Drama
AS LEVEL
Unit 1 Exploration of drama and theatre 15%
In this unit you will be introduced to at least two plays, by one or more playwrights.
You may also look at the work of some famous theatre directors or theatre companies.
Your tutor will take you through the chosen plays to look at the ways in which a play is put together, and to examine what you have to do to bring it to life on the stage.
The plays that you study could have been written quite recently or hundreds of years ago, and you will learn something about the conditions under which a play was first written and performed.
As well as undertaking detailed practical study of the plays, you will begin to acquire a wider vocabulary and knowledge of drama and theatre, to use in the rest of the course.
Your tutor will explore the two plays with you through a series of practical workshops.
You will be assessed on both your practical work and notes that you keep about what you have learnt about the two plays.
Your work for this unit will be marked by your tutor.
Unit 2 Text in performance – 20%
In this unit you will perform a role in a production of a play.
The play will not have been studied in Unit 1, but could be by one of the playwrights studied in that unit.
In preparation for this unit you will take part in workshops that will help you to develop your performance or design skills.
Your tutor may well try out several different scenes from different plays to find a play that suits the group and you as an individual.
You may also be asked to audition for a part in the play.
As a performer, you will have to learn lines and think about how to play a part in order to convince your tutor (the director), that you are the right person for the role.
If you have an interest in lighting, sound, set, mask or costume design, you can discuss with your tutor the possibilities of taking on a role on the production side. If you are also studying Art and Design, you might find that this part of the course is a useful and original way of developing and applying your art and design skills.
The exam for this unit takes the form of a practical test. You will be assessed on how well you use your performing or design skills in the performance.
This unit is linked with Unit 3 and during the rehearsals you will need to keep notes to record your thoughts, observations and questions about the production. You will be able to refer to these notes during the examination for Unit 3.
A2 LEVEL
Unit 4 Devising 20%
For this unit, you will work in a group of between three and twelve students to devise an original piece of drama for presentation to an audience.
This will be based on criteria set by your tutor: a stimulus such as an idea, a fragment of a story, or an image; a specific audience such as primary school children; or both.
You will be assessed on your personal contribution to the devising process and the performance.
You will need to keep a Structured Record that will enable you to reflect upon and analyse the process.
You will be encouraged to devise a different kind of drama from the plays you looked at in Units 1, 2 and 3.
Your tutor will be marking you on both the creative process and the performance.
Three quarters of the marks will be based upon the content of your Structured Record and your tutor’s observations, and the other quarter upon your performance as an actor or your contribution as a designer.
The performance will be recorded on video.
Unit 5 Text in Performance – II 15%
This unit focuses on the in-depth study of one further play studied from the point of view of a director, designer or performer.
You will explore the chosen play and select an appropriate scene or montage of scenes to demonstrate the essence of your interpretation in a workshop performance.
You will work in a group of between 3 and 6 on a presentation lasting between 15 and 30 minutes.
You can be assessed on your contribution to the performance as a performer, a designer or as a director.
The workshop performance will be assessed by a visiting examiner.
Unit 6 Text in Context – II 15%
This unit requires the study of a further two plays.
In Section A you will study one play from a choice of two from the point of view of a director and you will be required to develop and shape your ideas for a fully thought through production.
The choice in this section for 2002 and 2003 is either ‘The Beggar’s Opera’ by John Gay of ‘The Trojan Women’ by Euripides and Edexcel will provide you with your own copy of the script to work on.
In Section B you are required to study and research the production history of a play written and performed between 1575 and 1720 and to evaluate the ways in which directors, designers and performers have used the medium of drama to interpret the chosen play.
This should include a contemporary production of the play seen at first hand.
Section A (10%) requires you to relate your ideas for the whole play to an extract set in the examination and to answer a general question demonstrating your knowledge and understanding of the social, cultural and/or historical contexts of the play.
Section B (5%) requires you to compare two productions of the play that you have researched and to evaluate the effectiveness of the way in which the medium of drama has been used to create the performances.
You will have two and a half hours to complete the examination questions.