Academic Subjects Drama & Theatre Studies
Drama & Theatre Studies
Drama & Theatre Studies
Aims and Philosophy
“The experience of being part of a theatre audience is not simply passive. It’s not like watching TV; it’s not even like watching a film in the cinema. Everyone in that space is alive, and everyone is focused on one central activity. And everyone contributes. The actors contribute their performance; the audience contributes their attention, their silence, their laughter, their applause, their respect… I can remember evenings in the theatres, which were among the most important things I’ve ever known…Theatre feeds the heart and nourishes the soul and enlarges the spirit.” Philip Pullman
The aim of Drama teaching is to help students to understand the world around them, the world in which they live. Drama should work towards improving the way in which students can work with one another. It should develop the students’ ability to concentrate, listen, focus, take instruction and gain satisfaction for achieving positive results within a team environment. It is, in many ways, the best team game of all.
Why students enjoy this subject
Isabel Quinzaños, student of Theatre Studies 2002-2004 and Head Girl Summer Term 2004: “For me, doing Theatre Studies opened up a completely new dimension of life. It taught me a lot about people and especially about me. Theatre Studies at Millfield made me decide that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Zoe Lafferty, student of Theatre Studies 2002-2004. Zoe won a place on the Foundation course at the Oxford School of Speech and Drama: “Theatre Studies is an exciting, physically and mentally challenging subject, involving far more than a bit of acting and a written paper. It is a subject that includes Science, History, English and Psychology mixed in with creativity and a lot of hard work from its students – always assisted by a highly interactive department.”
Phases Taught
At present, all Year 9 students receive approximately eight hours of Drama lessons on a rota basis, which are taught during English lessons by Drama Specialists. There is also a Junior Drama Club run twice a week to help develop and train the younger members of the School.
Students can choose to study Drama at GCSE Level and Theatre Studies at AS and A2 Level.
What sort of work do students do?
Studying Drama is not easy! It is a misconception that Drama is only standing around pretending to be a tree. It is not! It is a serious academic study of the theatrical arts, the self and the world that we live in.
The main emphasis of the subject is a practical exploration of dramatic texts and ideas. However, at A Level and GCSE there is a great deal of written work to be done and students are expected to work hard. The Department expects students to be responsible to the group and hand in their completed work on time.
IT SHOULD BE MADE CLEAR TO ANY STUDENT THINKING OF STUDYING DRAMA AT GCSE OR A LEVEL THAT THE SUBJECT REQUIRES HUGE AMOUNTS OF REHEARSAL TIME AND ALL DRAMA STUDENTS HAVE TO WORK ON SOME SUNDAYS DURING THE YEAR IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEIR PROJECTS FOR THE PRACTICAL EXAMS.
Opportunities for theatre visits and trips
It is an essential part of studying Drama that students visit the theatre.
The department frequently organises visits to the Bristol Old Vic, Bath Theatre Royal, National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford and West End Theatres. Millfield is geographically well placed to visit theatres all over the country.
A Level students will visit the theatre at least three times every term.
GCSE students will visit the theatre at least once a term.
The department also arrange trips overseas eg Broadway, New York in October 2005. Other ‘Big Trips ‘have included a week at the Edinburgh Festival and a week at the National Student Drama Festival in Scarborough. This Autumn half term there was a highly successful department trip to New York to see the sights and sounds of Broadway. We attended three shows and took part in two workshops with actors and directors from the Broadway circuit. The department are currently planning a trip to South Africa in the Summer of 2008, where we hope to work on a community project with the LEAP school.
The Assessment Methods and Board
The exam board undertaken at both GCSE, AS and A2 is AQA.
GCSE
The GCSE course is assessed by 40% written work (one written exam) and 60% practical work.
The Practical Work
Students undertake two different options (both worth 30%) for practical work from the following:
- Scripted work
- Devised thematic work for performance to an audience
- Improvisation
- Theatre in Education presentation
- Dance/drama
In any of the options students are assessed on one of the following skills:
Acting, Set, Costume, Make-up, Properties, Masks, Puppets, Lighting, Sound, Stage Management.
