A Level Drama & Theatre

How does an actor play and breathe life into his role? Or a director give life to the ideas in the play? How do you interpret a plain script into a stunning visual performance? If you’d like to learn how to do all of this and more, A Level Drama & Theatre is for you. This highly practical programme provides you with the opportunity to work as either a performer or designer.

Course Overview

In Component 1 you interpret a text, of your own choice, for performance. You also reinterpret a second text to create a piece of theatre which is a combination of the selected text and original ideas. There is one written exam which focuses on text presentation for performance. The second year provides you with the opportunity to work on three different performances, engaging in script and devised work. In the final Component, you will complete a written exam focused on three set texts.

Throughout both years, you will experience a range of opportunities to create theatre, both published texts and devised work. You will participate as a theatre maker and as an audience member in live theatre, and you will understand and experience the collaborative relationship between various roles within theatre. You will develop and demonstrate a range of theatre making skills.

Entry Requirements

All students studying A Levels should have at least five GCSEs at grade 9 – 5 in academic subjects, including English Language at grade 5. Two of these should be grade 6. Having studied GCSE Drama, Dance or Expressive Arts would be an obvious advantage, but is not essential. All applicants must successfully pass an audition.

Assessment Information

FIRST YEAR

Component 1: Performance Workshop, 60% of qualification
Learners participate in the creation, development and performance of:
1. An extract
2. A reinterpretation using the techniques of a theatre practitioner
3. A creative log
Component 2: Text in Context, Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes, 40% of qualification
Machinal, Sophie Treadwell

SECOND YEAR

Component 1: Theatre Workshop, 20% of qualification
Learners participate in the creation, development and performance of:
1. A reinterpretation using the techniques of a theatre practitioner
2. A creative log
Component 2: Text in Action, 40% of qualification
Learners participate in the creation, development and performance of:
1. Two pieces of theatre based on a stimulus
2.An evaluation report
Component 3: Text in Performance written examination: 2 hours 30 minute, 40% of qualification
Section A and B – Machinal, Sophie Treadwell and Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Dario Fo
Section C – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens

Career Opportunities

The majority of A Level Drama students go on to take the subject as either a single or combined subject at university or drama school. It is an excellent subject for acceptance on most creative courses such as English, Media, Art or Creative Writing but it is also widely accepted for most courses in Humanities, such as History, Sociology and Psychology. There is an increased awareness of the many positive attributes and transferable skills offered by studying Drama and it is now acknowledged as a useful qualification for a wide range of careers including the legal profession, teaching, the media and marketing.