What does GCSE Drama involve?

The GCSE Drama specification is designed to give you a broad and balanced experience of Drama. You will be given the opportunity to develop not only your performance skills but also your design skills in areas such as: lighting design, sound design,  set design, costume, hair and make-up design

You will collaborate in devising your own piece of theatre and you will perform from a text. You can choose to concentrate on acting or design. You will explore a range of texts and view a variety of live theatre productions.

The Eduqas GCSE Drama specification has three components: Devising Theatre, Performing from a Text, and Interpreting Theatre.

Component 1: Devising Theatre (40%)

This component is concerned with devising an original piece of drama as part of a group or taking on a design role.

You will produce: A portfolio of supporting evidence based on the rehearsal process A performance lasting between 5-16 minutes (depending on the number of actors in your group) An evaluation of the final performance or design

Students will:

Participate in the creation, development and performance of a piece of devised theatre

Perform the piece or create a design (set and props/costume/sound/lighting/mask and/or make-up) for the piece

Complete either a written or recorded portfolio of evidence about the rehearsal process and the final performance or design

This component is set and marked by the Drama teachers within prescribed guidelines, and externally moderated.

Component 2: Performing from a Text (20%)

This component is concerned with performing in/taking on a design role for two extracts from a published play text. Students will read and study the play together, working on scenes and characterisation. They will learn about the ways that playwrights, directors, designers and actors use drama to communicate their ideas to an audience.

This component is assessed by a visiting examiner.

Component 3: Interpreting Theatre (40%)

This component culminates in a two-part written examination of 1 hour and 30 minutes, to be taken at the end of Year 11. Students will complete a practical exploration and study of one complete performance text. They will also be taken on theatre trips after which they will discuss and analyse the production values of the performance seen. 

The Exam

Section A: Set Text - A series of questions based on the set text, ‘Noughts and Crosses’ (Sabrina Mahfouz adaptation) 

Section B: Live Theatre Review – One question from a choice of two, analysing and evaluating a given aspect of a live theatre production seen during the course. This component is marked externally.

See Mr Griffiths for more information.