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HAYES SCHOOL DRAMA DEPARTMENT

A Level Drama and

Theatre Studies Becoming A 21ST Century Drama

Practitioner!

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Welcome to A Level Drama and Theatre Studies - you have chosen an excellent A Level!

Why is there such a gap between GCSEs and A-levels? Well, A-levels are – as their name

suggests – advanced qualifications, and so require much more of you as the student. They

require you to gain a deeper understanding of the forms of theatre and the texts that you

study. There is a lot more independent work required like researching into influential

practitioners’ lives and ideas and how they have influenced theatre; reading texts that are

not on the examination syllabus in order to gain a deeper understanding of the context or

that may have influenced the creation of the play or style of theatre that you are studying.

Dr Ellerby, head of history at Dorset's Parkstone grammar, says: "GCSE is often highly

structured with very specific requirements for homework, whereas at A- level there is a

greater expectation for taking the initiative in going beyond the set reading and utilising the

library to read around and consolidate." Roughly speaking, for GCSE exams you can just

learn the content. At A-level you actually need to understand it.

The internet is a great source for reading other people’s interpretations of play texts and

productions – use these to formulate your own response and develop your analytical

vocabulary –the beauty of analysing and evaluating theatre is that there is never a right or

wrong answer as long as you can justify your point of view!

Get into the habit of using your time effectively, and organise yourself so you know when

you have deadlines and when you're going to need to give up time to after school

rehearsals, then the time pressures of this subject won’t be a problem and the leap from

GCSE to A Level will be less of a jump than expected. Particularly during the pressure points

when you have non-examined assessment or exams, being organised and motivated from

the start will ensure that you're really prepared, and not too stressed. We are all for our

students having part-time jobs, but not if they are used as an excuse for missing rehearsals

that your group have arranged!

At any point during A-levels, if you're finding it hard, or are struggling with the workload,

then it's always worth seeking advice and support. Your form tutor, subject teachers, and

head of sixth form are a good place to start, and the earlier you talk

to someone about any difficulties that you're having, the sooner

they can be resolved. Remember, with Drama you have a

responsibility not just for your own learning, but because so much

of our work is in groups, you are often responsible for the progress

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of others. We pride ourselves on being approachable and reasonable, but it has to be a two

way relationship!

This pack is designed to get you thinking as an A level student – the activities will enable you

to think as a developing practitioner of Drama and share your thoughts with others in your

class. Well done for making a great choice of A level!

Things to do over the summer

Use Twitter - follow theatre companies, playwrights and actors who blog

about their work. Start with the National Theatre, Frantic Assembly and, of

course, our own Twitter feed – www.twitter.com/HayesDrama

Set up a blog you can use to reflect on your practical work and what you

have learned from it – far easier than carrying around a big file.

Buy and do some research into Equus, by Peter Shaffer (Penguin edition) -

the set text we will be working on in Year 12 - over the summer. To be

successful you will need to know this text inside out by the end of year 13,

so make a start now!

Get an understanding of who Stanislavski, Brecht and Artaud were and how

these three men influenced the development of modern theatre.

Knowing the Social, Historical, political context of a play or a playwright’s

work is essential to understanding their work – make sure you know a bit

about world history over the last century.

Build your Drama Library – Google books, school library, university libraries,

local libraries – Use them! Don’t rely on Wiki!

Write a reflection of what you have learnt over the summer – These notes

can build up to some great revision notes.

Listen to TED talks on theatre and the Arts to widen your understand of the

subject. This enables you to see what other people’s perspectives are. You

can listen to them online or download the app.

https://www.ted.com/topics/theater

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“We must wash literature off ourselves.

We want to be men above all,

to be human.”

Antonin Artaud

“Unless the theatre can ennoble you,

make you a better person, you should

flee from it.”

