Written specifically for GCSE students by academics in the field, the Methuen Drama GCSE Student Editions provide in-depth explanatory material alongside the play texts frequently studied at Key Stage 4. Whether for use in the classroom or independent study, these editions offer a fully comprehensive and lightly glossed play text with accompanying notes specifically directed towards readers of this age, which unravel essential topics and challenge all students to delve further into literary analysis. Shelagh Delaney's modern classic A Taste of Honey is a comic and poignant exploration of class, feminism, race, sexual orientation and optimism in post-war Britain. Fifty years after its hit premiere, working-class Lancashire lass Jo's story continues to engage new generations of audiences. In addition to some on-page explanatory notes and the play text itself, this edition contains sub-headed analyses of themes, characters, context and dramatic devices, as well as background information on the playwright. The Methuen Drama GCSE Student Editions never lose sight of their readership, and offer students the confidence to engage with the material, explore their own interpretations, and improve their understanding of the works.

 

This book is part of a book series called Gcse Student Guides .

This book is suitable for Key Stage 4. KS4 covers school years 10 and 11, and ages 15-16 years. A key stage is any of the fixed stages into which the national curriculum is divided, each having its own prescribed course of study. At the end of each stage, pupils are required to complete standard assessment tasks. This book is aimed at children in secondary school.

There are 136 pages in this book. This book was published 2016 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC .

Kate Whittaker is a former English and Drama teacher who has worked in a variety of UK secondary schools. She is now Lecturer in Drama at Birmingham City University, specialising in post-war British and North American theatre. Shelagh Delaney was born in Salford, Lancashire. She won multiple awards for her play A Taste of Honey, for which she later wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation. She has also written for television, radio and has published a collection of short stories. She died in 2011. Kate Whittaker is a former English and Drama teacher who has worked in a variety of UK secondary schools. She is now Lecturer in Drama at Birmingham City University, specialising in post-war British and North American theatre.

This book has the following chapters: Principle areas of focus include: Historical, socio-cultural and theatrical context Information the playwright and other work by her Detailed analyses of ideas, themes, characters, narrative and dramatic techniques Analysis of characterisation Key literary, linguistic and theatrical/dramaturgical features of the text, including style, form, structure, plot, narrative, character, dialogue, theme and symbolism) Production histories and adaptations, including up-to-date reflections on key productions A variety of activities, designed to allow students to reflect upon their learning and understanding in both the classroom and at home Suggestions for related and wider reading This material is frequently underpinned by: - references to critical/scholarly perspectives on the play and playwright - pedagogical 'checkpoints' that will comprise opportunities for students to reflect upon, and assess, their knowledge and understanding of the text in relation to drama, literature, language This edition makes critical use of existing scholarship about the play and certain 'schools' and trajectories in which it has been read, including feminist theatre and post-war British realism. In interconnecting clear, engaging and scholarly information and readings with a variety of activities for students, this guide features a genuinely interactive and dynamic quality. It is designed to give the student reader confidence in developing their own responses and analysis of the play.