Part of the recently set up School of Performing Arts, the Theatre Studies course opens new doors for prospective students.

The Theatre Studies course focuses strongly on the practical aspect with regular student-led productions. Photo: Jeremy de Maria

Thanks to a revamped Theatre Studies course as part of the recently set up School of Performing Arts at the University of Malta, never have there been so many opportunities open to aspiring theatre professionals.

With a team of highly-qualified tutors – led by Vicki Ann Cremona as chairman of the school and Frank Camilleri as head of Theatre Studies – and a new structure that makes employability a priority, the course promises to help students reach new standards and opportunities that were hitherto unavailable in Malta.

Under the new structure, the School of Performance Arts enjoys full operational independence as part of the University of Malta. The school is now in its second year of operation as an independent entity – prior to that, the departments of dance, music and theatre formed part of the Mediterranean Institute. The change was necessary to reflect modern-day realities.

“The situation wasn’t ideal. We look at theatrical studies from a global and holistic point of view, not simply from the geographic perspective of the Mediterranean,” Cremona said.

With Camilleri joining the team after returning to Malta recently, the department has now reached its full complement with revised study units and an updated programme that makes the structure more relevant to the 21st century.

The new structure has resulted in increased cross-discipline and collective performances between the different artistic disciplines. The approach reflects inter-national trends, with projects being student-led and tutors acting as mentors.

“The new set-up has allowed the course to take a new, more effective direction. We are now totally focused on our agenda, which is to raise the quality of performing arts and culture in Malta,” Camilleri said.

Originally set up in 1989, the Theatre Studies programme has already been responsible for a number of success stories, with many of those involved in formulating cultural policy in Malta – as well as artistic practitioners – being former students.

The new structure, Cremona adds, bears the upcoming V18 strongly in mind, with one of the aims being to equip students with the necessary knowledge and qualifications to collaborate on V18-related projects.

“This approach is not new, but now it’s taken a life of its own. The run-up to V18 is a very exciting time for anyone who has the arts at heart, and we want our students to be as involved as possible in every aspect.”

Degrees are being offered at the highest levels, with studies at the school leading to a BA, an MA or even a PhD. The school also solicits collaborations with other drama schools and theatre practices on the island.

“One criticism that the theatre course has always encountered is that we are too ‘theoretical’, whatever that means. This was not true before and it certainly is not true now,” Camilleri explained.

The course addresses three main focal points – theory, history and practice. Whereas before the three areas overlapped, the new structure has given them a completely distinct identity, which means that each area is awarded the due importance while always informing the others. The course also encourages interdisciplinarity, with connections both to the humanities and the sciences.

Employability is highon the agenda

The practical aspect of theatre has been boosted under the new structure. Students are trained into various aspects of theatre, such as staging a play, producing it and even dealing with the financial aspect.

“Even the theoretical elements, such as texts, are approached from a practical and interactive point of view. For instance, we might focus on interpretations of a classic text,” Cremona continued.

Her colleague agrees, adding that employability is high on the agenda, and that it’s not simply a question of “producing good actors”.

“Theatre studies offer a useful background even in other professional areas. What we teach here is not just ‘content’ but transferable skills such as researching, oral and written presentations, funding applications and so forth. These are all very important aspects in the 21st-century working world, when people often have to invent their job descriptions.”

As an example, Cremona explains how her knowledge of world culture assisted the career in diplomacy that she eventually embarked on. “My original skills were theatre-related. They helped no end,” she says.

The course takes into account all aspects of theatre-related occupations, including applied performance (such as community theatre) and arts management. The idea is to offer a rounded dimension of the whole reality, as opposed to specific parts of it. Specialisation can occur at a later stage, at MA level or during a PhD for instance.

“Many of our MA graduates went off to pursue a career, or further studies, abroad. We find that our students perform and fit in very well with other international students. It is no longer the time to ask ‘but what will I do with a BA or MA in Theatre Studies’? The course opens up myriad opportunities,” Camilleri assures me.

One advantage is that the course is not audition based. Entry requirements are on a par with similar courses offered by the University of Malta and the courses attract a diverse crowd with backgrounds hailing from the arts, communications, sciences and even economics.

“Obviously, it’s more of a challenge if you have to start from scratch, but we do offer the training.”

The possibilities of introducing a part-time option is also being discussed. This is in line with the belief that the expressive arts need to take more of an important role even within school curricula. The theatre school also services other faculities, offering credits as a secondary area and the option has proven popular with various faculties.

“You don’t need to aspire to be an actor to find the course interesting and/or useful,” he concludes.

www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/214620/thsbrochure.pdf