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The drama department is based next to the School Theatre. We teach in the Theatre and the classroom.
We have been in the process of upgrading the facilities in the theatre and backstage so as to provide more effective rehearsal, green room and storage rooms. The theatre has a proscenium arch, lighting grid for the stage and for the auditorium.
Many school plays and productions take place in unusual and challenging configurations of the theatre space and also around the college.
Staff
Head of Department Mr. CDB Youlten BA (Hons) PGCE DipDrama
Mr. R Robinson MA(Oxon) PGCE Prep. Cert. TEFL
Syllabuses
- Junior Entry and Third Form
A broad introduction to drama and its techniques, challenges, and its life-enhancing fun.
- Fourth Form and Fifth Form The choice of Drama usually indicates commitment and enthusiasm. Talent is an added bonus, and noone should be put off by feeling that they are shy or retiring. Drama will bring out qualities in pupils which they did not know they possessed. Both years follow the GCSE course in outline, with the fourth year practising for their assessed year to follow in year Five. The GCSE course relies heavily on practical work in the classroom, assessed by both the teacher and a folio of coursework produced by the pupil. The final term is characterised by the pressures of the acting examination. A brief production is performed for a visiting examiner, and then marked. These two sections of the examination: Course work and practical; and Performance go to make up the final grade. More detailed descriptions exist at http://www.edexcel.org.uk/quals/gcse/drama
- Lower Sixth AS students take part in a variety of activities for the three units in AS. Willingness to take notes, perform and experiment are important, as is good discipline both on stage and in note-taking. Previous years have studied Everyman; Waiting for Godot; Our Country’s Good for their first unit. We go to plays regularly and discussion is vital for the course. A performance for a visiting examiner comes at the end of the year. The AS course description is on the EDEXCEL Website, http://www.edexcel.org.uk/quals/gce/drama/as/8113/
- Upper Sixth A2 students work more on their own with input rather than direction from teachers. More theatre-going promotes knowledge and critical faculties. Students are expected to devise a piece of theatre, comment on theatre they have seen, research historical productions of a play (previous years: A Midsummer Night’s Dream} and perform for an examiner. Further details on EDEXCEL Website, http://www.edexcel.org.uk/quals/gce/drama/adv/9113/
Extra Curricular Drama (link to Drama activities page)
The department tries to put on as much theatre as possible. There is one School Play for the upper school to audition for each year, and one for the Junior School.
There is a House Play Festival Competition for a trophy each year, when individual houses perform one act plays. Some are devised and some are scripted. Much hilarity and team work ensues, and some plays from this source head off to the Edinburgh Fringe in August. The School Play goes to the Fringe approximately every other year.
Pupils have directed their own plays, and involved other members of the school in productions in addition to these shows.
"Sparkleshark" was performed last year and wholly directed by a member of the sixth form.
"Who Goes There?" a promenade performance for Commem took place this year, written by Mrs. Haylock of the English Department and performed by Junior pupils. The school took part in the Short Shakespeare National Festival last year, performing The Taming of the Shrew.
Recent Productions
School Play
- 2002 Amadeus
- 2003 Fiddler on the Roof
- 2004 Our Country’s Good
- 2005 Twelfth Night
- 2006 A Single Numberless Death
- 2007 How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying
Junior Plays
- 2003 Bugsy Malone
- 2004 Aladdin
- 2005 Animal Farm
- 2006 West Side Story
- 2007 Grimm Tales
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