King Edward's Bath

Drama and Theatre Studies Department - an introduction

Theatre Studies is a study of theatre in all its different aspects; pupils learn to approach it from the point of view of an actor, a designer, a director, as well as that of a audience member and a critic.

The Drama and Theatre Studies department at King Edward’s School teaches drama from Year 7 through to GCSE and A-Level, as well as producing a whole school production and a lower school play each year.

Pupils are introduced to all three areas of dramatic work; making, performing and responding. They will learn to experiment with different dramatic styles, to develop skills necessary to improvise, devise, role-play and work with scripts, and to reflect on and evaluate both their own work and the performance of others. The examinations at the end of years 7 and 8 involve all pupils in the production of short plays, the best of which are showcased for parents and friends.

In Year 9 pupils work on creating a film; they learn how to create a treatment, a shooting script and a story-board, and how to shoot, edit and display their own films. The examination at the end of the year will showcase the best films for parents and friends.

This introductory course lays the foundation for more complex drama work at GCSE and A-Level and teaches pupils how to develop into a critical and responsive audience and above all, begins the emotional, creative and imaginative education which drama so uniquely provides.

At King Edward’s Drama and Theatre studies aims to supply two needs; firstly, to prepare young actors, directors and designers for further training and a career in the profession, and secondly, to enable other pupils to develop their interest in and enjoyment of theatre, through development of theatre skills within their own practice and through experience as informed audience members.

Pupils learn how to improvise and devise, how to work with scripts, they study a range of plays and the work of major theatre practitioners; they also see a range of live theatre and write about these performances. The course is suitable for anyone who enjoys and is interested in theatre – onstage, backstage, or in the audience.

Year 9 learn how to create a film

Year 9 enjoyed a full day of film-making with the Young Film Academy, a leading provider of practical film-making programmes to young people.

The students gained experience as scriptwriters, camera operators, directors and actors; invaluable skills to help them with their end of term assessment in Drama in which they are required to produce their own short film sequence.

GCSE and A Level Theatre Trips for the Spring Term 2012

The Drama Department has organised a range of theatre trips for the exam students this term.

All A-level and GCSE students have to evaluate a live performance as part of their assessment and the ideas seen in professional productions should inspire and influence their own practical devised work. Therefore it is important that the examination students should watch as much live theatre as possible, either as part of a school trip or independently.

After each theatre trip we will analyse the performance and staging of the production in class. All the shows we are planning to go and see this term are excellent and exciting examples of Physical theatre and ensemble acting. They are three leading and award winning companies who should prove to be highly inspiring for devising work. This is particularly important in years 10 and 12. The prices below cover transport and tickets, but may vary slightly depending on numbers attending. Please note that whilst all these trips represent fantastic opportunities to stretch and challenge, none of them are compulsory!

1. Frantic Assembly’s ‘LoveSong’- Saturday 21^st January at 2.30pm at Lyric Hammersmith, London.

We will leave school by coach at 10.30am (from Lower School car park) students are to be collected on return from Lower School car park at 7.30pm. Students will need to bring a packed lunch with them. Price of trip is approximately £25.00

Lovesong intertwines a couple in their 20s with the same man and woman a lifetime later. Their past and present selves collide in this haunting and beautiful tale of togetherness.

‘beats with such profound truth that you’re held rapt’- Daily Telegraph (4 Stars)

‘Lovesong is compelling, understated perfection’ –The Stage

2. DV8’s ‘Can We Talk About This’ -Saturday 17^th March at 2.00pm at the National Theatre, London. And Complicite’s ‘The Master and Margarita’- Saturday 17^th March at 7.15pm at Barbican Theatre, London.

We will leave school by coach at 10.00am. Students are to be collected from Lower School car park at 1.15am. Students will need to bring a packed lunch and money for an evening meal which will be pre-booked for a venue near the theatre. Price of trip is approximately £45.00 including two theatre tickets and coach travel.

DV8 are a renowned physical theatre company who use their work to challenge important social issues. Their latest work deals with freedom of speech, censorship and Islam. Their work is always dynamic and exciting. Highly recommend for all 16+ students.

