Performing Arts

Our A-level Drama and Theatre offers students the opportunity to explore drama as a practical art form, in which ideas and meaning are communicated to an audience through choices of form, style and convention.​

Qualifications to start the course

Minimum entry requirements for all A Level courses are minimum of 8 GCSE subjects, with an average grade of 6 (legacy grade B) or above; including at least a grade 6 or above in GCSE English Language (or Literature) and GCSE mathematics and a grade 6 or above in GCSE Science.

Drama and Theatre studies builds on skills already developed at GCSE. Although, studying Drama at GCSE  would be very beneficial to the course is not essential.

Description of the subject

Students cover a range of plays from across genres, drawing comparisons and analysing ideas and themes in depth. There is a lot of emphasis placed on interpretation of plays and the how the directors would realise them for the audience; as well as performing plays, getting under the skin of characters and creating your own original Drama.

Throughout the course, the focus is on analysing the ways in which plays are told and thereby constructing and reimagining different realities;  a significant element to this is understanding the social, political, cultural and historical context in which the play are produced and thinking about the ways in which we understand them as an audience.

Assessment of this very enjoyable course consists of 3 examinations

1. Devise an original performance piece. Using one key extract from a performance text and a theatre practitioner as stimuli.
2. A group performance/design realisation of one key extract from a performance text. A monologue or duologue performance/design realisation from one key extract from a different performance text​
3. Live theatre evaluation. Practical exploration and study of a complete performance text, focusing on how this can be realised for performance. Practical exploration and interpretation of another complete performance text, in light of a chosen theatre practitioner, focusing on how this text could be reimagined for a contemporary audience.

What you will do

Students will:

• Create, perform and respond to drama and theatre
• Develop the creativity and independence to become effective theatre makers
• Explore the relationship between theory and practice in a range of theatrical styles and periods and historical, social and cultural contexts
• Learn how relevant research, independent thought and analysis of live theatre production can inform decision making in their practical work and put this understanding into practice
• Experience the ways in which theatre makers collaborate to create theatre.

Future prospects

A-level Drama and Theatre  is a solid foundation for any subject at university. Top Universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, favour students who have study Drama as they perceive as more rounded academically.  On completion of their A Level students will be skilled, confident communicators and excellent critical thinkers and have the ability to view the world from different perspectives .

Theatre Studies is a good course to link up with Art,  English Lang and  Lit,Psychology,  History, Media, Music, Sociology . Careers pathways include  Educators, Medicine, Law, ​Social worker, Theatre industry;  Art Administrators, Performers, Directors, Designers, Producers, and more.