A-LEVEL DRAMA AND THEATRE (7262) Specification For teaching from September 2016 onwards For A-level exams in 2018 onwards Version 1.7 26 April 2022
A-LEVEL DRAMA AND THEATRE
Mar 15, 2023
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A-level Drama and Theatre Specification Specification for first teaching in 2016A-LEVEL DRAMA AND THEATRE (7262) Specification For teaching from September 2016 onwards For A-level exams in 2018 onwards Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Contents
1 Introduction 5 1.1 Why choose AQA for A-level Drama and Theatre 5 1.2 Support and resources to help you teach 6
2 Specification at a glance 9 2.1 Subject content 9 2.2 Assessments 9
3 Subject content 11 3.1 Drama and theatre 11 3.2 Creating original drama 15 3.3 Making theatre 16 3.4 Guidance on theatrical skills 17 3.5 Prescribed practitioners 20
4 Scheme of assessment 23 4.1 Aims 23 4.2 Assessment components 23 4.3 Assessment objectives 39 4.4 Assessment weightings 39 4.5 Assessment criteria 39
5 Non-exam assessment administration 47 5.1 Supervising and authenticating 47 5.2 Avoiding malpractice 47 5.3 Administration for Component 2 48 5.4 Administration for Component 3 49 5.5 Factors affecting individual students 50 5.6 After assessment 50
6 General administration 51 6.1 Entries and codes 51 6.2 Overlaps with other qualifications 51 6.3 Awarding grades and reporting results 51 6.4 Resits and shelf life 51 6.5 Set texts 52 6.6 Previous learning and prerequisites 52 6.7 Access to assessment: diversity and inclusion 52 6.8 Working with AQA for the first time 53 6.9 Private candidates 53
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 3
4 Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration
1 Introduction 1.1 Why choose AQA for A-level Drama and Theatre Our specification inspires students to become independent theatre makers with the skills they need to go on to higher education, whether that is to study a course in drama and theatre or another subject.
A practical focus We want students to have an inspiring experience of A-level Drama and Theatre.
This qualification emphasises practical creativity alongside research and theoretical understanding.
Students learn through experience, seeing theatre and making theatre for themselves. Students are introduced to a wide range of theatrical styles and contexts as they explore plays practically, devise and work on performances.
Students choose to develop as a:
• performer • designer (lighting, sound, set, costume, puppets) • director • combination of these.
Whichever option they choose, students will gain many invaluable skills, both theatrical and transferable, to expand their horizons.
Engaging exams Each exam paper is designed to allow students to demonstrate their creativity and imagination in interpreting set texts and apply independent thinking as they evaluate a live theatre production.
We’ve gained considerable expertise in setting exam questions and writing mark schemes for drama and theatre so we know how to create papers that build students' confidence and help them achieve their full potential.
When setting the paper, quality of marking is at the forefront of our minds. We know how important it is that your students get results that reflect their achievements.
p
Clear progression to higher education Higher education institutions (HEIs) value and respect the skills our drama and theatre qualifications give students.
We developed this specification with help from HEIs and we’ve really made the most of the advice they gave us. By incorporating the approach they take with drama and theatre undergraduates into this A-level, your students will be really well prepared for the demands of university and beyond.
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 5
Transferable skills There’s another reason our A-level in Drama and Theatre is so valued.
Students of AQA Drama and Theatre develop skills that are not just essential for drama but applicable to a wide range of higher education subjects and in the workplace.
This specification refines students' collaborative skills, their analytical thinking and their approach to research.
Students grow in confidence and maturity as they successfully realise their own ideas. They learn to evaluate objectively and develop a sound appreciation of the influences that cultural and social contexts can have on decision making.
Whatever the future holds, students of A-level Drama and Theatre emerge with a toolkit of transferable skills preparing them for their next steps.
You can find out about all our Drama qualifications at aqa.org.uk/drama
1.2 Support and resources to help you teach We’ve worked with experienced teachers to provide you with a range of resources that will help you confidently plan, teach and prepare for exams.
