At the end of Term 1, the Year 9 Drama class presented their first performance task of the year. This was in their unit Scripted Drama, delving into how performance styles have changed throughout history.

Students worked in small groups, to present a radio play as if they were in the 1930s, which involved them researching and creating backgrounds and voices for multiple characters as well as creating sound effects as foley artists. They used music to set the scenes and wrote the advertisements that sponsored their programs.

During the performances, the audience was treated to a variety of plays, from a classic whodunit murder mystery to a tense sci-fi space battle, to the mishaps and greed of the Old West.

Each group worked hard throughout the creative process to create their own versions of the characters and deepen their understanding of how the individual actor can put their own spin on a pre-existing role and make it their own.

While the focus was on their radio play, students also explored the Wakefield Mystery Plays and Shakespeare to determine historical interpretations and the persistence of scripted drama into the modern world.

In the upcoming term, students will shift their focus to devised work, starting with an Epic Theatre unit.