Drama

What is the nature of Drama at IGCSE level?

The IGCSE Drama course aims to develop students’ understanding of Drama through practical and theoretical study, enabling students to realise the performance possibilities of text and other stimuli. It encourages the use of dramatic forms and structures to communicate feelings and ideas to an audience. Students are not required to have prior formal academic experience. However, an enjoyment of collaborative work, creative expressions and enthusiasm for creating and analysing performance is essential.

What is the approach to learning?

The IGCSE Drama curriculum fosters the acquisition and development of performance skills specific to the subject along with transferable skills through individual and group work. The curriculum also aims to develop an understanding of the processes leading to performance and the elements involved in creating a performance. Students will also develop their ability to reflect across the various stages of performance work, setting goals that enable them to achieve their intended impact.

As part of their studies, students will be given the opportunity to watch a number of performances, engage with visiting practitioners through workshops and attend International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA) events and festivals.

What is the subject content?

Learners develop an understanding and enjoyment of drama through practical and theoretical study. Students will study:

 The elements of practical drama.  How to work with extracts from published plays as an actor, director and designer.  How to devise, develop and structure their own original dramatic material from stimuli such as short titles, poems, pictures, songs, historical events and stories.  How to evaluate their contribution to the devising process and the success of the final piece.  How to use staging and design as part of a dramatic performance.  Individual and group performance skills and how they are applied to create character and communicate meaning to an audience.

Due to the performative nature of the subject, the content of the course centres around performance related activities. Through practical and theoretical study, students develop an understanding and enjoyment of drama, developing group and individual skills and studying ways to communicate ideas and feelings to an audience. Students work with extended extracts from published plays, stimuli such as short titles, poems, pictures, songs, historical events and stories for devising dramatic pieces and their own choice of dramatic repertoire. Students will also work with dramatic material for their own devising work. Students will develop their individual and group performance skills, the demonstration of which forms part of the final assessment. .

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There are two final assessment components:

• A written examination. The questions on this paper relate to the pre-release material provided by the examination board. Questions will cover a variety of aspects of acting, devising, directing and design (costume and make-up, lighting, props, scenography, set, sound). • Coursework that is submitted:

An individual performance that is based on an extract from a play.

A group performance that is based on an extract from a play.

A group performance of an original devised piece.

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