Teaching resources Visit aqa.org.uk/7262 to see all our teaching resources. They include:
• schemes of work: ideas to help you plan your course with confidence • co-teaching guidance: suggestions for how to co-teach the AS and A-level specifications to
aid planning • good practice guides: helping you to inspire and challenge students to think creatively • exemplification materials: marked student work supported by examiner commentaries and
guidance • suggested plays: to help you choose appropriate material for practical study. We have
developed a broad list of suggested plays that you might like to consider for your students and will keep this updated to ensure it reflects the best of contemporary theatre.
Support service • Training courses: helping you deliver AQA drama qualifications • Subject expertise courses: for newly-qualified teachers to experienced teachers looking for
fresh inspiration • Drama advisory service: each school/college is allocated a non-exam assessment (NEA)
Adviser. You can contact them for one-to-one advice on any aspect of the NEA and/or support with planning and delivery of course content.
• Subject community: access free resources and services offered by drama organisations and universities
• Support meetings: helping you with course delivery; offering practical teaching strategies and approaches that really work
• Teacher network group: contact colleagues at other schools/colleges to share ideas about resources and teaching strategies for the AQA specification
6 Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration
Preparing for exams Visit aqa.org.uk/7262 for everything you need to prepare for our exams, including:
• past papers, mark schemes and examiners’ reports • specimen papers and mark schemes for new courses • exemplar student answers with examiner commentaries.
Analyse your students' results with Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA) Find out which questions were the most challenging, how the results compare to previous years and where your students need to improve. ERA, our free online results analysis tool, will help you see where to focus your teaching. Register at aqa.org.uk/era
For information about results, including maintaining standards over time, grade boundaries and our post-results services, visit aqa.org.uk/results
Keep your skills up-to-date with professional development Wherever you are in your career, there’s always something new to learn. As well as subject- specific training, we offer a range of courses to help boost your skills.
• Improve your teaching skills in areas including differentiation, teaching literacy and meeting Ofsted requirements.
• Prepare for a new role with our leadership and management courses.
You can attend a course at venues around the country, in your school or online – whatever suits your needs and availability. Find out more at coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk
Help and support available Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/7262
If you'd like us to share news and information about this qualification, sign up for emails and updates at aqa.org.uk/keepinformeddrama
Alternatively, you can call or email our subject team direct.
E: [email protected]
T: 01483 556 301
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 7
2.1 Subject content The subject content details the knowledge, understanding and skills that students are expected to develop throughout the course of study.
The subject content for A-level Drama and Theatre is divided into three components:
1. Drama and theatre (page 11) 2. Creating original drama (page 15) 3. Making theatre (page 16)
Guidance is also provided on the theatrical skills students will need to work on.
In the practical components students may specialise in performing, lighting, sound, set, costume, puppets and/or directing.
2.2 Assessments Component 1: Drama and theatre
What's assessed
• Knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre • Study of two set plays, one chosen from List A, one chosen from List B • Analysis and evaluation of the work of live theatre makers
How it's assessed
• Written exam: 3 hours • Open book • 80 marks • 40% of A-level
Questions
• Section A: one question (from a choice) on one of the set plays from List A (25 marks) • Section B: one three part question on a given extract from one of the set plays from List B
(30 marks) • Section C: one question (from a choice) on the work of theatre makers in a single live
theatre production (25 marks)
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 9
What's assessed
• Process of creating devised drama • Performance of devised drama (students may contribute as performer, designer or director)
Devised piece must be influenced by the work and methodologies of one prescribed practitioner
How it's assessed
• Working notebook (40 marks) • Devised performance (20 marks) • 60 marks in total • 30% of A-level
This component is marked by teachers and moderated by AQA.
Component 3: Making theatre (practical)
What's assessed
• Practical exploration and interpretation of three extracts (Extract 1, 2 and 3) each taken from a different play
Methodology of a prescribed practitioner must be applied to Extract 3
Extract 3 is to be performed as a final assessed piece (students may contribute as performer, designer or director)
• Reflective report analysing and evaluating theatrical interpretation of all three extracts
How it's assessed
• Performance of Extract 3 (40 marks) • Reflective report (20 marks) • 60 marks in total • 30% of A-level
This component is marked by AQA.
