The purpose of this course is to examine the main features of contemporary drama from the late nineteenth century to the present day. There will be a focus on work by British creatives, as they provide excellent examples of contemporary techniques in theatre making, ranging from interpretations of traditional dramas and comedies, new writing, musicals and adaptations of books and films. The class will take the form of a seminar involving introductions to thematic, cultural and historical contexts, and discussions led by students. The specific content of the course will be determined by the performances on offer in London at the time, but each week we will appraise a contemporary London performance and consider the content and form of the play; production aesthetic, tone and style; the playing space and actor/audience relationship; type of venue and audience constituency. During the faculty led trip to London we will see several of the plays we have studied in different types of venue across the city: for example, the National Theatre, the Royal Comt Theatre, the West End and fringe venues such as The Yard. The productions we study and see will be chosen to illustrate the immense variety of work produced in theatres in London today by a diverse range of artists.