Drama students at Solihull Sixth Form College completed their assessed practical exams this week by exploring contemporary theatre.
The second year A level Drama & Theatre students split into groups to perform extracts from a range of chosen plays, with their performances accounting for 30% of their final A level grades.
The chosen plays included an extract from “The Almighty Sometimes” by Kendall Feaver, which explores the topic of teenage mental health and the debate surrounding medication. “Posh” by Laura Wade was another chosen production, in which their extract explored the world of ten young bloods from an elite student dining society in Oxford, who are planning a takeover.
Two students took on the challenge of an extract from “Chicken Shop” by Anna Jordan, which is a dark coming-of-age story centring around a 16-year-old boy and his attempts to prove his masculinity. Meanwhile another two students chose “The Wasp” by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, which explores the reintroduction of school acquaintances whose lives have taken very different paths; on re-establishing their connection one presents the other with a bag of cash and a proposition. The final extract was from “Yen” by Anna Jordan, which explores a childhood lived without boundaries and the consequences of being forced to grow up on your own.
Drama teacher Nadia Kouhi commented:
“I must praise this cohort of students for their determination to create theatre that is convincing and creative despite the turbulent two years of their education being impacted by the global pandemic. The students have faced a range of barriers from rehearsing performances online to socially distanced practical workshops, but have been a perfect example of resilience and commitment. I’m proud of them.”
31 March 2022