Digital Theatre Plus (DT+) is now available to NIE students and staff.
Theatre students and faculty may wonder how DT+ is different from Drama Online, another theatre-themed database that is available in NIE, and when one should be used over the other.
Assistant Professor Marcus Tan from the Visual and Performing Arts Academic Group shares insights on the the differences between the two databases, and how they can be used for teaching and learning.
DT+
According to Prof. Tan, DT+ is an ideal resource for students and staff who are looking for video productions of contemporary theatre companies such as Complicité and Forced Entertainment. These videos which are highly relevant to theatre studies can be difficult to obtain. Short of approaching the production companies directly, one would be hard-pressed to find them anywhere else previously.
He recalled that when he was a PhD student, he had to make his way to the Complicité archive in London in order to view a performance recording of A Disappearing Number. Today, this award-winning play is easily accessible via the DT+ database.
In addition to video resources, Prof. Tan also highlighted the text resources available in DT+, which can be found under the ‘Series’ menu. This section is filled with collections that consist of “commissioned interviews and lectures with leading academics and directors”. One such example is the comprehensive ‘Boal Collection’ which includes “curated essays on the famous Brazilian theatre maker Agusto Boal”.
Accessing the 'Concise Introduction' collection on DT+
Another hidden gem within ‘Series’, according to Prof. Tan, is a collection titled ‘Concise Introductions’ which comprises specially commissioned essays by leading scholars on core topics (such as Acting and Actor Training, Movements and Genres, Playwriting and Adaptation) and practitioners. These accessible and authoritative essays are an “invaluable” in helping students gain a better understanding of key concepts, issues and themes. Furthermore, the essays provide links to material from other sections and videos in DT+”. As such, when used as a teaching resource they will provide a comprehensive learning experience.
Comparison of Drama Online and DT+
Drama Online
A more comprehensive collection of Shakespeare productions as well as The National Theatre’s collection
Access to full-length playtexts of original plays by notable and contemporary playwrights such as Samuel Beckett, Caryl Churchill and Henrik Ibsen which DT+ does not have
Full-length books and theatre criticism on Theatre Craft published by Bloomsbury on practical aspects of theatre-making such as acting, voice, and directing
Critical essays that will are useful for research or student essays or projects
DT+
More contemporary productions than Drama Online. Some productions such as those by Complicité and Forced Entertainment are only available in DT+.
Informative video interviews and lectures with practitioners and researchers, such as the ones featuring Peter Brook and Richard Eyre
Videos on practical theatre (‘Practitioners on Practice’) for students who are devising or creating theatre work
Teaching/learning resources that provide overview of key themes, concepts, people, and issues in theatre studies
In summary, each database offers some unique content. While Drama Online has a stronger collection of Shakespeare plays and productions from The National Theatre, DT+ provides access to more contemporary productions. For researchers and students, the content of both databases complement each other.
A Recommendation for Theatre Lovers
With the wide variety of productions available on DT+, we ask Prof. Tan what he would recommend for fellow theatre lovers and here's what he has to say:
“I’m a fan of Simon McBurney and Complicité, so do watch the brilliant production of A Disappearing Number. It’s a poignant, provocative work based on the life of Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.”
You can also discover and stream more theatre productions available on DT+ here.