Simon McBurney's award-winning company Complicite returns to the Barbican with a new adaptation of this classic Soviet satire, following the success of Shun-kin and A Disappearing Number.

Reviews of Complicite’s past work include-

“Extraordinary, beautiful piece of theatre…superlatively acted production captures minds and hearts.” - Evening Standard

“Mind-bending and heart-stopping” - The Independent

‘What a Show!’ - CABARET

The combined Drama and Theatre Studies and Music Department’s performance of Cabaret, directed by Victoria Craig-Stevens, was outstanding.

All those that saw it were smitten, the Headmaster summed up the collective experience succinctly as ‘What a Show!’ and what a show it truly was.

Five of the main characters were double cast, such is their passion for drama they would not be dissuaded from participating in the School production in their final year despite their heavy work schedules and having to attend University interviews during performance week. This dedication and it being their swan song performance at KES only made the experience all the more special.

Set in Berlin in the 1930s against the backdrop of the rise of the Nazis and the seedy glamour of the city’s nightclub scene, the story unfolded.

The eccentric Emcee (Constance Chapman/Ruby McKee) opened the show to reveal the fabulous Kit Kat Club. Both girls had voices which commanded attention and utilised provocative gestures and mannerisms to both entertain and draw in the audience.

When the young American writer Clifford Bradshaw (Jake Hight/Josh Forster) arrives in Berlin, a place to live is found for him by the shady Ernst Ludwid (Henry Asplin/Josh Spraggs), he is pointed in the direction of the Kit Kat Club, and the next day Sally Bowles (Faye Maidment/Hannah Ward) has moved herself and her suitcases into his room. This sets the scene for the political events to follow.

The older Herr Schultz (Alex Prescott/Max Lury) and Fraulein Schneider (Claire Bowman/Bianca Watts), Clifford’s landlady, enjoy their engagement party, but Fraulein Schneider breaks it off the next day, realising that her fiancé’s Jewishness, which yesterday had been irrelevant, was now, in the light of political events, a huge impediment.

With stunning costumes and wonderful choreography, the Kit Kat Club dancers, accompanied by music from the school orchestra (with Director of Music, Rupert Drury) performed a variety of skilful and brilliantly choreographed dance routines.

Sally Bowles (Faye Maidment/Hannah Ward) each gave strong performances showing maturity way beyond years, they were convincing throughout and obviously extremely talented all round performers; hitting the notes beautifully and entertaining all with their risqué dance routines.

Frau Kost (Charlie Miller) was marvellously comedic as the ‘working girl’ trying to keep her many male visitors out of sight of her landlady.

The orchestra, who were ever present above the stage throughout the performance, were magnificent, providing spot-on musical accompaniment to the action throughout.

The level of musicianship from all was phenomenal; thank you to; Steven Ward, Georgie Philips, Cameron Berry, Alba Hubbard, Steven Whilthew, Clem Faux, Anthony Ashby, Dan Wray and Will Holtham joined by professionals; Sue Lawson, Trudy Monday, Vincent Ford, Laurie Jones, Alan Bowman, Phil Weaver and Mark Boden.

A special mention also needs to be made of the rest of the cast; the threatening SS officers, sailors, Kit Kat boys and girls, Taxi men and Orchestra cabaret girls all played their parts to perfection. The technical team; costumes (Lucia Snell/Megan Watkins), wardrobe mistress (Julie Haines/Alice Bradley); set and lightening (Sam Rendell), Sound Operator (Richard Monks) and Stage Management (Andrew Meadows/James Wright/Louis Adams/Jenni Meadows) Scenic artist (Sidney Rendell) crew and make-up were all incredible, transforming both the Wroughton Theatre and entire cast into a totally convincing world circa 1930s Berlin.

Drama pupils take inspiration from theatre visits

The Department have had a very active term with trips to see Earthquakes in London, a very exciting one man show by the famous practitioner Stephen Berkoff and they thoroughly enjoyed Emma Rice’s new Kneehigh production, The Wild Bride in Bristol.