Constantin Stanislavski

Over the course of the next two

years you will be learning about

and practically adopting the ideas

and techniques of these three

major figures in 20th Century

Drama practice – Constantin

Stanislavski, Bertolt Brecht and

Antonin Artaud. It is not an

overstatement in any way to state

that the theatre as we know it

today would be an entirely

different beast without these three

extraordinary artists and we are

confident that as you experiment

with their ideas and approaches

you will quickly come to

recognise their overwhelming

contribution to our work.

“Because

things are the

way they are,

things will not

stay the way

they are.”

Bertolt Brecht

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WHAT IS THIS BOOKLET FOR?

This booklet is designed to be much more than just a bridge between GCSE and A Level. It will provide you with information and resources that will be invaluable to you throughout the course.

The timeline on pages 6-10 provides a brilliant outline of where the major movements and events in theatre history fit into a broader historical picture. Context is so important, whether you are creating or writing form the point of view of an actor, designer or director, so knowing the history of theatre is essential.

Following this there is a brief overview on pages 11 and 12 of some of the most important conventions of the earliest form of theatre – Ancient Greek drama. You’ll be surprised how many of these conventions have lasted the test of time and continue to influence theatre today.

It’s important that you know about the theatre’s importance in the Renaissance and the Restoration as well, so we have included sections on these on pages 13-16. I’m sure you are aware of how Shakespeare and his contemporaries transformed drama, but the conventions of Restoration theatre were just as important, leaving a lasting impression on theatrical practice right up to the Melodrama movement of Victorian times …

Which leads us to the 20th CENTURY…

And on pages 17-25 we have Stanislavski, Brecht and Artaud. We’ve put in some detailed breakdowns of their place in theatrical history and the ideas they brought to the party!

We’ve also put in a little section on page 26 about the theatre company Frantic Assembly, whose worked you dipped a toe into on induction day and who are going to be the stylistic inspiration for your devised pieces in Year 12.

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STANISLAVSKI 1863-1938

Constantin Stanislavsky, famed Russian actor,

director, and teacher, profoundly influenced the

theatre of the 20th century and beyond. Throughout

his long life, he developed a variety techniques that

became known as "The Stanislavsky System" or

"the Method." His books My Life in Art (an

autobiography), An Actor Prepares, Building a

Character, and Creating a Role are still studied

today.

What is the Stanislavsky System?

Although very complex, one of the basic goals of the "Stanislavsky System" was to portray

believable, natural people on stage. This notion was a striking contrast to the thespians in

19th century Russia. Most of the actors during that era spoke in a grandiose tone, and

gestured in an over-the-top manner. Stanislavsky (also spelled "Konstantine Stanislavski")

helped to change much of that. In many ways, Stanislavsky is the father of today's style of

Method Acting, a process in which actors immerse themselves into their characters as much

as possible.

Born: January, 17th 1863 Died: August 7th, 1938

Before he adopted the stage name "Stanislavsky," he was Constantin Sergeyvich Alekseyev,

a member of one of the wealthiest families in Russia. According to his autobiography, My

Life in Art, he was enchanted by the theatre at an early age. During his childhood, he adopted

a love of Puppet Theatre, ballet, and opera. During adolescence he developed a love of the

theatre; he defied the expectations of family and social class by becoming an actor.

He dropped out of drama school after only several weeks of instruction. The style of the day

called for unrealistic, over-dramatic performances. It was a style he loathed because it did not

truly convey human nature. Working with directors Alexander Fedotov and Vladimir

Nemirovich-Danchenko, Stanislavsky would eventually co-found the Moscow Art Theatre in

1898.

His international success in the early 1900s is tied to the rise of Anton Chekhov’s popularity

as a playwright. Chekhov, already a beloved storyteller, vaulted to higher levels of fame with

his unique comedic dramas, The Seagull, Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard. Each

production of Chekhov's major plays was overseen by Stanislavsky, who realized early on

that Chekhov's characters could not be effectively brought to life on stage by traditional

means. Stanislavsky felt that the best performances were the most natural and realistic ones.

