Drama and Theatre Studies

Course summary

Drama and Theatre Studies should appeal to anyone with a love of theatre. The course provides the opportunity to study plays in depth from the points of view of directors, designers, actors and critics. The A-Level is a discrete subject meaning that students who have not taken Drama at GCSE will not be significantly disadvantaged, although they will need to demonstrate their abilities as an actor/designer before acceptance onto the course. Drama and Theatre Studies is a balance between the academic and the creative, exploring theatre-making from a range of different angles. Students gain independence in the creation of their practical pieces, as well as in the outline of their directorial and design visions for the plays they study in class. Students enjoy frequent trips to the theatre which develops their understanding of a range of contexts, eras and theatrical styles. What will I study? • Theatre Reimagination This unit introduces you to a wide range of different theatrical styles which you’ll study practically and through watching a wide range of theatre productions. You will get the opportunity to stage your re-imagined scripted piece; for example, a modernized Shakespeare set in a bar, a physical Faustus or a dark and comic 1927-style take on A Doll’s House. • Text in Action You will be staging two different theatre pieces, loosely based on a central theme. One is a scripted performance piece from a play, the other will be a devised piece. Both will be influenced by the theatre practitioners you will study during the course • Text in Performance This unit involves the study of three set texts: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – by Tennessee Williams; Love and Information – by Carol Churchill and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – by Haddon and Stevens. The historical, social and political contexts will serve as the basis for exploring the text about acting, directing, costume, set, lighting, sound and make-up.