Drama

Drama is taught in all year groups in Lower School. It is also an option at GCSE and A Level.

In each year group the girls follow a broad curriculum including one classical text, modern drama, devised work and the methodologies of practitioners. The work is practical, fun and collaborative. A large number of pupils pursue Speech and Drama as an extra subject, taking Trinity graded examinations. Each year there is a major school production, either a play or a musical as well as a junior play. All girls have the opportunity to perform or work backstage in the Inter-House Drama Competition. There are opportunities at every stage of production, from conception to performance, writing and choosing plays, building and painting sets, designing costumes, lighting and stage management as well as acting.

Curriculum – KS3

In the Thirds, pupils explore magic in Shakespeare’s work with a particular focus on A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They use RSC methods such as creating soundscapes and using the ensemble to create atmosphere. Pupils also work on a modern play called Lion Boy by Zizou Corder, which they perform using methods from the practitioner, Complicite. They get to set their imagination free by devising work based around the theme of magic. In the final term they work on Musical Theatre and perform short extracts from productions such as Matilda and The Lion King.

In the Lower Fourth, pupils explore comedy in Shakespeare’s work, with a particular focus on Twelfth Night. They look at the methodologies of Frantic Assembly and apply these to a devised piece of work. They study and perform the play Alice by Laura Wade. In the final term pupils work on a project based around Commedia dell’arte.

In the Upper Fourth, the year is structured to mirror that of the GCSE exam. Pupils study two modern texts, Blood Brothers by Willy Russell and DNA by Denis Kelly. They explore the theme of families within Shakespeare’s work, with a particular emphasis on Hamlet. All girls produce a devised piece of work in the Summer Term which is marked in exam conditions. They also look at modern Musical Theatre such as Hamilton and focus on political and historical themes.

Curriculum – GCSE

GCSE Drama

Course Title: GCSE in Drama DRO
Examination Board: Pearson Edexcel

What does this course consist of?

Component 1: Devising 40%

The girls are given a stimulus such as a poem or painting or concept, and they work together to produce an original piece of work which they perform in front of an audience. The girls also produce a portfolio of evidence outlining how they worked together to form the final piece.

Component 2: Text in Performance 20%

This is a live performance in front of an invited audience and it is assessed by a visiting examiner.

Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice 40%

This is the written examination. It is 1 hour 45 mins long and it consists of two parts:

Section A which asks the students to write about a set play from the point of view of various theatre makers, such as performers, directors and designers. The play we study is The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
Section B where students write about a piece of live theatre we have seen together. Productions we have seen in the past include, The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill, Things I Know To Be True by Frantic Assembly and Othello performed at the Lyric Hammersmith.

Curriculum - A Level

A Level Drama and Theatre

Course Title: Advanced GCE in Drama and Theatre 9DRO
Examination Board: Pearson Edexcel

What does this course consist of?

Component 1: Devising 40%

The girls explore a key extract from a play of our choice and create a new piece of theatre, using this extract as their starting point. They will produce a portfolio of evidence outlining how they worked together to create the piece. The component is internally assessed and externally moderated.

Assessment is based on:

A portfolio of exploration notes from lessons and workshops, tracking and evaluating the development of your piece and your role(s) in it (60 marks)
A performance in front of a live audience (20 marks)

Component 2: Text in Performance 20%

This is a live performance in front of an invited audience which is assessed by a visiting examiner.

It consists of:

A group performance of one key extract from a published play (36 marks)
Either a monologue or a duologue forming one key extract from a second published play, which must be different in style and period from the group piece (24 marks) (NB candidates performing a duologue are marked separately)

Both plays are selected or approved by the school.

Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice 40%

This is the written examination. It is 2 hours 30 mins long.

It consists of:

Live theatre evaluation
Two questions on two set texts; a modern and a classical play. The questions will be based on extracts from the plays and will ask for ideas on how they might be performed, using some of the rehearsal and performance techniques learned during the course, with particular focus on the work of a key practitioner.

Beyond The Classroom

Major School Productions

We produce a full-scale drama production every Autumn Term. It is directed by the Head of Drama and open to girls in the Upper Fourth and above. Performances take place at the beginning of December. We alternate between plays and musicals and enjoy collaboration with the music department who provide live music for all drama productions, including special compositions and original arrangements.

Girls audition for parts in September and the cast rehearses at lunchtimes and after school. Each production is stage-managed by a senior girl and her stage crew; teams of girls also create make-up and look after costumes backstage, so there are plenty of opportunities to get involved both on and off stage. The quality of production is extremely high, with professional standards of lighting, sets, costumes and props. The department is very proud of the quality of the performances achieved.

Junior Plays

In the Summer Term we produce a play chosen specifically for girls in the first two years of the school. Auditions take place at Easter, and rehearsals happen during lunch breaks and after school. We expect the same level of commitment and hard work from our younger girls, and these productions are lit, costumed and staged to the same high standards as the senior productions. Lasting just over one hour, the junior play is performed over two nights in late June to audiences of family and friends.

Inter-House Drama Competition

This annual competition involves every form group in the Lower School directing a short 20 – 30 minute play of their choice. This can be an extract from an existing play or an adaptation. The girls are completely responsible for the direction and production of this performance. They perform in year group heats after school and the finalists from these heats go forward to perform in the final which takes place on the School Birthday in February. The final is judged by an invited judge and various prizes are awarded, including the coveted Best Play trophy.

Junior Drama Club

This is a lunchtime club where girls enjoy drama games but also develop their understanding of performance techniques, resulting in an informal lunchtime performance just after Easter. Recent lunchtime mini-plays have included adaptations of Narnia and Toad of Toad Hall. Girls who attend Junior Drama Club often go on to audition for the Junior Plays.

Drama and Theatre Workshops

To take the girls’ practical drama skills to another level, we invite specialist practitioners to come into school to work intensively with our A Level Drama and Theatre students. They bring practical expertise and experimentation with practitioner techniques, and most sessions last for about two hours. Recent visiting practitioners include Nick O’Brien The Stanislavski Experience, who provided sessions on Stanislavski, Brecht and final stage rehearsal work on scripted and devised drama, and Kerry Frampton Splendid Theatre who delivered an inspiration starter session on Devising Techniques.

Theatre Trips

The Theatre groups are invited to join theatre trips organised by the English Department, such as Othello and Macbeth; in addition they have their own trips designed to expose them to a wider range of theatre techniques, styles and genres, and which they review as part of their coursework.

Beyond School

We also support girls who audition for The National Youth Theatre and Rada Youth Company.
Girls who have studied Drama and Theatre at A Level in recent years have gone on to read Drama and Bristol, Leeds and Manchester universities, as well as other subjects such as English, Film, Psychology, History and Art Foundation courses. Several of our alumni are actors and stage managers.

Drama Department Staff

Curriculum Drama is taught by Mrs H Simmons (Head of Drama), and Miss K Trump. Speech and Drama is taught by Miss A Hanton. Co-curricular Drama is provided by Mrs Simmons and Miss K Trump.