Drama & Theatre Studies A Level

This is an A Level which comprises practical work, set plays, the study of theatre practitioners and work on live theatre productions. It requires a willingness to work as part of a team, good communication skills and an ability to think creatively. It is a challenging and demanding discipline both intellectually and artistically. Drama and Theatre is an academic subject.

Content and Assessment Overview

Component 1: Devising (40 %) (Internally assessed)

Students devise an original performance piece using one key extract from a performance text and a theatre practitioner as stimuli. They must produce a written portfolio of between 2500-3000 words and the devised performance/ design realisation.

Creating a devised performance, includes:

• exploring an extract from a text in light of a practitioner

• using this exploration to create ideas for a devised piece

• working collaboratively to develop these ideas

• analysing and evaluating the development process and your contribution to it

• analysing and evaluating your performance

• recording this process in a portfolio

Component 2: Text in Performance (20%) (Externally assessed by visiting examiner)

Students present a group performance/ design realisation of one key extract from a performance text and a monologue or duologue performance from a key extract from a different performance text.

Taking part in two extract performances from two different texts, one a monologue or duologue and the other a group piece, includes:

• developing performance and/or design skills

• understanding the context of the extracts within the text

• articulating your intention for the character you are performing or the design you have created

• communicating your intention through performance

Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice (40%) (Externally assessed)

Students will sit a 2 hour 30 minute exam. This will ask students to evaluate a live theatre performance they have seen, explain how they would realise an extract from a performance text they have studied and produce an extended answer on another performance text they have studied.

Practical exploration of a set text, including:

• understanding of style, genre, structure, form

• interpretation of characters

• consideration of staging, including lighting, set and sound

• consideration of costume and make up

• understanding of social, historical and cultural context

• how meaning is communicated to an audience.

Re-imagining of a set text for a contemporary audience in light of a practitioner, including:

• exploring the work of a practitioner and considering how that would affect their re-imagined production

• interpretation of characters and understanding of style, genre, structure, form

• consideration of staging, including lighting, set and sound and costume

• understanding of social, historical and cultural context

• how meaning is communicated to an audience.

Analysing and evaluating a piece of live theatre, including:

• watching a piece of live theatre

• producing notes to document their response to it.

Assessment Method

• Coursework; one per year

• Internal and external assessment of performance

• Written examination in June of Upper Sixth

Links to other subjects:

English Language/Literature, Art, Music, Classics, Design and Technology, History, Religious Education.

Links to HE courses:

Drama, Theatre and Performance, Law, Journalism, Commerce, Social Sciences, Communication/Personnel, Cultural Studies.

Academically, it is expected that students entering Birkdale’s Sixth Form will have achieved a minimum of 5 passes (9 to 5) at GCSE, with at least 4 at grade 6 or higher; we would expect 6 or higher GCSE grades in those subjects being studied to A level. A grade 6 is required to study A Level English and Mathematics, although a grade 7 is preferred in Mathematics. Prospective Further Mathematicians should achieve a grade 7 in GCSE Mathematics although a grade 8 is preferred. In addition at Birkdale we look beyond the academic and would wish applicants to become fully involved in the life of the school, offering their skills and abilities in one or more of a number of areas (e.g. drama, sport, music, clubs and societies, etc).