AS and A Level Drama and Theatre Studies

Course code: TSS

Level: AS Level, A Level

Availability: Day Course

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Summary

AS and A Level Drama and Theatre Studies

Requirements

Why Choose Drama and Theatre Studies?

  • Students can pursue their interests and develop their skills in a range of practical drama elements including acting, directing, costume, setting, mask and technical design.
  • The specification offers students the freedom to choose both the content and the form of their practical presentations at each level. At AS, candidates perform an extract from any play selected to illustrate their understanding of an influential director, designer, theatre company or other practitioner. At A2, candidates devise drama on any topic to be performed in a theatrical style of their choice.
  • Assessment for the practical units takes account of the students’ contribution throughout the preparation period as well as of their final performance.
  • The content of the GCE specification follows through from that of the AQA GCSE Drama specification, enabling a smooth transition from one to the other. At the same time, it must be emphasised that GCSE is not a requirement for students wishing to take the GCE course.

Course Content

 

Unit 1

Live Theatre Production Seen and Prescribed Play
30% of A Level
1 hour 30 minutes written examination
100 marks

One question from each of two sections:

Section A – response to live theatre seen during the course
Section B – study of one set play from a choice of six

This unit is divided into two sections. Each section is taken as a separate paper with a time allowance of 45 minutes. Section A requires candidates’ personal response to various aspects of live theatre seen during the course. Candidates must answer one question on a live production seen from a choice of four questions. Section B requires candidates to answer one question on a set play from a choice of two questions on each of the set plays. Questions are focused on the interpretation of the play from a performance perspective. Candidates are required to answer from the viewpoint of an actor, director or designer.

Unit 2
Presentation of an Extract from a Play

20% of A Level
Practical performance
80 marks

Performance by a group of an extract from a published play. The assessment also includes candidates’ preparatory and development work and supporting notes.

This unit is internally assessed and externally moderated by visiting moderator. Candidates are required to work in groups to present for an audience an extract from a published play of their choice. The group size is to be between 2 to 8 Acting candidates, plus, optionally, up to five candidates offering a design skill (costume design, mask design, set design or technical design (lighting and/or sound)), and/or one Directing candidate. Each group is to be self-contained and totally responsible for all aspects of the presented extract which should realise clear dramatic intentions for an audience. Playing time for the presentation of the extract should be approximately 15–40 minutes, according to the number of acting candidates in the group. In selecting their play text, candidates must ensure that they are able to justify the application of the ideas, dramatic intentions, rehearsal practices and/ or staging methods of their nominated influential director, designer, theatre company or other practitioner.

Unit 3

Further Prescribed Plays including Pre-Twentieth Century

30% of A Level
2 hour written paper
100 marks
Study of two further set plays

 

Candidates are required to answer two questions, one on each of two different set plays. One play is to be chosen from Section A: Pre-Twentieth Century Plays and one play is to be chosen from Section B: The Twentieth Century or Contemporary Drama. In Section A, candidates answer one question from a choice of two questions on each of the set texts. In Section B, candidates answer a single compulsory question based on their chosen set text.

Unit 4

Presentation of Devised Drama

20% of A Level
Practical performance
80 marks

Performance by a group of devised drama. The assessment also includes candidates’ preparatory and development work and supporting notes.

This unit is internally assessed and externally moderated by visiting moderator. Candidates are required to work in groups to present for an audience a devised drama, performed in a theatrical style of their choice. The group size is to be between 2 to 8 Acting candidates, plus, optionally, up to five candidates offering a design skill (costume design, mask design, set design or technical design (lighting and/or sound)), and/or one Directing candidate. Each group is to be self-contained and totally responsible for all aspects of the devised work which should realise clear dramatic intentions for an audience. Playing time for the presentation of the piece should be approximately 15–40 minutes, according to the number of Acting candidates in the group; Candidates’ levels of achievement are assessed in relation to the following criteria, Part (a) Preparation and development, Part (b) Supporting notes, Part (c) Presentation of the finished piece for the practical examination.

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