10 Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration
Students will:
• create, perform and respond to drama and theatre • develop the creativity and independence to become effective theatre makers • explore the relationship between theory and practice in a range of theatrical styles and
periods and historical, social and cultural contexts • learn how relevant research, independent thought and analysis of live theatre production can
inform decision making in their practical work and put this understanding into practice • experience the ways in which theatre makers collaborate to create theatre.
The subject content details the knowledge, understanding and skills that students are expected to develop throughout the course of study.
The subject content for A-level Drama and Theatre is divided into three components:
1. Drama and theatre (page 11) 2. Creating original drama (page 15) 3. Making theatre (page 16)
For the practical components students choose to work as performers, designers (design students may choose lighting, sound, set, costume or puppets) or directors.
Guidance is provided in Guidance on theatrical skills (page 17).
3.1 Drama and theatre This subject content is assessed in a written exam.
See Component 1: Drama and theatre (page 23) for details.
3.1.1 Knowledge and understanding Students must develop knowledge and understanding of the following analytical framework for making, performing, interpreting and understanding drama and theatre.
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 11
The theatrical processes and practices involved in interpreting and performing theatre
How conventions, forms and techniques are used in drama and live theatre to create meaning
How creative and artistic choices influence how meaning is communicated to an audience
Interpretative processes relating to:
• practical demands of texts • the choice and use of performance space • patterns of stage movement • stage positioning and configuration • spatial relationships on stage • performer and audience configuration • character motivation and interaction • performers’ vocal and physical
interpretation of character • delivery of lines • listening and response • playing of sub-text • development of pace, pitch and dramatic
climax • relationships between performers and
audience • design of sets, costume, makeup, lighting,
sound and props • design fundamentals such as scale,
shape, colour, texture.
How performance texts are constructed to be performed, conveying meaning
• genre and form • structure • language • stage directions • character construction • style of play.
How performance texts are informed by their social, cultural and historical contexts and are interpreted and performed for an audience
• the social, cultural and historical contexts of plays
• interpretative and performance strategies.
3.1.2 Area of study 1 – Set plays Students must study and explore practically two set plays, one chosen from List A and one chosen from List B.
There are three prohibited play combinations for the exam: students must not answer on both Butterworth’s Jerusalem from List A and Teale’s Brontë, Gurira’s The Convert, or Ellams’ Three Sisters from List B. This is because these texts were written at a similar time.
Study should be targeted at developing ideas for how the plays chosen may be interpreted and performed.
12 Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration
• performer • designer (lighting, sound, set and costume) • director.
For plays in List B, for the purposes of the exam students must be prepared to adopt the perspective of director, performer and designer (lighting, sound, set, costume).
Students must also develop Knowledge and understanding (page 11) of the content listed, in particular:
• how the play has been constructed to be performed and to communicate meaning • how the play is informed by its social, cultural and historical context.
Students must not answer Section A or Section B of the exam on the same play they answer on for Section C ie the live production seen cannot be one of their set plays.
3.1.2.1 List A Specific editions are not prescribed for these plays. However, we've listed the editions we use to set questions.
If you wish to use a different edition, we recommend you source a copy of the one we use to make sure it's similar. This will enable your students to access the questions on the paper. Adaptations are not appropriate.
List A – these plays have been selected to represent significant drama through the ages.
Playwright List A set play
Sophocles Antigone (The Three Theban Plays, translated by Robert Fagles, Penguin, 1984, ISBN: 0140444254)
William Shakespeare Much Ado About Nothing (ed Claire McEachern, Bloomsbury Arden Shakespeare, 2016, ISBN: 1472520297)
Carlo Goldoni A Servant to Two Masters (ed Lee Hall, Methuen Drama, 1999, ISBN 0413748502)
Henrik Ibsen Hedda Gabler (Student Edition, Bloomsbury, 2002, ISBN: 0413770702)
Bertolt Brecht The Caucasian Chalk Circle (ed Eric Bentley, Penguin, 2007, ISBN: 0141189169)
Dario Fo Accidental Death of an Anarchist (Methuen Drama, 1987, ISBN: 0413156109)
Jez Butterworth Jerusalem (Nick Hern Books, 2009, ISBN: 1848420501)
3.1.2.2 List B These plays have been selected to represent 20th and 21st century drama.
Specific editions are prescribed for these plays.
