Ten AS Drama students at Pipers Corner School demonstrated their considerable talent as the performed their practical exam pieces on Friday. They performed first for the examination moderator in the afternoon and then again in the evening in front of an audience of friends and family.
The new AS syllabus requires that students show evidence of a theatre practitioner's influence in their realisation of part of a scripted play. The first group had chosen to perform "Fear and Misery of the Third Reich" by Brecht. This work consists of a series of vignettes, portraying National Socialist Germany of the 1930s as a land of poverty, violence, fear and pretence.
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The second group chose "Find Me" by Olwen Wymark. Set in the 1970s "Find Me" revolves around the character Verity Taylor, who is charged by the police with damaging a chair by fire in the mental hospital where she was a patient and later committed to Broadmoor. The play delves deep into her personality and also reflects on the effects that her behaviour has on the family, friends and officials with whom she comes into contact.
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Both these pieces gave the girls the opportunity to demonstrate techniques of Epic Theatre, showing the influence of Brecht as their chosen practitioner. Epic Theatre is designed to distance the audience from the action and emphasise the fact that they are watching a play – preventing them from getting emotionally involved. This requires the actors to use a montage technique of fragmentation, contrast and contradiction, and interruptions.
Head of Performing Arts, Heather Andrew said, "The standard of acting was exceptional. Both plays required the actors to work in a strong ensemble and multi role a wide range of characters. I could not have been more proud of my groups who each showed such creativity and attention to detail."
**ENDS**
For more information contact:
Fran Knight, Marketing and Communications Manager, Pipers Corner School. Telephone 01494 719 850 or email fknight@piperscorner.co.uk
Pictures show:
- Performing "Fear and Misery of the Third Reich"
- The girls' performance of "Find Me"