Drama and Theatre Studies
Exam Board: AQA GCE Drama and Theatre Studies
Coursework: Practical Presentations for AS and A2
The subject
Choose Theatre because:
• It is relevant.
• You like acting, directing and working as part of a group.
• You want to explore your feelings.
• You are interested in human relationships and society.
• You are interested in literature and cinema.
• You enjoy devising.
Examples of practitioners studied:
Constantin Stanislavski Oscar Wilde
William Shakespeare Frantic Assembly
Federico Garcia Lorca Bertolt Brecht
Kneehigh Theatre Company
The course
You will study contemporary and pre 20th century drama. You will be encouraged to develop personal and imaginative responses to texts and live performance through workshops, theatre visits and individual study. You will develop skills for devising drama and performing extracts from plays. You will also learn about dramatic analysis, and about the theories of key practitioners. You will make links between the works you are studying and the period and culture in which they were written.
The AS-level
Unit 1: Live Theatre Productions Seen and Prescribed Play
You will analyse and review a range of contrasting theatre productions, and study one set play from a performance perspective.
Assessment by examination.
Unit 2: Presentation of an Extract from a Play
Working in groups, you will develop and present an extract from a published play allied to the study of an influential director, designer, theatre company or other practitioner.
Assessment by coursework.
The A2-level
Unit 3: Further Prescribed Plays including Pre-Twentieth Century
You will study one pre-20th century play, and one contemporary play from a performance perspective.
Assessment by examination.
Unit 4: Presentation of Devised Drama
Working in groups, you will research a chosen theatrical style and develop and present a devised drama influenced by the chosen style.
Assessment by coursework.
The one-year course
Drama and Theatre Studies is not available as a one-year course.
