Constantin Stanislavski, My Life in Art Practitioners: Stanislavski Brecht Artaud

Independent Study Guide – Drama

Subject: Drama

KEY Components Areas of Study: “Love art in yourself, and not yourself in Set texts Hedda GAbler – Ibsen art.” Machinal – S Treadwell ― Constantin Stanislavski, My Life In Art Practitioners: Stanislavski Brecht ARtaud

Frantic Assembly Kneehigh Complicite Punchdrunk Berkoff

Folders VLE Notes

You will be given a folder to manage your The Drama VLE will be updated with various theory notes and keep your scripts in. It is resources that you can access in your spare To become a successful student of Drama vital that this is organised and well time. There may be work set on there for you need to watch a wide variety of drama presented. You will receive a lot of you to use in future lessons. Make yourself from a range of different theatre information and it is important that you familiar with this resource so that you can practitioners in different styles. A number access any necessary materials. file the different areas carefully to avoid of major theatre practitioners showcase

confusion. videos of their work on Youtube or their own websites (listed below). Use these as Workbooks well to supplement your knowledge. You will be given a book by your Drama Teachers, these should be used to present class notes and homework. They should be presented in an organised and clear fashion as they will be used for both teacher feedback and revision purposes.

SPECIFICATION AND BOARD Specification: A level Drama and Theatre Studies 2016 A syllabus or specification. It Board: Pearson Edexcel details all the areas that you You will study Component 1 - 3 need to be taught for the A copy of the syllabus can be found here: examination. https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/subjects/drama-theatre- You need to have a copy studies-and-performing-arts.html so you know how to organise your file. RECOMMENDED WEBSITES National Theatre Education Resources: https://www.youtube.com/user/ntdiscovertheatre/videos Here are some useful Look for Devising masterclasses on various theatre companies such as SpyMonkey and RashDash to websites that you can use get extra ideas for component 1. Watch “Five Truths: Theatre Practitioners” and there are various to support and extend videos on Ibsen’s ideas and plays on there. your learning in class Look at the following Theatre Practitioners’ websites. The resources pages often have devising exercises of videos to watch. www.kneehighcookbook.co.uk (info, devising resources etc) www.franticassembly.co.uk www.complicite.org www.punchdrunk.org www.StephenBerkoff.com

Research the following practitioner/directors and make notes on their style/techniques to use in your own work: Max Stafford Clark, Joan Littlewood, Katie Mitchell

Look at Theatre design Websites such as: http://www.rfdesigns.org and http://anthonywardtheatredesign.com Research lighting, costume and sound design for Machinal and Hedda Gabler. There are lots of images online of different designs. Make notes on any that strike you as effective. Compile a list of design and technical terms that you come across so you can use them in your written essays.

Watch Netflix – Abstract the art of Design, - episode on Es Devlin (theatre designer)

REVISION GUIDE(S) VLE – Drama icon We will produce revision booklets for you and they can also be found on the VLE PAST EXAMINATION PAPERS Past papers are available from: At the beginning of the course https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/drama-and-theatre- you should have an idea of the 2016.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=Pearson-UK:Category%2FExam-materials type of question you might

be asked in the final examination. Website address and unit code listed for you.

MARK SCHEMES You will find mark schemes at the same link Mark schemes are produced for each examination. https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/drama-and-theatre- Sometimes they can be very 2016.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=Pearson-UK:Category%2FExam-materials helpful in detailing what is required to gain a top grade.

ANY OTHER SUBJECT To be successful at A Level Drama it is necessary to do a lot of work outside of lessons. SPECIFIC  Attend theatre performances outside of school hours. INFORMATION.  Spend extra time in the studio space to rehearse your practical work – lunch or after school  Practise questions for Component 3 making adjustments based on teacher feedback.  To devise theatre watch video clips and research current practitioner’s devising techniques.  ADVICE FOR You can expect your independent study to be used as the background for lessons so it is vital you INDEPENDENT STUDY can refer and discuss what you discover with your teacher. Your notes will be looked at by your teacher regularly and feedback will be given. INDEPENDENT STUDY TOPICS PER HALF - TERM

Autumn Term 1 Exploring playtexts with a view to devising: Study Tasks • Read 3 or more plays given to your by your teacher • Write a review of each exploring the background and themes of these plays

Autumn Term 2 Consolidating knowledge, practical application of skills, developing knowledge of Areas of Study

Study Tasks

• Read through chapter on Frantic Assembly devising and make notes on relevant techniques to use on current text. • Read through the kneehigh cookbook www.kneehighcookbook.co.uk (info, devising resources etc) and make notes for devising against current text • Read the info on devising on Complicte website and make notes for devising on current text. www.complicite.org • Make notes on National Theatre Education Resources: https://www.youtube.com/user/ntdiscovertheatre/videos specifically on devising masterclasses on various theatre companies such as SpyMonkey and RashDash. Make notes on potential ideas for devising. Watch “Five Truths: Theatre Practitioners” and there are various videos on Ibsen’s ideas and plays on there. • Plan and write a workshop that you will lead for one scene of your devised piece. • Plan and write a monologue for your performance.

Spring Term 1 Consolidating knowledge, practical application of skills Study Tasks • Plan and write a workshop that you will lead for one scene of your devised piece using a practitioner that you have not used. • Make notes on devising process picking out how practitioners have influenced your work • Watch the episode on Netflix – Abstract on Theatre Design and complete or review your set design for Machinal • Review feedback on Machinal essays and complete at least 2 essays from the exam questions essays list.

Spring Term 2 Consolidating knowledge, practical application of skills for performance Study Tasks • Refine and edit your monologue/dialogue for practical exam. • Make notes evaluating your own contribution to devising process and setting out key changes you have made. • Rehearse outside the lesson for impending practical exam. • Make notes on evaluation of your practical exam both for your contribution and the group overall. • Summer Term 1 Reviewing and developing written coursework, Developing exam essay writing skills,

Study Tasks

• Write up, review and edit your portfolio for Unit 1 for submission in May. (across the term) • Read and highlight notes from Machinal examiner’s report. • Read and mark exemplar Machinal responses. • Complete at least 2 exam questions from the list on Machinal.

Summer Term 2 Developing exam essay writing skills, Preparing for Section C of Component 3 Study Tasks

• Read at least 2 of the plays under consideration for component 2 and write review of potential themes/problems. • Complete essays on both performance and design essays for Machinal under timed conditions. • Read through and refine notes on Stanislavski in preparation for Component 3, section C