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
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Federico García Lorca Yerma (Methuen Drama, 2007, ISBN: 978-0713683264)
Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie (Penguin, 2009, ISBN: 978-0141190266)
Steven Berkoff Metamorphosis (in Three Theatre Adaptations from Franz Kafka, Amber Lane Press, 1988, ISBN: 978-0906399842)
Caryl Churchill Cloud Nine (in Plays: 1, Methuen Drama, ISBN: 978-0413566706)
Timberlake Wertenbaker Our Country's Good (Methuen Drama, 1985, ISBN: 978-0413692306)
Polly Teale Brontë (Polly Teale, Nick Hern Books, 2011, ISBN: 978-1848421707)
Danai Gurira The Convert (Methuen Drama, 2022, ISBN: 9781350340879)
Inua Ellams Three Sisters (A new play after Chekhov) (Methuen Drama, ISBN: 978-1-35026278-2)
3.1.3 Area of study 2 – Live theatre production Students must learn how to analyse and evaluate the work of live theatre makers (performers/ designers/directors).
Students should aim to understand productions in terms of the relevant content listed in Knowledge and understanding (page 11), and in addition:
• the perceived or stated aims of the production team and their success in achieving them • the creative collaboration of the performers, the designers, the director and other members of
the creative team • the audience experience and response.
Students should learn how to:
• articulate their understanding of how the performers/designers/director (as appropriate) communicated meaning to the audience
• consider in detail how aspects of the performance piece contributed to the impact of the production
• assess how aspects of the production contributed to its effectiveness as a piece.
Prior to seeing a performance students are expected to have undertaken background research.
Live theatre could include:
• plays • physical theatre • theatre in education • musical theatre.
Productions may be professional or amateur (not peer).
Students certificating after 1 January 2019 are required to experience live performance – in which they are a member of the audience in the same performance space as the performers. This may be a professional or amateur, but not a peer, performance. Schools/colleges must submit a ‘Live
14 Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration
Performance Statement’ (which will be available on our website) to confirm that all students have completed this requirement. Failure to provide this statement prior to 1 May in the year of certification will be treated as maladministration. Students may still complete the ‘Live theatre production’ section of the exam paper referring to digital recordings or streamed productions.
Teachers must ensure that students see at least one performance which will enable them to access the exam questions and mark scheme in full. We recommend that this performance is a minimum of 50 minutes in duration (excluding any intervals or breaks) and that it includes at least two actors, dialogue and a range of production values (lighting, sound, set and costume).
Students must not answer Section A or Section B of the exam on the same play they answer on for Section C ie the live production seen cannot be one of their set plays.
3.2 Creating original drama This subject content is assessed practically.
Each student must choose to be assessed as a:
• performer or • lighting designer or • sound designer or • set designer or • costume designer or • puppet designer or • director.
Costume designers may choose to include make-up and/or hair and/or masks. Set designers may choose to include design of props.
Each student must choose one specialism only for all the Creating original drama content.
See Component 2: Creating original drama (page 26) for details.
3.2.1 Creating devised drama Students must learn how to create and develop original devised ideas to communicate meaning as part of the theatre making process.
Students must draw on and demonstrate a practical understanding of the subject content listed in Knowledge and understanding (page 11).
Students must develop their ability to:
• develop their own ideas • research relevant processes and practices of theatre making to inform their own practice • apply what they have learnt from live theatre to their own work in practice • collaborate with other theatre makers • explore devising and rehearsal methods • refine and amend work in progress.
