Drama and Theatre

Why study this subject?

A Level Drama and Theatre is the perfect course if you are genuinely interested in theatre and want to deepen your knowledge, understanding and experience of a wider range of theatrical genres, styles and skills. You will develop theoretical and practical experience, be plunged into the world of professional and influential theatre-makers and have multiple opportunities to create your own theatre as a performer and/ or a designer.

What skills will you develop?

You develop creative, collaborative, organisational and problem-solving skills as well as performance and design skills.

Key to the course is the skill of analysis: this involves the practical analysis of a set text or a live production but also the analysis and evaluation of your own creative process both in discussion and in written supporting documents, for which you will develop the valuable skill of editing and concision.

What are the key elements to the course?

There are three components: 1. You will study two set texts from a practical perspective, considering the “page to stage” process as director, designer and performer. You will develop your ability to describe, analyse and evaluate Live Theatre productions. 2. You will devise a piece of original theatre. You and your group will select the stimulus and will develop your work in the style of a chosen theatre practitioner. In addition to performing or designing for the piece, you will write about the creative process and how it developed in the rehearsal room and in line with the chosen practitioner’s methodology and your own dramatic aims. 3. You will work as an actor or a designer on extracts from three different plays, applying the style and approach of a different theatre practitioner to one of them. Again, you will explain, analyse and evaluate your creative process in a written supporting document.