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Understanding drama and theatre

  • Theatre roles - AQA

    Theatre is a collaborative art form, with lots of people working together to move a play from page to stage.

  • Characteristics of a dramatic work - AQA

    It is important to understand the characteristics of a dramatic work to make sense of it.

  • Staging - AQA

    The way that a performance space is arranged will impact how a show is staged and performed.

  • Stage positioning - AQA

    Stage positions are used to help keep track of how performers and set pieces move during rehearsal and performance.

Performing characters

Theatre design

  • Set design - AQA

    The set is the space where the performance takes place and is crucial in helping to convey the setting.

  • Costume design - AQA

    A costume is what a performer wears on stage. Everything the performer wears, including wigs and make-up, has to be carefully considered by a costume designer.

  • Lighting design - AQA

    Lighting design is an important aspect of theatre design that helps to create meaning, mood and atmosphere on stage.

  • Sound design - AQA

    Sound and music are used in theatre to convey meaning and atmosphere. Technical aspects need to be considered, as well as the selection of appropriate sources.

  • Puppet design - AQA

    A puppet is an object that is animated by a puppeteer to resemble a character within a performance.

Devising

  • Responding to a stimulus - AQA

    There are different dramatic techniques that can be included in a practical piece of work, including both vocal and physical elements, to help to bring a stimulus to life.

  • Developing an idea - AQA

    It is vital to employ a range of exploratory techniques to develop and work on initial ideas for a devised piece.

  • Selecting a genre or performance style - AQA

    There are many genres and styles that can be explored in the initial stages of a devised piece to develop and steer it. It is vital that the chosen genre or style will work for the target audience.

  • Selecting a practitioner - AQA

    Different theatre practitioners use various methods for performance and design and these can be used as an influence when creating a piece of theatre.

  • Rehearsing for a performance - AQA

    There are several stages within the rehearsal process to refine both design and performance elements.

  • Refining a performance - AQA

    There are many ways that a performance can be refined and developed by both performers and designers.

  • Interpreting and performing a character - AQA

    There are several tools available to performers when interpreting and performing a character, all of which can be experimented with.

  • Designing a production - AQA

    There are several different designers working within each production. Each is responsible for communicating meaning to an audience through their designs on stage in a variety of ways.

  • Health and safety considerations - AQA

    Being aware of health and safety requirements is essential for performers and designers when creating and performing drama, to prevent injury.

  • Creating a portfolio or devising log - AQA

    Creating a portfolio or devising log is a creative and developmental process. The end result documents the procedure of devising a piece of drama.

Scripted drama

  • Features of a script - AQA

    Playwrights use the features of scripts to communicate to directors, performers and designers how to bring the play to life and take it from page to stage.

  • Performing a script - AQA

    Performers aim to communicate a script effectively, using various acting skills to engage the audience and sustain their interest throughout a performance.

  • Designing for a scripted performance - AQA

    Designers need to create a design that contributes to the overall effect of the performance and communicates its intended meaning to the audience.

Written exam

  • How to answer set text exam questions - AQA

    The written exam contains questions on a set text studied during the course, to test knowledge and understanding of how drama is developed and performed.

  • Live theatre evaluation - AQA

    Live theatre evaluation involves analysing and evaluating a piece of theatre while demonstrating knowledge and understanding of how theatre is performed.

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