Hence, his method developed, revolutionizing acting techniques throughout Europe, and

eventually the world.

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Elements of the Method:

Although the Stanislavsky System cannot be thoroughly explored in a brief article such as

this, here are a few defining aspects of this famous teacher's method:

The "Magic If": A simple way of beginning the Stanislavsky Method is to ask yourself

"What would I do if I was in this situation." This is a good way to consider natural reactions

to the events in the story. However, Stanislavsky also realized that these types of "what if"

questions do not always lead to the best characterization. "What would I do?" might be a very

different question than "What would Hamlet do?" Still, it's a good place to begin.

Re-Education: Actors must rethink the way they move and talk while onstage. Being

onstage in front of a large audience can be an intimidating experience -- certainly not part of

most people's everyday lives. Theatre began in Ancient Greece with masks and

choreographed sequences; styles may have changed in subsequent centuries, but they were

still characterized by an actor's over-emphasis found in early theatre. However, in real life,

we don't behave that way. Stanislavsky compelled actors to find ways to exhibit true-to-life

human nature, while still being able to project loud enough for audiences to hear.

Observation: Stanislavsky was the ultimate people-watcher. He encouraged his students to

carefully observe others, focusing on their physical traits just as much as their personalities.

After studying everyday people, he would often disguise himself as a peasant or an old man,

and interact with the townspeople to see how well he could fit in. Every person is unique.

Therefore, every character should exhibit unique traits -- many of which can be inspired and

adapted from an actor's observation.

Motivation/Objectives: It's become a cliché actor's question -- What is my motivation? Yet,

that is precisely what Stanislavsky expected his actors to consider. Why does the character

say this? Why does the character move to this part of the stage? Why does she turn on the

lamp light? Why does he take a gun out of the drawer? Some actions are obvious and easy to

explain. Others can be mysterious. Maybe the playwright doesn't even know. (Or maybe the

playwright was just lazy and needed someone to move a chair across the stage for the sake of

convenience.) The actor must study the text thoroughly to determine the objective behind a

character's words and actions.

Emotional Memory: Stanislavsky didn't want his actors to simply create a facsimile of an

emotion. He wanted his actors to actually feel the emotion. So, if a scene called for extreme

grief, actors needed to put themselves in the mind-set of the character's situation so that they

genuinely experience the feelings of intense sadness. (The same goes for all the other

emotions.) Sometimes, of course, the scene is so dramatic, the character so human, that these

intense emotions come naturally to the actor. However, for actors not able to connect with the

character's emotional state, Stanislavsky advised performers to reach into their personal

memories and draw upon a comparable life experience.

Stanislavsky's Legacy:

Stanislavsky's Moscow Theatre thrived during the Soviet Union, and it even continues today.

His method of acting has influenced many other renowned drama teachers including:

Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg and Uta Hagen

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Antonin Artaud 1896-1948 Sadly, the French mastermind known as Antonin Artaud (1896-1948) was not always a lucid one. The man who coined the term ‘theatre of cruelty’ spent a significant portion of his later life in asylums, and when on the outside, addicted to opium.

Much of Artaud’s writings on the theatre are difficult to comprehend and his manifestos in ‘The Theatre and Its Double’ are not exactly bedtime reading. Artaud often has less appeal to teachers and students of theatre than other theorists and practitioners because his techniques are not readily translatable. One has to work hard to decipher how Artaud’s concepts for his Theatre of Cruelty become

concrete conventions for the stage. But this does not mean we should dismiss Artaud or his influence on 20th century theatre.

A largely movement-based performance style, Theatre of Cruelty aimed to shock the senses of its audience, sometimes using violent and confronting images that appealed to the emotions. Text was given a reduced emphasis in Artaud’s theatre, as dance and gesture became just as powerful as the spoken word. Piercing sound and bright stage lights bombarded the audience during performances.

