Drama

The Therfield’s drama department is thriving and academically successful. It provides a full programme of theatre-trips, curricular and extra-curricular productions.

We have a large number of rehearsals taking place each week for both curricular and extra-curricular activities:

• Years 7-13 involved in the School Show rehearse Sept-Mar for up to 3 nights a week.
• Year 7-8 Drama Club meets one lunchtime a week.
• Years 9-13 Therfield YOUtheatre meets once a week for three hours to make new devised work, resulting in a performance at Guilfest 2011.

KS3

Students follow a progressive programme of study which focuses on the key areas of improvisation and performing text.

In Year 7 students are introduced to concepts such as sustaining a role, physical theatre, creating still images/tableaux and narration. They create drama about topics such as the circus and learn of theatre history in the Shakespeare Units.

In Year 8 students are introduced to more theatre forms and traditions in ‘Commedia del Arte’ and Melodrama whilst continuing to create drama in the Physical Theatre and Improvisation units.

In Year 9 students’ work is predominantly based on texts with differentiated materials used for them to study forms of Devising, working with the voice, as well as advanced improvisation covering topics such as bullying and further study in Shakespeare texts.

Our recent shows have been:

• January 2008 Bugsy Malone
• January 2009 Oliver
• January 2010 70 Girls 70
• March 2011 – Olympic Showcase

KS4 - GCSE

Students follow the Edexcel examination specification. They extend their Drama skills using explorative strategies, the elements and medium of Drama and explore texts such as ‘Two’, ‘Find Me’ and ‘Metamorphosis’ and devise their own work using poetry, play extracts or musical stimulus. They also complete extensive Controlled Assessment assignments, plus a detailed analysis of professional live theatre.

KS5 - AS/A2

Students follow the Edexcel examination syllabus. At AS students complete written coursework in their study of two set texts and practical activities. They will also pay several visits to the theatre and analyse a production. They perform a monologue, plus a text directed by the teacher to a visiting examiner.

Since 2001 all students have gained 100% A-D passes.

Recent AS/A2 productions have included:

• Owen – ‘The Drowned World’
• De Bernieres – ‘Sunday Morning at the Centre of the World’
• Brecht – ‘The Caucasian Chalk Circle’
• Brecht – ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’
• Lorca – ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’
• Berkoff – ‘The Trial’

In A2 Theatre Studies students devise their own play and write a detailed explanation of their decisions. Their written paper analyses theatre in the Shakespearian period as well as a contemporary production and ‘Woyzeck’ by Georg Buchner.

Since 2001 students have gained 100% A-E passes.