VCE Drama focuses on the creation and performance of characters and stories that communicate ideas, meaning and messages. Students use creative processes, a range of stimulus material and play-making techniques to develop and present devised work. Students learn about and draw on a range of performance styles relevant to practices of ritual and story-telling, contemporary drama practice and the work of significant drama practitioners.
Students explore characteristics of selected performance and apply and manipulate conventions, dramatic elements and production areas. They use performance skills and expressive skills to explore and develop role and character. The performances they create will go beyond the reality of life as it is lived and may pass comment on or respond to aspects of the real world. These performances can occur in any space. Students also analyse the development of their own work and performances by other drama practitioners.
At Year 11, students have the opportunity to undertake Drama Units 3 and 4, subject to criteria published separately. If the criteria is not met, students can undertake Drama Units 1 and 2.
In this unit students explore the work of drama practitioners and draw on contemporary practice as they devise ensemble performance work. Students explore performance styles and associated conventions from a diverse range of contemporary and/or traditional contexts. They work collaboratively to devise, develop and present an ensemble performance. Students create work that reflects a specific performance style or one that draws on multiple performance styles and is therefore eclectic in nature. They use play-making techniques to extract dramatic potential from stimulus material, then apply and manipulate conventions, dramatic elements, expressive skills, performance skills and production areas. Throughout development of the work they experiment with transformation of character, time and place, and application of symbol. Students devise and shape their work to communicate meaning or to have a specific impact on their audience. In addition, students document and evaluate stages involved in the creation, development and presentation of the ensemble performance. Students analyse and evaluate a professional drama performance.
In this area of study students develop and present a devised ensemble performance. They examine the work of a range of drama practitioners working in selected performance styles to explore how dramatic work is created. Students work with given stimulus material and guidelines that provide a starting point for the structure of a performance. They apply their knowledge of ways other drama practitioners work to devise and shape their work to communicate meaning and to have an impact on their audience in specific and intentional ways. Students use play-making techniques to extract dramatic potential from the stimulus, and devise and develop characters, story and meaning in the ensemble performance. The performance style of the resulting work may reflect one of the selected performance styles or it may draw on features from a range of styles and be eclectic in nature. When creating their ensemble performance, students develop a work that incorporates application of symbol and transformation of character, time and place. The performance style of the work will go beyond a representation of real life as it is lived. Students manipulate conventions, dramatic elements and production areas to create and to communicate meaning. They consider application of role and explore how to establish and manipulate an actor– audience relationship that is appropriate to the performance style of the work.
On completion of this unit the student should be able to develop and present characters within a devised ensemble performance that goes beyond a representation of real life as it is lived.
In this area of study students analyse the ensemble performance devised in Outcome 1. They describe, reflect upon, interpret, analyse and evaluate the construction and performance of this ensemble performance. They analyse the selection, use and manipulation of conventions (including application of symbol and transformation of character, time and place), dramatic elements, expressive skills, performance skills, play-making techniques, production areas and selected performance styles. Students also use appropriate drama terminology to discuss their own performance work and to analyse the dramatic potential of stimulus material and resources for developing characters for an ensemble performance.
On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse the use of processes, techniques and skills to create and present a devised ensemble performance.
In this area of study students analyse and evaluate a professional drama performance selected from the prescribed VCE Drama Unit 3 Playlist. Students analyse the actors’ use of expressive and performance skills to represent character and to communicate meaning in the performance. They consider how the actor–audience relationship is created and manipulated and analyse and evaluate how the conventions, dramatic elements, production areas and performance styles are used in the performance.
On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse and evaluate a professional drama performance.
This unit focuses on the development and the presentation of devised solo performances. Students explore contemporary practice and works that are eclectic in nature; that is, they draw on a range of performance styles and associated conventions from a diverse range of contemporary and traditional contexts. Students develop skills in extracting dramatic potential from stimulus material and use play-making techniques to develop and present a short solo performance. They experiment with application of symbol and transformation of character, time and place. They apply conventions, dramatic elements, expressive skills, performance skills and performance styles to shape and give meaning to their work. Students further develop and refine these skills as they create a performance in response to a prescribed structure. They consider the use of production areas to enhance their performance and the application of symbol and transformations. Students document and evaluate the stages involved in the creation, development and presentation of their solo performance. Students are encouraged to attend performances that incorporate a range of performance styles to support their work in this unit.
In this area of study students explore, and develop skills in, play-making techniques in the development of a short solo performance. They demonstrate application of symbol and transformation of character, time and place. Teachers provide stimulus material appropriate to the size of the task, such as a person, an event, an issue, a place, an image, one word, a definition, a quotation, lyrics, a sound or an icon. Students prepare for the task of devising a short solo performance by exploring, experimenting with and trialling processes they will employ in developing their extended solo performance for Outcome 2. They begin by exploring and experimenting with a range of play-making techniques to extract dramatic potential from the stimulus material. They focus themselves for applying symbol and transforming character, time and place. The focus of the performance should be on acting. Students may use production areas such as costume, make-up, objects, props or mask, to assist in application of symbol or transformations. Students develop a short statement that identifies the techniques of this performance. They then present this solo performance in an informal setting such as in a classroom. The stimulus material the student uses in this area of study must be different from the stimulus material used in completing Outcomes 2 and 3, and should not be selected from the prescribed structures published for the current year in the VCE Drama Solo Performance Examination.
On completion of this unit the student should be able to demonstrate, in response to given stimulus material, application of symbol and transformation of character, time and place, and describe the techniques used.
In this area of study students create and develop a solo performance in response to a prescribed structure. They draw on an understanding of performance styles from a range of historical, cultural and social contexts. During their solo performance, students use conventions including application of symbol and transformation of character, time and place. They may also use other conventions such as asides, caricature, exaggerated movement, heightened use of language, pathos, placards, satire, song, stillness and silence, as appropriate to the requirements of a prescribed structure. The resulting work will go beyond a representation of real life as it is lived.
On completion of this unit the student should be able to create, develop and perform a solo performance in response to a prescribed structure.
In this area of study students use appropriate drama terminology to analyse and evaluate the creative processes used in the creation, development and presentation of a solo performance devised in response to a prescribed structure. To support their analysis and evaluation, students draw on examples of conventions, including application of symbol and transformation of character, time and place, dramatic elements, expressive skills, performance skills, performance styles, play-making techniques, production areas and use of stimulus material.
On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse and evaluate the creation, development and presentation of a solo performance devised in response to a prescribed structure.
Unit 1
A devised ensemble performance.
Analysis of the ensemble development and performance presented in one or both of the following formats:
an oral presentation
written responses to structured questions
A written analysis and evaluation of a play selected from the Unit 1 Playlist.
Unit 2
A one to three minute presentation of a solo response to stimulus material accompanied by a short written statement.
An end of year solo performance for an audience
A written report that analyses and evaluates the solo performance.
An end of year written examination
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