Drama and Theatre Studies

Head of Department: Mr Vause

 

Department Background
 Drama at Latymer is seen as a practical subject in which students are taught about the art form that is Drama. We aim to teach pupils how to become practical makers and performers of plays and how to appreciate the art form and how it has been used by others – both now and in the past. The study of drama develops important social skills of co-operation, concentration and mutual understanding; it also develops the individual’s ability to use voice and movement to communicate effectively and confidently. Above all, Drama is an art form in which students can give voice to their views about the world in which they live.

Year 7 - 9
 At this Key Stage, we concentrate on teaching pupils to Make, Perform and Respond to Drama through a varied programme of Improvisation, Scripted Performance, Drama Games and Theatre History. Examples of work covered include an introduction to Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”; Physical Theatre; Urban Myths; the Titanic; Scripting for the Stage; Monologues; performing scenes from work by Alan Ayckbourn and John Godber. Students’ work is assessed using the Arts Council Levels for Drama.
Year 10 - 11
 In Years 10 and 11, students can opt to take the AQA GCSE Drama course, which involves a combination of Scripted Performance, original Devised work and a Written Exam. Students study a Set Play (for example “Billy Liar” or “DNA” by Dennis Kelly) and take part in regular theatre visits to the West End. Students are taught how to devise original plays of their own using a variety of drama techniques; they also learn how to interpret a play script. They develop their Vocal and Physical skills and learn how to present performances in small groups. The course culminates in a public performance evening of play extracts in the Seward Studio in the Spring Term of Year 11.
 Sixth Form

 In Sixth Form, students can take an A-level course in Drama and Theatre Studies. This involves the students in studying a Set Play (for example, “Antigone” by Sophocles or “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen). The play is taught through practical workshops and academic study of the play’s background and context. Practical assessments include the presentation of an extract from a play and the creating of an original devised piece. Examples of these include a Creative Adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel “Saturday” or a Documentary Theatre piece based on a Holocaust Memoir.

 Activities and Recent Highlights
 There are two big Drama productions a year: the main school play in November and the junior production in July. These are large scale productions – sometimes a musical or a large cast play.  There are frequent theatre visits organised for students at all Key Stages – most of which take place in the evenings. Students receive regular workshops from outside practitioner like Polka Theatre, Trestle Theatre Company or Scene Productions on topics like “Play in a Day”, Mask work, Physical Theatre. There is also a Drama Club for Year 7 and, every other year, a House Drama Competition.

 Recent highlights include “Coram Boy” (the main school production in November 2011) and the musical “Hairspray” (the junior production in July 2011). Other highlights are the Year Nine Drama Days in January 2012 which included workshops with professional West End performers on Musical Theatre and trips to “Ghost” and “The Wizard of Oz”; also, a Devising workshop from the highly prestigious theatre company Frantic Assembly for Year 13 following a visit to their production of “Lovesong” and Audition workshops from Central School of Speech and Drama.