Students must also study for this component the work and methodology of one influential theatre practitioner chosen from the list of Prescribed practitioners (page 20).
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
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• the social, cultural and historical context in which the practitioner is/was working • theatrical purpose and practice • artistic intentions •…
Contents
1 Introduction 5 1.1 Why choose AQA for A-level Drama and Theatre 5 1.2 Support and resources to help you teach 6
2 Specification at a glance 9 2.1 Subject content 9 2.2 Assessments 9
3 Subject content 11 3.1 Drama and theatre 11 3.2 Creating original drama 15 3.3 Making theatre 16 3.4 Guidance on theatrical skills 17 3.5 Prescribed practitioners 20
4 Scheme of assessment 23 4.1 Aims 23 4.2 Assessment components 23 4.3 Assessment objectives 39 4.4 Assessment weightings 39 4.5 Assessment criteria 39
5 Non-exam assessment administration 47 5.1 Supervising and authenticating 47 5.2 Avoiding malpractice 47 5.3 Administration for Component 2 48 5.4 Administration for Component 3 49 5.5 Factors affecting individual students 50 5.6 After assessment 50
6 General administration 51 6.1 Entries and codes 51 6.2 Overlaps with other qualifications 51 6.3 Awarding grades and reporting results 51 6.4 Resits and shelf life 51 6.5 Set texts 52 6.6 Previous learning and prerequisites 52 6.7 Access to assessment: diversity and inclusion 52 6.8 Working with AQA for the first time 53 6.9 Private candidates 53
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 3
4 Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration
1 Introduction 1.1 Why choose AQA for A-level Drama and Theatre Our specification inspires students to become independent theatre makers with the skills they need to go on to higher education, whether that is to study a course in drama and theatre or another subject.
A practical focus We want students to have an inspiring experience of A-level Drama and Theatre.
This qualification emphasises practical creativity alongside research and theoretical understanding.
Students learn through experience, seeing theatre and making theatre for themselves. Students are introduced to a wide range of theatrical styles and contexts as they explore plays practically, devise and work on performances.
Students choose to develop as a:
• performer • designer (lighting, sound, set, costume, puppets) • director • combination of these.
Whichever option they choose, students will gain many invaluable skills, both theatrical and transferable, to expand their horizons.
Engaging exams Each exam paper is designed to allow students to demonstrate their creativity and imagination in interpreting set texts and apply independent thinking as they evaluate a live theatre production.
We’ve gained considerable expertise in setting exam questions and writing mark schemes for drama and theatre so we know how to create papers that build students' confidence and help them achieve their full potential.
When setting the paper, quality of marking is at the forefront of our minds. We know how important it is that your students get results that reflect their achievements.
p
Clear progression to higher education Higher education institutions (HEIs) value and respect the skills our drama and theatre qualifications give students.
We developed this specification with help from HEIs and we’ve really made the most of the advice they gave us. By incorporating the approach they take with drama and theatre undergraduates into this A-level, your students will be really well prepared for the demands of university and beyond.
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 5
Transferable skills There’s another reason our A-level in Drama and Theatre is so valued.
Students of AQA Drama and Theatre develop skills that are not just essential for drama but applicable to a wide range of higher education subjects and in the workplace.
This specification refines students' collaborative skills, their analytical thinking and their approach to research.
Students grow in confidence and maturity as they successfully realise their own ideas. They learn to evaluate objectively and develop a sound appreciation of the influences that cultural and social contexts can have on decision making.
Whatever the future holds, students of A-level Drama and Theatre emerge with a toolkit of transferable skills preparing them for their next steps.
You can find out about all our Drama qualifications at aqa.org.uk/drama
1.2 Support and resources to help you teach We’ve worked with experienced teachers to provide you with a range of resources that will help you confidently plan, teach and prepare for exams.
