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Spattered with Words: a stylistic toolkit accounting for the 'theatricality' behind the playwright/screenwriter's use of real and improvised language in creating drama texts.

Fitchett, Jonathan Neil (2022) Spattered with Words: a stylistic toolkit accounting for the 'theatricality' behind the playwright/screenwriter's use of real and improvised language in creating drama texts. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) thesis, University of Kent,. (doi:10.22024/UniKent/01.02.93528) (KAR id:93528)

Abstract

This thesis documents investigations into the success (or not) of real, spontaneous dialogue when applied to the creation of a script for dramatic performance. The accounting for such success delves into different theoretical frameworks: conversation theory, stylistics, Cognitive Poetics, narratology, and extended cognition. This is therefore an interdisciplinary perspective, with ideas emerging from the fields of psychology, philosophy, literary stylistics and linguistics; yet all applied within the context of drama and performance. As such, this thesis may be seen as a playwright's 'toolbox' where the different views, as they necessarily overlap, can be seen as elements, which, when taken together, account for (and help in) the decisions an author may make in creating a text out of improvised speech. The investigation is also a search for the notion of 'theatricality' in the context of authentic speech and uses various forms of theatrical performance as examples, ranging from amateur improvisation to TV and film productions, Commedia dell'Arte to modern, immersive theatre. Finally, application of the theoretical frameworks is made to a current theatre project, The Plant.

Item Type: Thesis (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD))
Thesis advisor: Scott, Jeremy
Thesis advisor: May, Shaun
DOI/Identification number: 10.22024/UniKent/01.02.93528
Uncontrolled keywords: Drama linguistics playwriting improvisation theatricality cognitive poetics
Subjects: P Language and Literature
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Arts and Humanities > School of English
SWORD Depositor: System Moodle
Depositing User: System Moodle
Date Deposited: 09 Mar 2022 16:10 UTC
Last Modified: 10 Mar 2022 10:45 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/93528 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Fitchett, Jonathan Neil.

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