Drama & Theatre

The Alleyn’s Drama Department is a space where pupils can leave behind the complex business of being a teenager in the 21^st Century to focus on making and enjoying challenging and lively theatre, developing their confidence, creativity and craft in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

In lessons full of energy and physicality, pupils develop their dramatic literacy and enjoyment of the craft, through dynamic action and vocal training, as well as intellectual challenge. On the theoretical side, we help pupils to develop detailed understanding of theatrical practitioners and build the analytical skills required to understand how successful theatre works to challenge and enrich our world; in the practical elements, we work to develop not just brilliant acting, but expertise in all aspects of stagecraft from lighting design to directing. 

In the Lower School, courses are designed to build confidence, teamwork skills and a lifelong love of Drama as pupils explore plays, contemporary issues and theatrical techniques, such as naturalistic acting, Bunraku puppetry, mask-work and devising.

In Year 9, pupils have the option to study drama further, developing their skills in a course based closely on actor-training techniques.  They take part in intensely practical workshop sessions that are fun and engaging but also generate a sense of pride in the work and an understanding of the rigour and imagination that goes into theatre-making. 

GCSE Drama combines practice and theory, as well as offering frequent trips to London’s most dynamic theatres.  Students develop as able dramatists who can interrogate semiotics and understand theatrical decisions and their impact.

A level Drama and Theatre pushes our actors further still to hone their dramatic skills, solve problems, work collaboratively and create independent and innovative theatre within a framework of academic research.  They experience richly challenging practical workshops, ranging from the ‘creative anarchy’ of Kneehigh to the tragi-comic ambiguities of Chekhov and the ambitious physical theatre characterised by Frantic Assembly.

The Drama team is passionate about the remarkable alchemy of Drama in all its forms and our teaching is built upon an enduring respect for the courage it takes to stand up tall, no matter what the stage, and say something truthful about what it means to be a human being.