The Wonder That Is Drama Theory !!!!

Key Words (Terminology). Rehearsal/Rehearsing End-on-stage Key Words (Terminology) Rehearsal/Rehearsing End-on-stage Drama piece Raised platform Emotion Memory Stimulus Stanislavski Contemporary Performance Practical piece Character Monologue End-On-Stage Duologue Platform Posture Flats Super/Scene Objective

Section A = Devised Work (‘Loss’ Performance) Section B = Scripted Work (Alibi/After School Special)

Section A

Section A : Choices The very first thing you must do for Section A is choose TWO SCENES that you will write about . Make sure you stick to just these two so that your writing does not become too vague. Use ONE SCENCE when discussing your rehearsal process and the OTHER SCENE when discussing you performance

Pick Two Scenes from your devised piece The First question in section A will ALWAYS ask you to describe the following: The Title of the piece The Themes of the piece What Style and Genre it was When and Where it was set The Synopsis of the piece The Performance Space and any Technical Choices that were made and WHY??? What your Contribution was (ACTOR)

Section A: The Rehearsal Process There are two ways your exam paper may ask you about your rehearsal process; It may ask you for the skills that you developed in one question and rehearsal techniques used in a different question... Or it may just ask you for both ,in one question and add another question about team work etc. Whichever way your Exam Paper asks you, you must include both how you developed your Skills AND the different Drama Techniques you used!!!!

1. Describe what your piece was about; state the period, style and genre of the piece, the performance space, your target audience and any technical elements used. You should state your contribution to the piece. 2. Explain what skills you contributed to the piece in your role as an actor, designer or technician. Give specific examples that demonstrate how you used these skills to contribute to the piece. 3. Analyse the ways in which you improved your skills during the rehearsal process. You should refer to at least one specific occasion when you made progress as an actor in preparation for the performance. 4. Evaluate your success as an actor, designer or technician in the final performance piece. You should refer to particular moments from the performance which you thought were especially successful or were unsuccessful for you personally.

Describe what your piece was about; state the period, style and genre of the piece, the performance space, your target audience and any technical elements used. You should state your contribution to the piece. 2. Explain how you developed your creative ideas for the piece of practical work. Give at least one specific example of how you applied your skill as an actor, designer or technician in preparation for performance. 3. Analyse the success of your groups ability to work as a team during the rehearsal period. You should refer to at least one specific example where teamwork was important in the later stages of you preparation. 4. Evaluate how far you have achieved your personal aims in the final performance. You should refer to particular moments from the piece to support your answer. The 1st thing to do is choose 2 scenes that you are going to write about The 1st thing to do is choose 2 scenes that you are going to

VOICE GESTURE MOVEMENT YOUR SKILLS AS AN ACTOR FACIAL EXPRESSION TONE / PITCH / VOLUME / PACE / INTONATION / EMPHASIS / PAUSE MOVEMENT HOW YOU MOVE AROUND THE STAGE / STANCE / POSTURE / PACE / PAUSE / CONTACT WITH CHARACTERS GESTURE YOUR MANNERISMS / ARM MOVEMENT / HEAD MOVEMENT FACIAL EXPRESSION EYEBROWS / EYES / MOUTH / CHIN TILT / NOSE / INTENTION /

Drama Rehearsal Techniques Hot Seating Emotion Memory Outside Eye The Magic If Super Objective Scene Objective

How to Write about your development Starting Point: Tell us how you first started working on the scene you have chosen to discuss Experiment: Then write how you experimented ( what Drama Techniques you used and how you experimented with any of the VMGFE) Final Decision: Finally write what your final decision was and WHY ???

Section A : Evaluating your performance The last question in Section A will ask you to Evaluate your Performance and it’s success! This is where you must discuss your Skills: VMGFE And use the What How Why technique

Explain: What you did ( I showed that my character was upset ) How you did it ( I lowered my pitch, softened my tone, reduced my volume and avoided eye contact) Why you did it ( to allow the audience to understand how my character felt towards the other character on stage and to gain sympathy from them) Conclude: It was successful because ……….(You achieved an emotional response from the audience/you made the audience laugh/ you created tension for the audience : Audience Responses – laughter/tears/applause/attentive silence

Section B Scripted Work

Section B : Only One Choice ! The very first thing you must do is choose ONE SCENE to write about in Section B Use this ONE SCENE for BOTH QUESTIONS IN SECTION B but use different examples within that scene

Section B : Structure Section B is made up of two questions. One question is based on your process ( rehearsal / development/ refinement). 2. The second question is based on your final performance (Evaluation/Analysis/Justification)

Section B : Question 1 You must remember to introduce your scripted piece in a similar way to Section A’s first question : (Title /Themes /Style /Genre/When/ Where/Synopsis /Performance Space /Contribution) - This needs to be short and sweet This question is exactly the same as Section A’s Q2/3 and must be answered using the same structure - (just regarding your scripted work NOT your improvisation) It is all about your process : Development and Refinement of skills and Drama Techniques used.

Sooooooo …………….. Starting Point: Tell us how you first started working on the scene you have chosen to discuss Experiment: Then write how you experimented ( what Drama Techniques you used and how you experimented with any of the VMGFE) Final Decision: Finally write what your final decision was and WHY ???

AND GUESS WHAT ???

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FINAL PERFORMANCE Section B Question 2 is Exactly the same structure as your final question in Section A IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FINAL PERFORMANCE

AND SOOOOOOOOOOOO …………………….. Explain: What you did ( I showed that my character was upset ) How you did it ( I lowered my pitch, softened my tone, reduced my volume and avoided eye contact) Why you did it ( to allow the audience to understand how my character felt towards the other character on stage and to gain sympathy from them) Conclude: It was successful because ……….( You achieved an emotional response from the audience/you made the audience laugh/ you created tension for the audience : Audience Responses – laughter/tears/applause/attentive silence

Section B Study and performance of a scripted play Answer one question either from this section or from Section C. Answer both parts of your chosen question. You must not write about the same play or performance used to answer Section A. At the beginning of your answer, state the title of the play and the playwright.     EITHER   Question 2   Choose one play you have studied and performed during your course. Choose one extract from this play. Your answer to both parts of this question should focus on either acting or design or technical skills.   0 5 With close reference to the script of the play, describe how you developed your skills as actor, designer or technician in rehearsal to meet the specific demands of your chosen extract. You may choose to refer to the stage directions from the original script and/or to what characters do and say in the text. (20 marks)   AND   0 6 Evaluate the success of your contribution to the final performance of this extract. You should refer to at least one specific moment from the performance when you felt that you succeeded in interpreting the script effectively for the audience. (20 marks)    

Section B Study and performance of a scripted play Answer one question either from this section or from Section C. Answer both parts of your chosen question. You must not write about the same play or performance used to answer Section A. At the beginning of your answer, state the title of the play and the playwright OR   Question 3   Choose one play you have studied and performed during your course. Choose one extract from this play. Your answer to both parts of this question should focus on either acting or design or technical skills.   0 7 Explain how you arrived at your interpretation of the script in the early stages of rehearsal and how you developed your creative ideas as actor, designer or technician during the preparation period. Give specific details of your research, rehearsal and other preparation work. (20 marks)   AND   0 8 Evaluate your success in applying your skills to achieve an appropriate style and/or genre for the extract. You should support your evaluation with reference to particular moments from the final performance.

AQA Website links to past papers and mark schemes http://www.aqa.org.uk/subject s/drama/gcse/drama- 4240/past-papers-and-mark- schemes