Teaching resources Visit aqa.org.uk/7262 to see all our teaching resources. They include:
• schemes of work: ideas to help you plan your course with confidence • co-teaching guidance: suggestions for how to co-teach the AS and A-level specifications to
aid planning • good practice guides: helping you to inspire and challenge students to think creatively • exemplification materials: marked student work supported by examiner commentaries and
guidance • suggested plays: to help you choose appropriate material for practical study. We have
developed a broad list of suggested plays that you might like to consider for your students and will keep this updated to ensure it reflects the best of contemporary theatre.
Support service • Training courses: helping you deliver AQA drama qualifications • Subject expertise courses: for newly-qualified teachers to experienced teachers looking for
fresh inspiration • Drama advisory service: each school/college is allocated a non-exam assessment (NEA)
Adviser. You can contact them for one-to-one advice on any aspect of the NEA and/or support with planning and delivery of course content.
• Subject community: access free resources and services offered by drama organisations and universities
• Support meetings: helping you with course delivery; offering practical teaching strategies and approaches that really work
• Teacher network group: contact colleagues at other schools/colleges to share ideas about resources and teaching strategies for the AQA specification
6 Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration
Preparing for exams Visit aqa.org.uk/7262 for everything you need to prepare for our exams, including:
• past papers, mark schemes and examiners’ reports • specimen papers and mark schemes for new courses • exemplar student answers with examiner commentaries.
Analyse your students' results with Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA) Find out which questions were the most challenging, how the results compare to previous years and where your students need to improve. ERA, our free online results analysis tool, will help you see where to focus your teaching. Register at aqa.org.uk/era
For information about results, including maintaining standards over time, grade boundaries and our post-results services, visit aqa.org.uk/results
Keep your skills up-to-date with professional development Wherever you are in your career, there’s always something new to learn. As well as subject- specific training, we offer a range of courses to help boost your skills.
• Improve your teaching skills in areas including differentiation, teaching literacy and meeting Ofsted requirements.
• Prepare for a new role with our leadership and management courses.
You can attend a course at venues around the country, in your school or online – whatever suits your needs and availability. Find out more at coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk
Help and support available Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/7262
If you'd like us to share news and information about this qualification, sign up for emails and updates at aqa.org.uk/keepinformeddrama
Alternatively, you can call or email our subject team direct.
E: [email protected]
T: 01483 556 301
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 7
2.1 Subject content The subject content details the knowledge, understanding and skills that students are expected to develop throughout the course of study.
The subject content for A-level Drama and Theatre is divided into three components:
1. Drama and theatre (page 11) 2. Creating original drama (page 15) 3. Making theatre (page 16)
Guidance is also provided on the theatrical skills students will need to work on.
In the practical components students may specialise in performing, lighting, sound, set, costume, puppets and/or directing.
2.2 Assessments Component 1: Drama and theatre
What's assessed
• Knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre • Study of two set plays, one chosen from List A, one chosen from List B • Analysis and evaluation of the work of live theatre makers
How it's assessed
• Written exam: 3 hours • Open book • 80 marks • 40% of A-level
Questions
• Section A: one question (from a choice) on one of the set plays from List A (25 marks) • Section B: one three part question on a given extract from one of the set plays from List B
(30 marks) • Section C: one question (from a choice) on the work of theatre makers in a single live
theatre production (25 marks)
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 9
What's assessed
• Process of creating devised drama • Performance of devised drama (students may contribute as performer, designer or director)
Devised piece must be influenced by the work and methodologies of one prescribed practitioner
How it's assessed
• Working notebook (40 marks) • Devised performance (20 marks) • 60 marks in total • 30% of A-level
This component is marked by teachers and moderated by AQA.
Component 3: Making theatre (practical)
What's assessed
• Practical exploration and interpretation of three extracts (Extract 1, 2 and 3) each taken from a different play
Methodology of a prescribed practitioner must be applied to Extract 3
Extract 3 is to be performed as a final assessed piece (students may contribute as performer, designer or director)
• Reflective report analysing and evaluating theatrical interpretation of all three extracts
How it's assessed
• Performance of Extract 3 (40 marks) • Reflective report (20 marks) • 60 marks in total • 30% of A-level
This component is marked by AQA.
