PUBLISHED 09 July 2024
On Monday 24th June and Thursday 27th June, the Year 10 Drama students had their GCSE Devised Performance Exams, and after had the opportunity to perform these pieces to an audience of their peers and family members. After months of practice and preparation, these hard-working pupils were ready to display their pieces to a crowd.
AKS parents, teachers and classmates all had the privilege to watch the three groups of GCSE drama students. These performances were, “Money, Money, Money”, “Writers Block” and “The Perfect Woman”.
The first group consisted of Hiruni P, Ellie T and Charlie W, who performed their piece “Money, Money, Money”. This performance focused on a piece of artwork by Banksy and highlighted the financial struggles in everyday life and how they can affect the lives of millions. This Year 10 drama piece focusing on the financial struggles of working-class people in today's society is a profoundly impactful and relevant production. They effectively immersed the audience in the characters' world, enhancing the storytelling. This drama piece not only showcases the students' talent but also serves as a vital commentary on the current economic hardships, creating a greater understanding and awareness of the struggles faced by working-class families.
These stories used many different techniques to create a different narrative for every character, such as monologues to provide the audience with insight into a character's thoughts and feelings. It also helped us to develop an idea of their backstories in our mind.
“Writers Block” was an excellently devised performance about gender-swapped fairytales by Isla A, Emilia D-D, Ella P and Jasmine S. This production really showcased the students' creativity and progressive thinking. By reimagining classic tales with gender-swapped roles, the piece challenges traditional stereotypes and promotes gender equality, encouraging the audience to think critically about societal norms. The script is cleverly written, blending humour and highlights the absurdity of gender roles. This performance not only entertains but also educates, making it a standout example of how drama can be both impactful and engaging.
“I really enjoyed this particular piece as it made me really think in depth about the stereotypes of fairytales and how gender inequality should be addressed more frequently” - Ava H(Year 9)
The final piece was “The Perfect Woman”. This addressed the struggles of young women and how society can change their views on the way they look and feel inside their bodies. This included discussions on sensitive topics such as anorexia and body dysmorphia, displaying how they can impact a person's everyday life. It was a powerful and thought-provoking production that tackles a number of important topics. These amazing students delivered a heartfelt and authentic performance, portraying the struggles and emotional turmoil faced by individuals dealing with these conditions, leaving members of the audience in tears. The script is well written, including personal narratives to help the audience see how many different types of issues people can face.
“I enjoyed being a part of this project as I feel like it’s very important to raise awareness to topics becoming more relevant in this society.”- Olivia D (Year 10).
The blocking in each performance was well practised and the actors were swift in their movements, making a visually impressive piece of work to watch. This helped the story progress quickly and effectively which in turn made the productions feel much more engaging to view.
Overall, the three performances were exciting to watch, and see the finished product of what months of hard work looks like. As students that will be taking GCSE Drama next year, it was interesting to see a glimpse of what we’ll be working towards.
By Lila N and Henry C