'A' Level Drama Course  -  Drama & Theatre Studies

Drama and Dramatic Arts.  Drama is a form of literature  -  either prose or verse, usually in dialogue form  -   intended for performance; dramatic arts are the components necessary for writing and producing the drama, such as playwriting, acting, and costume and scenic design. The word drama comes from a Greek word meaning "to do", and thus drama is usually associated with the idea of action. Most often, drama is thought of as a story about events in the lives of characters. As the adjective "dramatic" indicates, the ideas of conflict, tension, contrast and emotion are usually associated with drama.

This course involves the total experience of theatre, where theory and practice are interelated.
Pupils will develop:-

* appropriate theatre skills;
* a knowledge and understanding of theatre;
* a critical and sensitive response to the complexities of theatre.

by way of:-

I Practical group work.
G Practical individual work.
@ Interpretation of script as a : director,
actor.
@ Study of developmental influences on theatrical work.

Playwrights studied include:-

brecht.gif

Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956)
German dramatist, director and poet, whose unique, disengaged treatment of social themes and revolutionary experiments greatly influenced modern drama and theatrical production.

shakspr1.gif

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
The supreme English poet and playwright, universally recognized as the greatest of all dramatists.

chekhov.gif

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904)
Russian dramatist and short-story writer who is one of the foremost figures in Russian literature.

 

strindbg.gif

Johan August Strindberg (1849-1912)
Swedish dramatist, often considered the greatest figure in Swedish literature.

stanisla.gif

Konstantin Stanislavski (1863-1938)
Russian actor, director and author; proponent of a technique for preparing a role that has had vast influence on contemporary acting.
pinter.gif Harold Pinter (1930- )
English playwright, known for his so-called comedies of menace. Noted for his unique use of dialogue which exposes his characters' alienation from each other.
miller1.gif                                                          
Arthur Miller (1915- )
American dramatist whose works are concerned with the responsibility of each individual to other members of society. His plays spring from his social conscience and from his compassion for those who are vulnerable to the false values imposed on them by society.
Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)
American playwright and twice Pulitzer Prize winner, whose works are set largely in the American South.williams.jpg

lorca.gif

Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936)
Spanish writer, the most popular poet of the Spanish-speaking world and one of the most powerful dramatists in the modern theatre.

artaud.jpg

Antonin Artaud (1896-1948)
French writer and actor, born and educated in Marseilles.