10 Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration
Students will:
• create, perform and respond to drama and theatre • develop the creativity and independence to become effective theatre makers • explore the relationship between theory and practice in a range of theatrical styles and
periods and historical, social and cultural contexts • learn how relevant research, independent thought and analysis of live theatre production can
inform decision making in their practical work and put this understanding into practice • experience the ways in which theatre makers collaborate to create theatre.
The subject content details the knowledge, understanding and skills that students are expected to develop throughout the course of study.
The subject content for A-level Drama and Theatre is divided into three components:
1. Drama and theatre (page 11) 2. Creating original drama (page 15) 3. Making theatre (page 16)
For the practical components students choose to work as performers, designers (design students may choose lighting, sound, set, costume or puppets) or directors.
Guidance is provided in Guidance on theatrical skills (page 17).
3.1 Drama and theatre This subject content is assessed in a written exam.
See Component 1: Drama and theatre (page 23) for details.
3.1.1 Knowledge and understanding Students must develop knowledge and understanding of the following analytical framework for making, performing, interpreting and understanding drama and theatre.
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 11
The theatrical processes and practices involved in interpreting and performing theatre
How conventions, forms and techniques are used in drama and live theatre to create meaning
How creative and artistic choices influence how meaning is communicated to an audience
Interpretative processes relating to:
• practical demands of texts • the choice and use of performance space • patterns of stage movement • stage positioning and configuration • spatial relationships on stage • performer and audience configuration • character motivation and interaction • performers’ vocal and physical
interpretation of character • delivery of lines • listening and response • playing of sub-text • development of pace, pitch and dramatic
climax • relationships between performers and
audience • design of sets, costume, makeup, lighting,
sound and props • design fundamentals such as scale,
shape, colour, texture.
How performance texts are constructed to be performed, conveying meaning
• genre and form • structure • language • stage directions • character construction • style of play.
How performance texts are informed by their social, cultural and historical contexts and are interpreted and performed for an audience
• the social, cultural and historical contexts of plays
• interpretative and performance strategies.
3.1.2 Area of study 1 – Set plays Students must study and explore practically two set plays, one chosen from List A and one chosen from List B.
There are three prohibited play combinations for the exam: students must not answer on both Butterworth’s Jerusalem from List A and Teale’s Brontë, Gurira’s The Convert, or Ellams’ Three Sisters from List B. This is because these texts were written at a similar time.
Study should be targeted at developing ideas for how the plays chosen may be interpreted and performed.
12 Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration
• performer • designer (lighting, sound, set and costume) • director.
For plays in List B, for the purposes of the exam students must be prepared to adopt the perspective of director, performer and designer (lighting, sound, set, costume).
Students must also develop Knowledge and understanding (page 11) of the content listed, in particular:
• how the play has been constructed to be performed and to communicate meaning • how the play is informed by its social, cultural and historical context.
Students must not answer Section A or Section B of the exam on the same play they answer on for Section C ie the live production seen cannot be one of their set plays.
3.1.2.1 List A Specific editions are not prescribed for these plays. However, we've listed the editions we use to set questions.
If you wish to use a different edition, we recommend you source a copy of the one we use to make sure it's similar. This will enable your students to access the questions on the paper. Adaptations are not appropriate.
List A – these plays have been selected to represent significant drama through the ages.
Playwright List A set play
Sophocles Antigone (The Three Theban Plays, translated by Robert Fagles, Penguin, 1984, ISBN: 0140444254)
William Shakespeare Much Ado About Nothing (ed Claire McEachern, Bloomsbury Arden Shakespeare, 2016, ISBN: 1472520297)
Carlo Goldoni A Servant to Two Masters (ed Lee Hall, Methuen Drama, 1999, ISBN 0413748502)
Henrik Ibsen Hedda Gabler (Student Edition, Bloomsbury, 2002, ISBN: 0413770702)
Bertolt Brecht The Caucasian Chalk Circle (ed Eric Bentley, Penguin, 2007, ISBN: 0141189169)
Dario Fo Accidental Death of an Anarchist (Methuen Drama, 1987, ISBN: 0413156109)
Jez Butterworth Jerusalem (Nick Hern Books, 2009, ISBN: 1848420501)
3.1.2.2 List B These plays have been selected to represent 20th and 21st century drama.
Specific editions are prescribed for these plays.