Artaud experimented with the relationship between performer and audience, preferring to place spectators at the very centre of a performance surrounding them. His intention was to trap the audience inside the drama.

Below is a list of many of the conventions of the Theatre of Cruelty Theory

Artaud saw both the world around him and the theatre, itself, in need of change

he was influenced by Surrealism and at one time was a member of the movement

his theatre set to awaken the dormant dream images of our minds

Artaud’s theoretical writings included a series of manifestos on the theatre

his theoretical essays were published (during his lifetime) in 1938: ‘The Theatre and Its Double’

reading Artaud’s writings is akin to doing a cryptic crossword puzzle

his theories were never realised in an accessible form for future generations to interpret easily

Artaud attempted to appeal to the irrational mind, one not conditioned by society

there was an appeal to the subconscious, freeing the audience from their negativity

his theatre could not communicate using spoken language (primary tool of rational thought)

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his was a return to a theatre of myth and ritual

the Theatre of Cruelty was an enhanced double of real life

Artaud created ‘doubles’ between the theatre and metaphysics, the plague, and cruelty

he claimed if the theatre is the double of life, then life is the double of theatre

his theatre was to mirror not that of everyday life, but the reality of the extraordinary

this ‘extraordinary’ was a reality not contaminated by ideas of morality and culture

his art (theatre) should be a double of a higher form of reality

Artaud’s theatre aimed to appeal to, and release the emotions of, the audience

mood played an important part in Theatre of Cruelty performances

by bombarding the audience’s senses, they underwent an emotional release (catharsis)

This is Artaud’s ‘double’: theatre should recall those moments when we wake from dreams unsure whether the dream’s content or the bed we are lying in is our reality (The Routledge Companion to Theatre and Performance).

Text

emphasis on the written or spoken text was significantly reduced

the notion of text being exalted (a more powerful component) was eliminated

Artaud referred to spoken dialogue as ‘written poetry’

emphasis on improvisation, not scripts

There can be no spectacle without an element of cruelty as the basis of every show (First Manifesto, Antonin Artaud)

Movement & Gesture

Artaud was inspired by a performance of Balinese dancers in 1931 (use of gesture and dance)

Artaud wished to create a new (largely non-verbal) language for the theatre

(ritualistic) movement was a key element (often replacing traditional text/spoken words)

performers communicated some of their stories through ‘signs’

‘signs’ in the Theatre of Cruelty were facial expression and movement

stylised movement was known as ‘visual poetry’

dance and gesture became just as effective as the spoken word

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movement and gesture replaced more than words, standing for ideas and attitudes of mind

movement often created violent or disturbing images on stage

sometimes the violent images were left to occur in the minds of the audience (not on stage)

We do not intend to do away with dialogue, but to give words something of the significance they have in dreams (First Manifesto, Antonin Artaud)

Space & Actor-Audience Relationship

Artaud experimented with the actor-audience relationship

relationship between the actor and audience in the Theatre of Cruelty was intimate

preference for actors to perform around the audience in the centre (rectangle/ring/boundary)

he attempted to reduce or eliminate the special space set aside for the actors (the stage)

Grotowski refuted Artaud’s concept of eliminating the stage area

Performers placed in four corners / on four sides of the space (revolutionary?)

Grotowski argued Artaud’s use of space was not revolutionary; it had already been attempted

the audience was therefore placed in a weaker, less powerful position (encircled by actors)

the audience was often seated on swivel chairs (easily swinging around to follow the action)

galleries and catwalks enable the performers to look down on the audience (trapping them)

Stagecraft

emphasis on light and sound in performances

sound was often loud, piercing, and hypnotising for the audience

the audience’s senses were assaulted with movement, light and sound (hence ‘cruelty’)

music and sound (voice, instrument, recorded) often accompanied stage movement or text

lighting used a combination of flooded light and pinpointed, more directed light

using spectacle and sensation, Artaud wanted his theatre to hypnotise its audience

