With the increasing prominence of 'How science works' in science courses in England and the imperative of equipping students to engage with the controversies thrown up by the advance of science, science departments need new teaching strategies. Here we describe the application of 'Dramatic Enquiry' to GCSE science. The project, developed by Thistley Hough High School and Cap-a-Pie Associates in conjunction with Creative Partnerships, involved the whole of year 9 in creating a fictitious near-future setting in which to explore the science of genetic diseases and the ethical dilemmas that they create.