Dramaturgical Fieldwork and Comparative Reflection

Brief course description

The course aims to provide students with first-hand experience of dramaturgical work/collaboration in a Norwegian theatrical production. The course shall also provide the students with knowledge about and insight into how the Norwegian theatre field is organised and structured. In total, the course shall provide a comparative basis for students to become aware of different theatre systems and organisational forms across countries, cultures and languages.

The course consists of the following elements:

• dramaturgical participation in a larger artistic production and process at either the Oslo National Academy of the Arts or some other venue (this might be a student production, a production/performance at an institution, or a production either under the auspices of an independent ensemble or in association with another organisation that is relevant to dramaturgical practice)
• the gathering of relevant data (empirical material)
• the writing of a reflective text in the form of an essay or article

By working in actual practice on a theatrical production within a Norwegian context, students gain experience and acquire an understanding of the roles of a dramaturge, engage in a concrete encounter with a discipline of art, and develop an empirical basis for reflecting more in general on different models of how to organise theatrical art.

The course emphasises both independence and collaboration in regard to artistic production, data collection and reflection alike.

Students shall write a reflective text related to their dramaturgical work. This assignment shall compare their experiences with and empirical knowledge from/about the field of Norwegian theatre with similar experiences/empirical knowledge from the field of theatre in the country where each student has his or her artistic basis.

The course’s learning outcomes

Upon completing the course, students shall

• have acquired first-hand knowledge from dramaturgical work within the context of Norwegian theatre
• have acquired knowledge about the various organisational and institutional Norwegian platforms for producing theatrical art
• comparatively juxtapose these experiences with corresponding experiences from their home institution or home country

Teaching and learning methods

The course is primarily taught through supervision.

There is an emphasis on independent dramaturgical work related to artistic production and the collection of relevant data/empirical material.

Coursework requirements:

• completed dramaturgical work in association with an internal or external theatrical organisation or production apparatus

Assessment

The coursework requirements must be approved in order for a student to receive a final course assessment.

The assessment is based on a written assignment, as well as an oral conversation that is carried out after the assignment has been submitted.

The written and oral assignment are assessed as a whole with a final grade on the A–F scale.