DRAMA

Drama is taught from Years 7 to 11 as follows:

Years 7 to 9 – one hour per week

Years 10 and 11 – two 80 minute lessons per week

The broad aims of the drama curriculum in Years 7 to 11 are to:

develop an interest in why drama matters

work imaginatively and creatively in a collaborative context to generate, develop and communicate ideas

learn about social, historical and cultural influences on drama texts

develop competence in a range of practical, creative and performance skills

go to the theatre and discuss and write about the experience

take part in staging performances

The work suggested for each half term is a guide and may change depending on the dynamic and focus of the group. The play

texts listed will be used as necessary, usually only using selected scenes, except when the whole script needs to be studied for the

GCSE examination.

Throughout the course, students are encouraged to work collaborativly, with focus and commitment to the group as a whole.

A work-book will be an integral part of each lesson and homework. In this, students react creatively to work undertaken in class

and develop a portfolio of ideas, facts, cuttings and illustrations which can be drawn on at a later stage as stimuli or information.

There is no one lesson style. Students will encounter a variety of approaches which will include:

an introduction to and explanation of the aims of the lesson

warm-up exercises or games

focused group activities

study of play scripts or of individual scenes

personal research, for example into historical styles of theatre

plenary discussions and use of the work-book to consolidate work undertaken or to incorporate some self-assessment

follow-up homework activities

Students are encouraged to go to the theatre as mjuch as possible.

OUTLINE COURSE CONTENT

Year 7

Topics covered Suggested reading

Term 1 First half

An introduction to Greek theatre

The origins of Greek theatre

The lay-out of a Greek amphitheatre

Conventions in Greek theatre

Masks – design – implications on stage

Greek heroes and heroines

Greek myths

Any Greek drama Medea and Antigone will be used as the basis for some lessons

Term 1 Second Half

An introduction to improvisation and role-play Themes: bullying / friendship / tolerance / conflict

Group building and trust exercises

Developing a situation from a theme

Still image as a starting point for drama

Thought tracking

Developing an improvisation into a script

Stage fighting – some basic techniques

Lord of the Flies (either the novel or a stage version)

Term 2 First Half

Monologues and choral speaking

Emphasis on voice work using warm-up exercises and voice games

Delivering a monologue

Any novel or poem can be used as a starting point for this part of the course.

Working as a group to create a piece of choral drama

Using voice to create atmosphere

Using a poem as a basis for drama

Speaking in a large hall

Recording voice

Term 2 Second Half

Working with a script

Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations (Ayckbourn)

From page to stage – bringing a text to life

Characterisation

The importance of pace

Set and costumes

Any other play by Alan Ayckbourn

Term 3 First Half

Telling tales

Dramatising a fable / fairy-tale / myth

Narrating

Physical group work

Street theatre Year 7 outdoor performance in the space between the NMC and the Gym

Useful resources: Arabian Nights (Cooke) The Pomegranate Seeds (Hayes) Stone Soup (Thain)

Term 3 Second Half

Final practical and written assessment of the year’s work based on a theme to be decided

Year 8

Topics covered Suggested reading

Term 1 First half

An introduction to Commedia dell‘arte

Historical perspective

Stock characters

Improvisation

Lecoq – La Rose des Efforts

Using the body to create emotion

There is a vast amount of information on the internet about Commedia dell‘arte

Term 1 Second Half

An introduction to Melodrama

The Murder of Maria Marten or The Red Barn (Burton)

Stereotypes in drama

Designing costume and set

The use of music in the theatre

Pantomime

East Lynne Wood The Bells Lewis Black Ey’d Susan Jerrold

Term 2 First Half

Creating a play based on a theme

Theme: moral dilemmas

Effective script writing

The Visit Dürrenmatt

Developing a character

Climax and anti-climax

Term 2 Second Half

Understanding and interpreting a script

Metamorphosis (Kafka / Berkoff)

Character / Plot

Pace

Climax and anti-climax

Symbolism

Mime

Set, costume and music design

Pelleas and Melisande Maeterlinck Hedda Gabler Ibsen The Three Sisters Chekov

Term 3 First Half

Creating a radio play

Elements of script writing

Characterisation through words

Story board

Cross-cutting

Sound effects

Under Milk Wood Thomas A Man for all Seasons Bolt

Term 3 Second Half

Consolidation of work covered in the year:

What have we learned

How have we developed as a group

Further improvisation work and exploration of theatrical techniques

Year 9

Topics covered Suggested reading

Term 1 First half

Epic theatre

Brecht

Extracts from various plays by Brecht

Alienation technique

Episodic structure

Mother Courage Brecht The Caucasian Chalk Circle Brecht The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui Brecht

Term 1 Second Half

Working with a script

Amadeus (Shaffer) - extracts

Invgestigation of various scenes

Rehearsal techniques - the role of the director

Designing costumes

Designing a set

Creating music

Amadeus Shaffer Equus Shaffer The Royal Hunt of the Sun Shaffer

Term 2 First Half

Investigating a theme (War)

Using stimuli to create drama

Newspaper reports

Poetry

Documentary films

Soldiers‘ diaries

Oh What a Lovely War - extracts

Mother Courage Brecht Journey’s End Sherriff Henry V Shakespeare

Mother Courage (Brecht) - extracts

Term 2 Second Half

Evaluating drama

Theatre visit

Different elements of a dramatic performance

Theatrical conventions and jargon

How to write about a play in the theatre

Term 3 First Half

Shakespeare in the theatre

As You Like It (Shakespeare)

Understanding the plot

Interpreting a play in a different period

Finding the right style (period or modern)

Design set or costumes

Any Shakespearian play is useful either as a text, on stage or on DVD

Term 3 Second Half

Continued work on As You Like It

Rites of passage - ‘The Seven Ages of Man’

Possible theatre visit (The Globe or Stratford)

Written evaluation of theatrical performance

Year 10

Topics covered Suggested reading

Term 1 First half

Explorative strategies for GCSE Drama

still image

thought tracking

narrating

hot-seating

role-play;

cross-cutting

forum theatre

marking the moment.

Visit to theatre galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum

The Musicians Marber The Queen Must Die Ravenhill Games and After Liverpool Saunders

Term 1 Second Half

What is drama? – an exploration of the drama medium

Costume; masks and make-up; sound and music; lighting; space and levels; set and props; movement, mime and gesture; voice; spoken language.

An exploration of the elements of drama Action, plot and content; forms;

Totally Over You (Ravenhill) Chatroom Walsh Citizenship Ravenhill Cagebirds Campton

climax and anti-climax; rhythm, pace and tempo; contrasts; characterisation; conventions; symbols.

Theatre visit – a visit to a live performance followed by a critical written response – practice

Term 2 First Half

Theatrical practitioners

Brecht

Stanislavski

Artaud

Any play by Brecht Ubu Roi Jarry

Term 2 Second Half

Understanding and interpreting a playscript

Plot / themes / character

The playwright’s intentions

Theatrical devices used

Making choices about performance

Rehearsal techniques

DNA Kelly Too Much Punch For Judy Ravenhill Find Me Wymark

Term 3 First Half

Unit 2A assessment

6 x 1 hour sessions working on and interpreting the chosen script

Written evaluation of work carried out in these sessions (1,000 words max.)

Term 3 Second Half

Unit 2B assessment

Visit to live theatre performance

Controlled assessment - critical response of 2,000 words max.

Year 11

Topics covered Suggested reading

Term 1 First half

Theme: Outsiders

Creating drama from stimuli Poetry; artefacts; music; play scripts; live theatre performances; television, film, DVD, video; newspaper and magazine articles; extracts from literary fiction and non-fiction.

The Laramie Project (Kaufmann) Burn (Gearing) Vinegar Tom (Churchill)

Term 1 Second Half

Exploring a theme

Improvisation work on the theme of either Stand Up For Your Rights or Tomorrow’s World

How to use different strategies, stimuli, elements of drama for an effective exploration of the theme

The Edexcel brief (published on the Edexcel website in October)

Any play which deals with social justivce or human rights

Term 2 First Half Preparation for Unit 3 exam Group discussion of the brief

Decision about what sort of performance to prepare for the Unit 3 exam (scripted

or devised or a mixture of both)

Rehearsal schedule starts

Aim to present work to examiner before half term in February (or possible just after)

Term 2 Second Half

Unit 1 assessment

6 x 1 hour controlled assessment sessions exploring a theme

Written evaluation of exploratory work (2,000 words max.) in controlled conditions

Term 3 First Half

Final writing up of frontsheets to be completed by 15 May

Possible second theatre visit and 2,000 word max. essay if necessary