Suitable plays for GCSE Drama

Solving the problem of finding suitable plays that meet GCSE Drama exam board criteria

One of the most frustrating and time consuming problems associated with GCSE drama classes is the seeking out of suitable plays for the students to perform.

There are, of course, many plays around, but not so many that have the right amount of engagement per candidate and the right number of pupils involved within the cast.

What’s more, given the restriction that some exam boards now impose on the taking of scenes from published plays and the need for the play to have a unified sense, finding suitable plays is getting more difficult – especially if one wishes to avoid using the same plays as last year.

This is the problem that “Here comes Godot now!” by Lindsay Jones solves. It contains 12 plays each containing multi-roling and the variety of theatrical techniques that exam boards now seem to love.

The plays particularly engage with themes not often found in other sources, such as dark comedy, fantasy, horror, humour and urban myths. Thus the themes in this volume avoid the social topics such as drug taking which other volumes (and indeed assemblies and PSHE lessons) will already have covered extensively.

As for performances, the plays are written for a variety of combinations of participants from two boys or two girls up to four boys and four girls. Because the volume is photocopiable (or printable from a CD rom) only one copy of the book need be bought, and it can be used among the class without further cost.

ISBN: 978 1 86083 856 9 Order code: T1820emn – please quote with order.

Sample pages incorporating one complete play can be viewed at http://pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/drama/T1820.pdf

  • Photocopiable book, £29.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • CD with school-wide rights: £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • Both the book and the CD £36.94 plus £3.95 delivery
  • Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report…