A Level Drama and Theatre

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. It 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.

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.

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