A-Level Drama

Course summary

This qualification emphasises practical creativity alongside research and theoretical understanding. Students learn through experience, seeing theatre and making theatre for themselves. Students are introduced to a wide range of theatrical styles and contexts as they explore plays practically and devise and work on performances. Students choose to develop as a: • performer • designer (lighting, sound, set, costume, puppets) • director • combination of these. Whichever option they choose, students will gain many invaluable skills, both theatrical and transferable, to expand their horizons. Course content Component 1: Drama and theatre • Knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre • Study of two set plays, one chosen from List A, one chosen from List B • Analysis and evaluation of the work of live theatre makers Component 2: Creating original drama • Process of creating devised drama • Performance of devised drama (students may contribute as performer, designer or director) • Devised piece must be influenced by the work and methodologies of one prescribed practitioner Component 3: Making theatre (practical) • Practical exploration and interpretation of Extract 1, 2 and 3, each taken from a different play • Methodology of a prescribed practitioner must be applied to Extract 3 • Extract 3 is to be performed as a final assessed piece (students may contribute as performer, designer or director) • Reflective report analysing and evaluating theatrical interpretation of all three extracts