(Students should note that for each practical exam they are also required to write a short comparative essay to show an understanding and sense of ownership of their own work.)
Millfield students tend to choose Acting (this is very much a specialty of the Department) but it is possible to choose from any of the options.
The Written Work
There is only one written exam (2 hours) at GCSE
- Section A – Set Text -‘Twelfth Night’ by William Shakespeare/ ‘Blue Remembered Hills’ by Dennis Potter/ ‘The Crucible’ by Arthur Miller
- Section B – Response to a Live Performance seen during the GCSE course
AS/A2
The AS/A2 course is by 60% Written Work and 40% Practical Work
_The Practical Work _ (Students should note that as part of their practical mark they are required to write a detailed portfolio on their process.) At AS and A2 students are assessed on one of the following skills:
- Acting (this is the most popular option)
- Costume Design and Construction
- Design and Execution of Stage Setting(s)
- Mask Design and Construction
- Technical Elements – Lighting and/or Sound design
_The Written Work _
AS – Paper 2 -The Set Texts (30%)
- Section A – ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ by William Shakespeare
- Section B – ‘Playhouse Creatures’ by April de Angelis
AS – Paper 3 – Practitioner and Response to Live Performance (30%)
- Section A – Artaud
- Section B – Response to a Live Performance seen during the AS course
A2 – Paper 5 – Set Texts (30%)
- Section A – ‘Hedda Gabler’ by Henrik Ibsen
- Section B – ‘Our Country’s Good’ by Timberlake Wertenbaker
A2 – Paper 6 – Practitioner and Unseen Text (30%)
- Section A – Brecht
- Section B – Response to an Unseen Extract
Useful quotations on why students should study Drama
“Not everyone is going to be an actor, even at GCSE Level, but nowadays everyone needs drama skills in one form or another. This is the age of the ‘presentation’ where products and ideas are sold in a competitive market-place by the strength of the presenter and his/her powers of delivery. The scientist, the business executive, the engineer, the bank manager, the retail executive, the designer, none are exempt.” Jeni Whittaker
“The Greeks believed that it was a citizen’s duty to watch a play. It was a kind of work in that it required attention, judgment, patience, all social virtues.” “The theatre is an expression of civilization. We belong to a great country which has spawned great playwrights……we, this colony of a few hundred, will be watching this play together, for a few hours we will no longer be despised prisoners and hated gaolers. We will laugh, we may be moved, we may even think a little. Can you suggest something else that will provide such an evening?” from Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker
“Theatre is a serious business, one that makes or should make man more human, which is to say, less alone” Arthur Miller, playwright
“Theatre has the power to steal up and jolt the muscle back into action. Sitting in a theatre among others who have been stirred gives us hope and courage. We disperse in the street, but we are left with a hint of our collective power. Indifference allows atrocities to happen. It is vital that we dare to care.” Harriet Walter, actor and writer
How do successful students take the subject into the next phase of their studies/career?
It is another misconception that an A Level in Drama and Theatre Studies will not be useful in applications to top universities. University admissions tutors are aware of how demanding the Drama and Theatre Studies course is and that those who get A grades in the subject are likely to be extremely efficient, adept at working with others and also capable of coping well under pressure.
The Millfield Drama department is committed to producing students who are well trained in using their voice and physicality to communicate successfully. It is also a great concern that students learn to write clearly, intellectually and analytically; a life skill that will help all students in whatever they do in the future. The Department has an excellent track record of getting Sixth Formers into top accredited UK and US Drama Schools. We coach students thoroughly for auditions and provide references.
In recent years the department has also been very successful in getting students into the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, which is an excellent stepping stone for any young person interested in Drama and a profession in the performance arts. The NYT is a hotbed of young creative talent and many of the best known names in the entertainment industry started out in the company, including Sir Ben Kingsley, Dame Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Daniel Day-Lewis, David Walliams and Matt Lucas.