Studying modern drama

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Consider the following ideas:

1. Modern Drama is usually considered to begin with Ibsen

2. Studying modern drama uses many different skills

3. Drama is both an academic and a practical subject

4. You will need to read, reflect, observe and participate

5. You will also need to visit theatres and watch plays on film

6. Modern Drama is about YOUR WORLD

Let's take this final point and think about it for a moment.

Modern Drama concerns itself with human beings living in the age of technology; an age in which communications are complex and, supposedly better than at any time in history; an age in which religious and political beliefs are often at odds with conditions in society.

This is an age of extraordinary pressure and possibility. Modern playwrights often wrestle with these forces to give an image of life in the modern world.

These pages, based on Studying Modern Drama by Kenneth Pickering, will introduce you to the exciting world of modern drama, and is an ideal support for both individual and group study.

Kenneth Pickering is Professor of Arts Education at the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education, London and Visiting Scholar at Gonzaga University, Washington State. USA. He is also the author of Key Concepts in Drama and Perfomance .

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