Drama

GCSE

The Drama course combines practical and academic work, and whilst it is true to say that a great deal of time s spent on one’s feet, devising and rehearsing, the writing of sensitive, analytical essays is also vital. A pupil can expect to read several play texts, one of which will be the subject of an examination at the end of the course. S/he can expect to see a number of professional and amateur theatrical productions, and develop the habit of analysing them critically from the point of view of performer, technician, director and designer. There is a number of practical options for the coursework element, and to date many pupils have favoured the devised piece in which small groups work towards a presentation from an initial stimulus. 

By the end of the two-year course, the drama student will have honed his or her skills as a performer/director, and learned to think critically about drama as an art- form. It is a subject that requires energy, and creativity. One must be generous and committed, as there is a lotof team work; one must be literate and perfectionist, as there is a lot of writing.

Sixth Form

Theatre Studies is a stimulating, practical course which will take you beyond GCSE Drama into the study of demanding play-texts and the theories of revolutionary theatre practitioners. You will visit London and the provinces to see stimulating plays; you will be involved in performing plays as well as devising your own drama. You may wish to specialise in design work or acting; you will certainly want to create drama that is innovative and interesting. You must be a hard-working individual and a team-player, and you must be keen to improve your essay-writing technique. This A Level has a real academic backbone, so whilst you will find yourself on your feet in the theatre ‘doing’, be prepared for a lot of reading and writing, and endless discussion.

We follow the AQA AS and A2 courses. There is practical coursework which is assessed in the Lent term; the exam testing your knowledge of set-texts, theatre history and productions-seen takes place in the Summer term. If you choose this course, you will meet the following challenges:

AS
• Practical drama – can you, in a group, produce a scripted play?
• Set texts – can you absorb, understand and interpret one play-text?
• Can you analyse a live production you have seen, and comment upon the practical application of drama-theory?

A2
• Practical drama again – can you, in a group, devise a 30-minute piece of theatre?
• Set texts again – this time there are two set texts. Can you absorb and interpret one pre-twentieth century text and one twentieth century text?
• Alongside this work you need to study a theatre practitioner and finds links from his work to the work you have experienced while studying this course.

A Theatre Studies class is composed, ideally, of pupils who love the theatre and are keen to get up and participate. A pupil should be open-minded and keen to experience different forms of theatre: the set texts studied are not easy, and often involve research into the historical and social context. Shakespeare will almost inevitably appear on the list, as will other unfamiliar, deeply rewarding playwrights. Essay technique becomes ever more important as the months go by, and you will have to develop a concise, incisive style of writing.

The skills taught on this course are much prized by university tutors and employers: the course will help you to develop confidence as a thinker and as a speaker, as well as a performer. Negotiation skills, lateral-thinking skills, and the ability to marry the written word with the artistic image are all fundamental. If you are considering a career that involves creativity and communication, this course is for you.