Drama

Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand - Aristotle

The study of Drama and Theatre studies at Shrewsbury is demanding and highly rewarding. Students that undertake it will study the process of theatre, and create their own work. In the classroom their work will be both practical and written. Students will have the opportunity to explore different scripts, literature, social issues, differing cultures and historical periods through creating drama.

The Drama department seeks to empower our students with higher levels of confidence and fluent communication skills. Our major aim is to raise the standards of spoken and written English through the practice of drama. We foster a unique context for speaking and listening, whilst providing a purpose and focus for critical reading, interpretation and analysis. Drama stimulates the imagination and allows students to explore issues and their experiences in a safe and supportive environment. The study of the subject promotes self-esteem and provides all students with a sense of achievement regardless of their academic ability. Through studying with us students will improve the quality of their presentation skills

The Drama department has two studio spaces at its disposal and a dance studio. We rehearse, teach and perform in the 600-seat 'Khunying Sumanee Memorial Hall'. This superb professional venue has a large proscenium-arched stage area and orchestra pit, is equipped with a full lighting rig and PA system, and hosts large events such as Bangkok’s Last Night of the Proms and major school productions like Bugsy Malone, The Tempest and The Little Shop of Horrors. There are at least three major production opportunities a year for senior students, as well as musicals, black-box theatrical performances and “Scenefest”, where they get to devise their own house plays. Through working in this impressive venue, our students get a real taste of professional theatre production.

Key Stage 3

At Key Stage 3 students gain a practical insight into the fun and explorative nature of drama in the classroom. The focus of the work is on performance skills and language acquisition. The students will work within a comfortable environment where they can improve their presentation skills and communicate with confidence. The skills and qualities developed by students in Drama, such as teamwork, creativity, leadership and risk-taking are assets in all subjects and all areas of school life.

At Key Stage 3 students learn the core Drama skills through exploring different scripts, literature, poetry, pictures and news articles. The work often stems from different historical periods or moral and social issues. The students will have the opportunity to create their own dramatic material both through improvisation work and through scripting. They will have the opportunity to explore mask work and mime, extracts of classical plays, such as Shakespeare as well as more modern texts, by authors such as Roald Dahl.

GCSE

GCSE Drama follows the Edexcel specification. Rather than a GCSE in acting it looks at all aspects involved in the creation of drama. Students will investigate plays, poetry and periods of history and explore them through practical drama. They will investigate local and national texts as well as international ones. Their explorative tools will be improvisation, role-play, devising and script work. They will have the opportunity to write evaluations of live performances and even produce their own. This could be as an actor, a director, a lighting designer or set designer.

A large focus of the work is on the student’s ability to evaluate their work both in discussion and in writing. This means that there is a constant focus on their presentation skills, their ability to communicate and their language acquisition. Students will also get the opportunity to work at the stunning Makhampom living theatre centre in Chiang Dao to complete part of their practical coursework. It is a demanding but thoroughly rewarding GCSE that is a respected academic qualification in today’s communicative learning environment.

AS / A Level Theatre Studies

The AS and A level qualification is a rigorous academic investigation into the many facets of Theatre. The students that undertake the subject will need to have a considerable experience of drama both in prior study and in performance. The work consists of in depth explorations of significant play texts; both historical and contemporary. A proportion of the study will be on the different periods of theatre history and students will have to display a complete knowledge of its different genres. Students will pursue a thorough investigation of theatrical practitioners and their work. They will be taken to see live theatrical performances on which they will have to write detailed evaluations. Student’s will consolidate their studies of different theatre forms through devising their own plays for performance that draw on a range of cultural, historical and social issues. These performances will have to be scripted, rehearsed and performed in a staged venue.

In today’s competitive university and work place; employers are looking out for those with dynamic qualifications. Due to its practical and analytical nature A level Drama is increasingly recognised as a significant academic and creative achievement.

Be great in action as you are in thought. Suit the action to the word and the word to the action. - Shakespeare