Department of English

London is one of the most exciting theatre centers in the world, and the focus of this course will be on live performance. We will attend theatrical productions approximately three times per week, seeing a wide range of plays produced by such companies as the Royal National and the Royal Shakespeare, and staged in such spaces as those of London's West End and Fringe Theatres. Tickets will be arranged in advance. The format for the class will consist primarily of discussions of our theatre-going; once each week, the conversation will be led by Michael Billington, theatre critic for the Guardian. Readings for the class will provide context for our viewing and will include selected plays; required writing for the course will consist of responses to plays and productions. The class may also participate in field trips to other sites of theatrical interest, such as London's Theatre Museum, the reconstructed Globe Theatre, and Stratford-on-Avon.