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Practitioners and theatre companies

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What is Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty, and how does it assault the senses to affect an audience?

Artaud and the Theatre of Cruelty for Edexcel Drama and Theatre: total, sensory theatre, the assault on the senses, breaking the actor-audience separation, ritual, lighting, sound and movement over text, and how to apply these ideas to create an overwhelming, visceral experience (AO1, AO2, AO3).
A focused answer on Artaud and the Theatre of Cruelty for Edexcel A-Level Drama and Theatre (9DR0): total sensory theatre, the assault on the senses, dissolving the actor-audience separation, ritual, and the dominance of light, sound and movement over text, with how to apply these ideas in devising and interpretation.
11 min answer →

What is Steven Berkoff's style of total and physical theatre, and how does it use the body, mime and ensemble to create meaning?

Berkoff and total theatre for Edexcel Drama and Theatre: stylised physicality and exaggeration, mime and the creation of objects and environments with the body, ensemble work, heightened vocal delivery and rhythm, caricature and direct address, and how to apply this anti-naturalistic style (AO1, AO2, AO3).
A focused answer on Steven Berkoff and total theatre for Edexcel A-Level Drama and Theatre (9DR0): stylised physicality and exaggeration, mime and body-as-object, ensemble work, heightened vocal delivery and rhythm, caricature and direct address, and how to apply this anti-naturalistic physical style.
11 min answer →

What is Brecht's epic theatre, and how does the alienation effect make an audience think rather than feel?

Brecht and epic theatre for Edexcel Drama and Theatre: the alienation effect, gestus, episodic structure, direct address, placards, projection and song, multi-role and visible theatricality, and how these political devices make an audience think critically and want social change (AO1, AO2, AO3).
A focused answer on Brecht and epic theatre for Edexcel A-Level Drama and Theatre (9DR0): the alienation effect, gestus, episodic structure, direct address, placards, projection and song, multi-role and visible theatricality, and how these political devices make an audience think critically rather than become emotionally absorbed.
12 min answer →

What is Complicite's approach to collaborative, visual, devised theatre, and how does it transform objects and space through the ensemble?

Complicite and devised theatre for Edexcel Drama and Theatre: collaborative devising, the ensemble and physical storytelling, the transformation of objects, bodies and space, the integration of multimedia and visual imagery, and how to apply this imaginative, devised style (AO1, AO2, AO3).
A focused answer on Complicite and devised theatre for Edexcel A-Level Drama and Theatre (9DR0): collaborative devising, the ensemble and physical storytelling, the transformation of objects, bodies and space, the use of multimedia and visual imagery, and how to apply this imaginative devised style.
11 min answer →

What is Frantic Assembly's approach to physical theatre and devising, and how does choreographed movement tell a story?

Frantic Assembly and physical theatre for Edexcel Drama and Theatre: choreographed movement married to text, devising methods such as Building Blocks and chair duets, the emphasis on dynamic ensemble physicality, and how to use movement to express emotion and narrative (AO1, AO2, AO3).
A focused answer on Frantic Assembly and physical theatre for Edexcel A-Level Drama and Theatre (9DR0): choreographed movement married to text, devising methods such as Building Blocks and chair duets, dynamic ensemble physicality, and how to use movement to express emotion and narrative.
11 min answer →

What is Stanislavski's system of naturalism, and how do you apply it to create truthful performance?

Stanislavski and naturalism for Edexcel Drama and Theatre: the system of psychological realism, including given circumstances, the magic if, objectives and the super-objective, units and bits, emotion memory and the method of physical actions, and how to apply them to make truthful performance (AO1, AO2, AO3).
A focused answer on Stanislavski and naturalism for Edexcel A-Level Drama and Theatre (9DR0): the system of psychological realism, including given circumstances, the magic if, objectives and the super-objective, units and bits, emotion memory and the method of physical actions, and how to apply them in devising and performance.
12 min answer →