The Edexcel A2 Drama and Theatre Studies Student Book »

Alan Perks is Chief Examiner for Edexcel's A Level Drama and Theatre Studies specification. Alan regularly works with students and teachers across the key stages on individual projects and long term drama strategies. He also teaches across the age ranges, including the A Level course, part-time in a school in Derbyshire.

Jacqueline Porteous is a Principal Moderator for Edexcel's A Level Drama and Theatre Studies specification, and has over 20 years of teaching experience in the discipline. She currently teaches the A Level course and leads a Performing Arts Faculty.

A2 Drama and Theatre Studies: The Essential Introduction for Edexcel builds on the skills developed during the AS year to provide clear and informative guidance to Units 3 and 4 of the specification. The textbook provides further information on rehearsing, performing, directing and textual analysis, together with new material on deconstructing a script, devising theatre and preparing for the final examination. Features of the text include:

• overviews of specification and assessment requirements


• written and practical exercises


• a glossary of useful words and terms


• in-depth analysis of the three key plays – Dr Faustus, Lysistrata and Woyzeck


• extension exercises to stretch the more able student


• worked examples to illustrate best practice


• sources for further study


• advice on study after A Level.

Written by a chief examiner and a principal moderator, this book and its companion volume for AS Level offer informed and supportive exercises to ensure that students reach their maximum potential in achieving A Level success.

List of illustrations vii

Acknowledgements viii

Part 1 Getting Started with the A2 Year 1

1 Introduction 3

2 Making good use of this textbook 6

3 Theatrical timeline 15

4 Two golden rules 18

5 Who are they? Examiners and moderators unmasked 20

6 A final few words before you get started 22

Part II Overview of Unit 23

7 Research and exploration 27

8 Development and structure 38

9 Performance 47

10 Evaluation 52

11 The Supporting Written Evidence Document (SWED) 58

Part III Overview of Unit 4 63

12 The demands of section A 84

13 The demands of section B 100

14 Exploring interpretations for section B 111

15 The texts for section A and section B 116

16 The role of director in section A and section B 120

17 Annotating the text 128

18 The demands of section C 131

19 The historical periods 146

20 Theatre evaluation 152

21 Deconstructing the questions 158

Conclusion: drawing the course together 160

Appendix 1 drama school or drama degree? 163

Appendix 2 useful websites 165

Appendix 3 further reading and suggested viewing 169

Glossary of useful words and phrases 173

Index 178