Drama and Theatre Studies
Drama at St. Edmund's is an optional subject throughout the Senior School, although large numbers of our pupils choose to take either GCSEs or AS/A2 Levels in the subject. It provides an outlet for self-expression and helps develop the imagination and an individual's artistic awareness. It is the fundamental aim of the Drama Department to promote social awareness, self-confidence, mental agility, fluency of speech, and freedom of movement. These skills will help foster un understanding of the artistic process from a technical perspective, allowing our pupils to express themselves creatively by using effective theatrical discipline.
In the Lower Fifth, drama technique is taught in support of developing pupils' skills not only of expressing their feelings and ideas, but also of communicating those feelings to others, and being communicated to in turn. The course will include creative games, mime, improvisation and role-play, devising and voice and speech. We also introduce our pupils to scriptwriting and theatrical techniques such as stagecraft and physicality.
At GCSE level, the course is a mixture of written and practical work, with the majority of the final mark being for the practical work. This is selected from a range of options including scripted performance, improvisation, dance, set design and construction, lighting, sound, costume and make-up. In the A Level years, the opportunity exists to pursue particular areas of study within the wider teaching of theatre studies; for example, modules at both AS and A2 level allow for the detailed study of one particular theatre practitioner, whether this might be an author, director, set designer or the work of ground breaking theatre companies.
St. Edmund's enjoys excellent drama facilities, including a 450-seat theatre, which is equipped for all types of performance; teaching also takes place in the theatre annex and in the music school dance studio. We have a wide range of contacts in the professional theatre and our pupils make frequent visits to theatrical productions as part of their coursework. In addition, we take our pupils abroad to develop their dramatic skills further and to enhance the teaching and learning process; in 2009 we took our pupils to study theatre in New York City and to Auschwitz in Poland to prepare for the forthcoming production of 'Remember', which tells of the horrors of the Holocaust and is written by our Director of Drama, Mark Sell.
Our school productions are well-known and have been very popular for many years; we have seen our productions transfer to the Marlowe Theatre here in Canterbury, and even travel as far as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Next year we intend to tour 'Remember' in the local community and abroad.
The Drama Department is a progressive and modern department that believes in the development of the whole person; we recognise the positive impact theatre can make to our lives, now and in the future.