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colour, light and costume added theatrical effect (opposite to Grotowski and Poor Theatre)

sets were eliminated from performances, (but musical instruments could form part of a ‘set’)

the Theatre of Cruelty is ‘total theatre’ (full of spectacle)

Artaud preferred to dismiss modern costumes, employing clothing used for ancient rituals

some evidence projection and/or film may have been used in Artaud’s performances

Artaud likened film editing to the juxtaposition between performers’ movements and gestures

oversized puppets/mannequins/effigies were used to create contrast in size with the actors

mask was also used on occasions

We intend to do away with stage and auditorium, replacing them by a kind of single, undivided locale without any partitions of any kind and this will become the very scene of the action (First Manifesto, Antonin Artaud)

Acting & Characterisation

the actor was encouraged to openly use emotions (opposite to Brecht and Epic Theatre)

no emphasis on individual characters in performance (opposite to Stanislavski and Realism)

characters were less defined by movement, gesture and dance (compared to spoken dialogue)

Grotowski warned the Artaudian actor to avoid stereotyped gestures: one for each emotion

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"THE VIBRANT AND VISCERAL FRANTIC ASSEMBLY" THE INDEPENDENT

Frantic Assembly creates thrilling, energetic and unforgettable theatre. The company attracts new and young

audiences with work that reflects contemporary culture. Vivid and dynamic, Frantic Assembly's unique physical style combines movement, design, music and text.

Frantic Assembly is led by Artistic Director Scott Graham. Scott formed the company with Steven Hoggett and Vicki Middleton in 1994 and continues to collaborate with many of today's most inspiring artists. Having toured extensively throughout the UK, Frantic Assembly has built

an enviable reputation as one of the most exciting companies in the country. The company has also performed, created and collaborated in 40 different countries across the world.

Watch some clips of recent Frantic Assembly productions here:

http://www.franticassembly.co.uk/showreel/

Frantic Assembly’s work has had a huge influence on the Hayes Drama Department for several years now. We have been incorporating their techniques into our teaching at A Level for both scripted and devised pieces, but it is in your work on the latter that you will be using their style as a major stimulus.

A member of Frantic will be coming into school in September to run a workshop with you introducing you to many of the techniques the company use when they are devising their pieces. From November through to February you will be creating pieces using these techniques, pieces that will be your first assessed performances that go towards your A Level.

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Useful Websites

https://dramauk.co.uk/

Drama UK provides a unique link between the theatre, media and broadcast industries and drama

training providers in the UK.

http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/drama-and-theatre-2016.html Here, you'll find everything you need to prepare for AS and A level Drama and Theatre from 2016, including

our Edexcel AS and A level Drama and Theatre specification and sample assessment materials.

http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/

The independent web site on UK theatre, with reviews, news, features, interviews, podcasts and a weekly e-

mail newsletter covering theatre all around the country.

www.bibliomania.com

Study notes on a very wide range of texts, with notes, suggested essay titles, and guidance on further reading

(you need to register to access the material, but at the time of access there appeared to be no charge).

www.franticassembly.co.uk

The official website for this country’s premier physical theatre company and the company you will be using as

your stimulus for devising in Year 12.

https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning/schools/secondary-and-fe All the latest productions and production background

for shows at The National. Excellent resource.

www.shakespearehelp.com

A very detailed listing of resource material on

Shakespeare, his life, times and plays, particularly

useful for advanced learners.

We recommend looking up the websites of the

following companies:

Kneehigh Theatre Company

Theatre de Complicite

Shared Experience Theatre

PunchDrunk

DV8

Trestle Theatre Company

Also look for clips of these companies on YouTube.

www.digitaltheatre.com

This is a fantastic website that professionally films productions and releases them to download. It isn’t free,

but it is so worth it!

Here are some authors to get you started:

Christina Rossetti

William Wordsworth

John Keats William Blake

Phillip Larkin

Sylvia Plath

Alfred Tennyson

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