Theatre

1. What makes Theatre distinct?

A Theatre EE must:

• investigate theatre as a performing art, not literature or film

• draw on theatrical practices, theories, processes or performance elements

• analyse the work of practitioners, companies or specific productions

• engage with live or recorded performance critically

• explore how meaning is created through staging, directing, design or acting

• examine performance within cultural, historical or artistic contexts

• develop an argument grounded in theatre theory and practice

Your essay should feel theatrical, not literary analysis or general cultural commentary.

2. What counts as a suitable Theatre topic?

A strong topic is:

• focused on a specific practitioner, performance style, production approach or theatrical theory

• linked to performance, process or staging elements

• supported by accessible performances, scripts, rehearsal processes or practitioner writings

• analytical rather than descriptive or narrative

• narrow enough to examine a technique, approach or concept in depth

Examples of suitable topic types

• analysis of a practitioner’s methodology in specific performances

• comparative study of directing approaches to the same play

• investigation into how design choices shape audience response

• exploration of a theatrical convention within a cultural context

• analysis of actor training methods

• Examples of unsuitable topics

• literary analysis of a script with no theatrical focus

• biographies of actors or directors

• reviews or opinion pieces without research

• broad histories of theatre movements

• topics without access to performances or evidence

Theatre requires analysis of performance, production and practice.

3. Using evidence in Theatre

Your essay should draw upon theatrical evidence, such as:

• recorded or live performances

• rehearsal notes, prompt books or director’s journals

• design plans, sketches or production documentation

• interviews with practitioners (used critically)

• theoretical writings on performance or methodology

• critical reviews, when used to support analysis

Avoid

• summaries of plot or character

• generic opinions without evidence

• websites lacking scholarly credibility

• descriptive accounts of performances with no analysis

Evidence must be connected to theatrical meaning and your research question.

4. Research methods appropriate for Theatre

Your methods may include:

• performance analysis using theatrical frameworks

• practitioner based investigation

• comparative study of productions

• analysis of specific elements such as movement, voice, design or space

• cultural or contextual research tied to performance practice

• interpretation of rehearsal processes or documented staging choices

Methods must be explained clearly and used consistently throughout the essay.

5. What analysis looks like in Theatre

Theatre analysis should:

• examine how performance choices create meaning

• link staging, movement, design or directing to audience response

• connect practitioner theory to specific examples

• analyse intentions, effects and interpretations

• compare production approaches where relevant

• remain focused on the research question, not recounting plot

Analysis must interpret theatrical choices, not simply describe them.

6. What evaluation looks like in Theatre

Evaluation may include:

• assessment of practitioner methodologies

• limitations of available performance evidence

• cultural or contextual constraints on interpretation

• differences between intended and actual audience impact

• reflection on staging choices and theatrical effectiveness

• consideration of alternative interpretations or approaches

Evaluation should appear throughout, not just in the conclusion.

7. Common pitfalls in Theatre EEs

Avoid these issues, as they frequently lead to weak outcomes:

• topics that drift into literature, film or biography

• essays dominated by plot summary

• overly broad thematic discussions

• lack of access to performances or evidence

• reliance on opinion rather than analysis

• minimal engagement with practitioner theory

• topics that cannot be explored through theatrical examples

8. Model research questions

Here are high quality examples of Theatre research questions:

1. How effectively does Pina Bausch’s use of repetition create emotional resonance in Café Müller?

2. To what extent do lighting and spatial design shape audience perception in Robert Wilson’s staging of Einstein on the Beach?

3. How successfully does Jerzy Grotowski’s training method influence physical expression in contemporary laboratory theatre?

4. To what extent does Steven Berkoff’s minimalist aesthetic affect the intensity of performance in productions of Greek?

5. How far do directing choices alter audience interpretation in contrasting productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream?

Each question is analytical, performance centred and grounded in theatrical practice.