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Drama
Head of Department: Mrs S Perren
Mrs E Baker
Mrs C Bollington
Mrs V Redford
Private Speech and Drama Lessons:
Mrs V Redford
Miss D Burns
The Dame Alice Harpur Youth Theatre:
Mrs S Perren
Mrs E Baker
Miss F Hogg
Mrs A Lang
Mr A Longland-Meech
Accommodation and Resources
All dramatic activity takes place in two purpose-built studios or the Assembly Hall.
Lower School
All girls have one period of Drama a week in form groups. They experience a wide range of drama work including mime, movement, improvisation and script, and acquire skills in combining these in an imaginative and creative way. In the main the work is in groups of various sizes, and girls are encouraged to be co-operative, supportive and flexible. We hope to create a secure environment in which the girls feel confident about exchanging ideas and sharing their work.
Upper School - GCSE Drama
This is a very popular examination course, with 80% of the work being practical and 20% a written portfolio. There is no written examination. The practical coursework, 40% of the total mark, comprises two units, one where students explore a variety of stimulus material on a theme and the other where the work is based on a play. Students produce three short pieces of written analysis based on each unit of practical exploration. For their examination girls devise and perform group presentations. This is a varied and exciting course offering students the opportunity to develop a wide range of different skills.
Sixth Form - AS/A level Drama and Theatre Studies
This is a very exciting and varied course. Students study set texts, and they are examined on their ability to understand the processes of realising them in performance. They also explore the work of leading theatrical practitioners. Much of the work is practical and students gain experience of working as actors, directors and designers. For the practical examination, students work in groups to create a piece of original theatre at AS, or dramatise an extract from a play at A level. The course requires students to see a wide range of live theatre and to develop skills in evaluating its effectiveness.
Productions
Girls in all years will have the opportunity to take part in some form of production work if they so wish. Lower School performances may take the form of scripted plays, improvised presentations devised by the girls or Showcase Evenings which provide an opportunity for parents to view work produced in lessons during the year. In 2006/7, there will be a Year 12 and 13 Text Evening in October, a whole school production of 'Oliver!' in February, a production for the Schools' Shakespeare Festival, and a special Drama Showcase to celebrate the school's 125th birthday. There will also be several presentations of pieces of experimental theatre devised by students as part of their GCSE, AS and A level examination courses. The Youth Theatre offers additional opportunities for production work.
Theatre Visits and Workshops
Girls studying GCSE Drama and AS/A level Drama & Theatre Studies are taken to high quality professional theatre productions, locally and in London's West End, at the Royal National Theatre or the Royal Shakespeare Company to support their studies. Some of these visits are financed by the School. We also offer relevant workshops for our examination students provided by professional theatre companies and technical experts and Actors' Days where girls in the Lower School have the opportunity to work with professional actors. The department also offers trips abroad where girls take part in courses run by professional actors.