A-Level

AQA A-Level Drama & Theatre Revision

Adaptive practice aligned to the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance specification. 8 topics, exam-style questions, and instant AI feedback.

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About AQA A-Level Drama & Theatre

AQA is the largest exam board in England, setting GCSE and A-Level exams taken by millions of students each year. Known for clear mark schemes and well-structured specifications across all major subjects.

A-Level Drama and Theatre Studies combines practical performance with academic study of theatre history, theory, and practice. You will study set texts and the work of influential theatre practitioners (such as Stanislavski, Brecht, Artaud, and Berkoff), develop your skills as a performer or designer, and create original devised theatre. The course demands both creative ability and rigorous analytical writing.

Topics in AQA A-Level Drama & Theatre

1 Set Text Study

2 Live Theatre Review

3 Devising Theatre

4 Performing

5 Directing

6 Design Elements

7 Practitioners

8 Theatre History

Study Tips for AQA Drama & Theatre

For each practitioner you study, create a detailed profile covering their key techniques, staging style, use of space, performer-audience relationship, and the social or political context of their work. Learn specific examples from their productions to reference in essays.

Keep a detailed working notebook throughout your devised process, recording your creative decisions, rehearsal experiments, and reflections. This becomes the basis for your written analysis and demonstrates the quality of your creative process.

Watch as much live theatre as possible and analyse it critically. Attend a range of productions — mainstream, fringe, physical theatre, immersive — and consider how the director and performers have applied techniques from practitioners you have studied.

When rehearsing for performance assessments, record yourself on video regularly to identify habits you are unaware of, such as blocking issues, vocal projection problems, or unclear physicality. Self-review is one of the most effective rehearsal tools.