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
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Federico García Lorca Yerma (Methuen Drama, 2007, ISBN: 978-0713683264)
Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie (Penguin, 2009, ISBN: 978-0141190266)
Steven Berkoff Metamorphosis (in Three Theatre Adaptations from Franz Kafka, Amber Lane Press, 1988, ISBN: 978-0906399842)
Caryl Churchill Cloud Nine (in Plays: 1, Methuen Drama, ISBN: 978-0413566706)
Timberlake Wertenbaker Our Country's Good (Methuen Drama, 1985, ISBN: 978-0413692306)
Polly Teale Brontë (Polly Teale, Nick Hern Books, 2011, ISBN: 978-1848421707)
Danai Gurira The Convert (Methuen Drama, 2022, ISBN: 9781350340879)
Inua Ellams Three Sisters (A new play after Chekhov) (Methuen Drama, ISBN: 978-1-35026278-2)
3.1.3 Area of study 2 – Live theatre production Students must learn how to analyse and evaluate the work of live theatre makers (performers/ designers/directors).
Students should aim to understand productions in terms of the relevant content listed in Knowledge and understanding (page 11), and in addition:
• the perceived or stated aims of the production team and their success in achieving them • the creative collaboration of the performers, the designers, the director and other members of
the creative team • the audience experience and response.
Students should learn how to:
• articulate their understanding of how the performers/designers/director (as appropriate) communicated meaning to the audience
• consider in detail how aspects of the performance piece contributed to the impact of the production
• assess how aspects of the production contributed to its effectiveness as a piece.
Prior to seeing a performance students are expected to have undertaken background research.
Live theatre could include:
• plays • physical theatre • theatre in education • musical theatre.
Productions may be professional or amateur (not peer).
Students certificating after 1 January 2019 are required to experience live performance – in which they are a member of the audience in the same performance space as the performers. This may be a professional or amateur, but not a peer, performance. Schools/colleges must submit a ‘Live
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Performance Statement’ (which will be available on our website) to confirm that all students have completed this requirement. Failure to provide this statement prior to 1 May in the year of certification will be treated as maladministration. Students may still complete the ‘Live theatre production’ section of the exam paper referring to digital recordings or streamed productions.
Teachers must ensure that students see at least one performance which will enable them to access the exam questions and mark scheme in full. We recommend that this performance is a minimum of 50 minutes in duration (excluding any intervals or breaks) and that it includes at least two actors, dialogue and a range of production values (lighting, sound, set and costume).
Students must not answer Section A or Section B of the exam on the same play they answer on for Section C ie the live production seen cannot be one of their set plays.
3.2 Creating original drama This subject content is assessed practically.
Each student must choose to be assessed as a:
• performer or • lighting designer or • sound designer or • set designer or • costume designer or • puppet designer or • director.
Costume designers may choose to include make-up and/or hair and/or masks. Set designers may choose to include design of props.
Each student must choose one specialism only for all the Creating original drama content.
See Component 2: Creating original drama (page 26) for details.
3.2.1 Creating devised drama Students must learn how to create and develop original devised ideas to communicate meaning as part of the theatre making process.
Students must draw on and demonstrate a practical understanding of the subject content listed in Knowledge and understanding (page 11).
Students must develop their ability to:
• develop their own ideas • research relevant processes and practices of theatre making to inform their own practice • apply what they have learnt from live theatre to their own work in practice • collaborate with other theatre makers • explore devising and rehearsal methods • refine and amend work in progress.
Students must also study for this component the work and methodology of one influential theatre practitioner chosen from the list of Prescribed practitioners (page 20).
AQA A-level Drama and Theatre 7262. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.7 26 April 2022
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• the social, cultural and historical context in which the practitioner is/was working • theatrical purpose and practice • artistic intentions •…
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