← Drama syllabus

WalesDrama

Practitioners and 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 do you apply its assault on the senses as concrete choices when staging a text or devising?

Antonin Artaud and the Theatre of Cruelty: total theatre as an assault on the senses, the primacy of sound, light and movement over text, ritual and the plague metaphor, breaking the audience-stage barrier, applied as concrete choices to provoke a visceral response (AO3, and AO1 and AO2 in the practical work).
Antonin Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty for WJEC A-Level Drama and Theatre: total theatre as an assault on the senses, the primacy of sound, light and movement over text, ritual and the plague metaphor, and breaking the audience-stage barrier, applied as concrete choices to provoke a visceral response, for AO3 and the practical work.
13 min answer →

What is Steven Berkoff's style of total and physical theatre, and how do you apply mime, exaggeration and ensemble as concrete choices?

Steven Berkoff and physical total theatre: stylised mime and the creation of objects and settings with the body, exaggerated and grotesque physicality, heightened vocal delivery, ensemble work and direct address, applied as concrete choices for a heightened, non-naturalistic style (AO3, and AO1 and AO2 in the practical work).
Steven Berkoff's physical total theatre for WJEC A-Level Drama and Theatre: stylised mime, the body as scenery, exaggerated and grotesque physicality, heightened vocal delivery, ensemble work and direct address, applied as concrete choices for a heightened, non-naturalistic style, for AO3 and the practical work.
13 min answer →

What is Brecht's epic theatre, and how do you apply the alienation effect and gestus as concrete choices when staging a text or devising?

Bertolt Brecht and epic theatre: the alienation effect (Verfremdung), gestus, episodic structure, placards, song, direct address and visible technique, applied to make an audience think critically about society when staging a text or devising (AO3, and AO1 and AO2 in the practical work).
Bertolt Brecht's epic theatre for WJEC A-Level Drama and Theatre: the alienation effect, gestus, episodic structure, placards, song, direct address and visible technique, applied as concrete choices that make an audience think critically about society, for AO3 in the exam and AO1 and AO2 in the practical work.
13 min answer →

How do you choose a practitioner or company for each component, and apply their methods consistently rather than mentioning them in passing?

Choosing and applying a practitioner or company: selecting one practitioner or company whose methods suit Component 1 and a different one for Component 2, matching the practitioner to the material, and applying their techniques as sustained, concrete choices documented in the log and report (AO1, AO2 and AO3).
How to choose a practitioner or company for each WJEC Drama and Theatre component and apply their methods consistently: selecting one for Component 1 and a different one for Component 2, matching the practitioner to the material, and applying their techniques as sustained, concrete choices, for AO1, AO2 and AO3.
12 min answer →

What is Frantic Assembly's style of physical, devised ensemble theatre, and how do you apply choreographed movement and building-block techniques as concrete choices?

Frantic Assembly and physical ensemble theatre: devised, choreographed movement integrated with text, building-block devising methods such as chair duets and round-by-through, lifts and contact work, and design-led storytelling, applied as concrete choices for fluid physical theatre (AO3, and AO1 and AO2 in the practical work).
Frantic Assembly's physical ensemble theatre for WJEC A-Level Drama and Theatre: devised choreographed movement integrated with text, building-block devising methods, lifts and contact work, and design-led storytelling, applied as concrete choices for fluid physical theatre, for AO3 and the practical work.
13 min answer →

What is Stanislavski's system of psychological realism, and how do you apply it as concrete choices when staging a text or building a role?

Konstantin Stanislavski and psychological realism: the system of given circumstances, the magic if, objectives and the super-objective, emotion memory, units and actions, and truthful naturalistic performance, applied as concrete choices when staging a text or building a role (AO3, and AO1 and AO2 in the practical work).
Konstantin Stanislavski's system for WJEC A-Level Drama and Theatre: given circumstances, the magic if, objectives and the super-objective, emotion memory, units and actions, and truthful naturalistic performance, applied as concrete choices when staging a text or building a role, for AO3 in the exam and AO1 and AO2 in the practical work.
13 min answer →