More House School

DRAMA

Drama flourishes at More House. It forms part of the Core curriculum in the first three years and thereafter becomes first a GCSE and thereafter an A Level option. The English and Drama Department usually mounts a minimum of three productions per year, and recent works have included The Miracle, Macbeth, Emma, and The Crucible.

In addition the Department also showcases pieces written by the girls themselves. There is close collaboration with other departments within the School in terms of: set, prop and costume design and production; dance and music; photography and technical support. This has the effect of widening still further the number of girls who are involved in our productions. The Department has access to a range of different performance spaces both on and off site. In 2007 the School opened a custom designed Drama Studio which also has the capability to provide dance facilities. Regular theatre trips are organised to some of the best theatres in the world and the School also hosts regular visits from professional theatre companies.

More Detail about Drama

All girls in Years 7–9 enjoy a rich and varied drama curriculum, which encourages them to work creatively both individually and in groups.

In Year 7 girls participate in a variety of games and activities to enable them to interact with the other members of their form. They embark on a series of projects designed to inspire their imaginations whilst encouraging their sense of teamwork. Later in the year they study a play in its entirety and begin making decisions about staging and characterisation.

Work in Years 8 and 9 builds on the foundations of the first year. Girls become confident in the class and are exposed to a wide range of drama texts, including classic comedy by Wilde, Beckett, O'Neill, Delaney and Shakespeare. Girls also become familiar with dramatic concepts and techniques, and learn how to use them to enrich their own work. The entire KS3 curriculum is designed to encourage the growth of the individual, whilst placing her in the context of a team that must work together to succeed.

Girls can select GCSE Drama as one of their options in Years 10 and 11. The school follows the AQA syllabus, which consists of both practical coursework and written exam. Over the two-year course girls are exposed to a variety of texts, create their own improvisations, take part in performances and develop their acting skills, whilst becoming discerning critics through numerous theatre visits. Most recently the girls enjoyed a backstage tour of "The Woman in Black". Last year the girls enjoyed a 100% pass rate, with most gaining A*-B grades.

Students can then study Drama at AS and A2 level, following the Edexcel Specification. This is an excellent course combining practical skills with academic study and is always a popular choice; indeed, this year 100% gained an A or B grade. Girls following the course have recently staged "The House of Bernarda Alba", "Emma" and "The Crucible", all of which were very successful.

Drama is an important part of the extra-curricular life of the school. Drama Club and Showstoppers are open to all girls in years 7-9; The clubs run each week, and are for those girls who enjoy having fun and working creatively with others. Girls work in a variety of groups, creating improvisations and songs. In 2006 Drama Club staged a performance of "Miss World" to an audience, which proved to be an enjoyable evening for all concerned. The school has participated in the Shell Connections National Theatre Competition, in which students rehearse and stage a full length new play in a professional theatre. The theatre group performed "Just" by Ali Smith at the Old Vic, London, which was an amazing experience, as part of the Shell Programme, and also 'The Miracle' in conjunction with the Lyric, Hammersmith. 2003 saw our successful production of "The Wizard of Oz" at the Questor's Theatre in Ealing. Last year the school's major production of 'Macbeth' was enormously successful, and this year the girls are working in conjunction with the music and dance departments to stage "The Pirates of Penzance" at the Polish Theatre, Hammersmith.

We make full use of our central London location with frequent theatre visits, which have recently included trips to the Royal Court, The Barbican, The National Theatre and The Young Vic.