 2-12, excluding the Ekka public holiday) where there are two Blackboard entries required, including two marks for the written Blackboard responses and two marks for the in-class engagement you demonstrate.
Submit the written responses via Blackboard; the rest occurs in class.
A full assignment brief will be made available in Blackboard at the start of semester.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submit the written responses via Discussion Board in Blackboard before the commencement of your tutorial each week; the rest occurs in class.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Students who have a medical certificate will get a passing grade of 50% for the participation component.
Late submission
Late submission is not possible for this piece of assessment.
Historiographical Research Essay
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40% 2000 words
- Due date
2/09/2024 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
The research essay is designed to enable you to demonstrate your acquired knowledge and research skills by writing on a specific aspect of Australian drama in relation to one of the key concepts, movements, texts or figures arising from weeks two to five. This task will assess your ability to:
- answer a relevant and compelling research question
- provide an analytic approach to the topic and its relevant issues
- construct a strong argument
- provide evidence from the text (where appropriate) and/or secondary material to support this argument.
The referencing style used for Drama assignments is MLA 9th edition.
Detailed instructions for this assignment will be distributed in class and posted on Blackboard at the beginning of semester.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submit via TurnItIn through Blackboard
TurnItIn Receipts:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using TurnItIn. Before submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
When you successfully submit your assessment to TurnItIn you will see text confirming your submission is complete, before being redirected to your Assignment inbox. On this page you can:
- View the name of the submitted file
- View date and time of the upload
- Resubmit your paper (if necessary)
- Download your submitted paper
- Download digital receipt.
If you cannot see your submission in your Assignment inbox you should regard your submission as unsuccessful. Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached.
Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your TurnItIn assignment.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
10 Minute Group Performances
- Identity Verified
- Team or group-based
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Performance
- Weight
- 20% 10 mins
- Due date
16/10/2024
Performances: Week 12 tutorial slot
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L04
Task description
In a small group (4-6 students), deliver a 10-minute group performance to the class on one of the following plays comprising the late twentieth and early twenty-first century sections of the course: The Season at Sarsaparilla by Patrick White, White With Wire Wheels by Jack Hibberd, Historia by Noelle Janaczewska, Mortido by Angela Betzien, or White Pearl by Anchulie Felicia King.
This is a group performance project. Group members will each receive the same grade out of 20 for the performance.
The performances will take place during your tutorial slot in Week 12 of semester.
A full assignment brief will be provided in Blackboard during the semester.
Group performances will take place in the Avalon Theatre.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Recording of Oral and Practical Assessment
- All presentations will be recorded for marking purposes via recording facilities available where the assessment takes place (eg. ECHO360, Zoom, camera device)
- Recordings will be retained by the School of Communication and Arts for at least 12 months from the release of the final grade for the course.
- Recordings will be stored in a secure manner and will only be accessed by authorised school staff for the purposes of:
- Moderation of marking;
- Provision of feedback to the student(s) recorded; and/or
- Re-marking following a successful re-mark application.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Please note: this is a class assessment item and students are NOT able to apply for an extension for the group performances.
Late submission
Late submission is not possible for this piece of assessment.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
- Where fractional marks occur in the calculation of the final grade, a mark of x.5% or greater will be rounded up to (x+1)%. A percentage mark of less than x.5% will be rounded down to x%.
- Where no assessable work is received, a Grade of X will apply.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.
Additional assessment information
- Further information regarding the assessment, including marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
- Marks Cannot Be Changed After Being Released: Marks are not open to negotiation with course staff. If you wish to discuss the feedback you have received, you should make an appointment to speak with the Course Coordinator.
- Assessment Re-mark: If you are considering an Assessment Re-mark, please follow the link to important information you should consider before submitting a request.
- Integrity Pledge: Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin. Before submitting any assignments for this course, you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Modules.ﾠIn uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
- Withholding marks prior to finalisation of grades: Per UQ Assessment Procedures – Release of Assessment Item Marks and Grades: The final assessment item and the marks for the assessment item are to be released only after the final grade for the course has been released.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Week 1 - Introduction to Australian Drama Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Week 1 - No tutorials |
|
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 2 - From convict theatre to Federation The lecture will provide students with a broad survey of pre-federation theatre up to 1900. 'The Kelly Gang' by Arnold Denham and Another is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 2 - From convict theatre to Federation Tutorials will be devoted to discussing and activating the set performance text ('The Kelly Gang') for this week. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 3 - Bush drama Bush drama and early professional theatre; women in theatre. 'Men Without Wives' by Henrietta Drake-Brockman is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 3 - Bush drama Bush drama and early professional theatre; women in theatre. 'Men Without Wives' by Henrietta Drake-Brockman is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 4- No classes due to public holiday |
Tutorial |
Week 4- No classes due to public holiday |
|
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Week 5 - Urban theatre The 'First' Australian city play: 'Summer of the Seventeenth Doll' by Ray Lawler. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 5 - Urban theatre The 'First' Australian city play: 'Summer of the Seventeenth Doll' by Ray Lawler is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 6 - Suburban theatre The rise of suburbia in the 1950s and 1960s. 'The Season at Sarsaparilla' by Patrick White Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 6 - Suburban theatre The rise of suburbia in the 1950s and 1960s. 'The Season at Sarsaparilla' by Patrick White is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 7 - The New Wave The 'New Wave' movement of the 1960s and 1970s. 'White with Wire Wheels' by Jack Hibberd is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 7 - The New Wave The 'New Wave' movement of the 1960s and 1970s. 'White with Wire Wheels' by Jack Hibberd is the set text. Form performance groups this week. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 8 - Indigenous drama The rise of First Nations drama in the 1970s and 1980s. 'The Dreamers' by Jack Davis is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 8 - Indigenous drama The rise of First Nations drama in the 1970s and 1980s. 'The Dreamers' by Jack Davis is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
Week 9 - The 90s: queer goes mainstream Noelle Janaczewka's play Historia is held up as an example of previously independent-sectored queer theatre going mainstream. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 9 - The 90s: queer goes mainstream Noelle Janaczewka's play Historia is held up as an example of previously independent-sectored queer theatre going mainstream. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
Lecture |
MID-SEMESTER BREAK No Tutorials |
Tutorial |
MID-SEMESTER BREAK No Lecture |
|
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week 10 - Contemporary Australian Drama 1 The most exciting theatre movements of the c21st. 'Mortido' by Angela Betzien is this week's text. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 10 - Contemporary Australian Drama 1 The most exciting theatre movements of the c21st. 'Mortido' by Angela Betzien is this week's text. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week 11 - Contemporary Australian Drama 2 Diversity and the Rise of Young Playwrights-of-Colour. 'White Pearl' by Anchuli Felicia King is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 11 - Contemporary Australian Drama 2 Diversity and the Rise of Young Playwrights-of-Colour. 'White Pearl' by Anchuli Felicia King is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week 12 - Writing back to the canon Final lecture! We finish the course with a new classic that rewrites and revisions the Australian theatrical and literary canon. 'The Drover's Wife' by Leah Purcell is the set text. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 12 Group performances take place during your regular tutorial slot. Learning outcomes: L04 |
|
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Lecture |
Week 13 No classes |
Tutorial |
Week 13 No classes |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.