Drama timings + tips

Whole exam:

3 hrs 8 mins

Section A:

45 mins

Section B:

81 over all - 10 mins reading, 35 mins per question

Section C:

62 mins

Live Theatre answer tips:

• refer to 3-4 key moments

• give lots of fine (intricate/specific/nuanced) detail

• refer back to question constantly

• TALK ABOUT EXPECTATIONS VS REALITY

• balance personal response with subject-specific terminology

• make use of both acting and design decisions

• Brief intro - give context to play

• use personal comments

• audience reaction

• write about key moments so someone who hadn’t seen it could imagine it

• What did it mean? Did it work? What did it communicate?

• Socio-economic knowledge - themes in play, how it impacted you (eg: parent’s + children separated etc)

That Face performer answer tips:

• Talk in first person (make clear you’re a performer, not a director)

• Talk about 4 key moments in the extract

• link to wider play at least 2 times (eg: ‘I would contrast this with my interaction with… earlier in the play which I…’)

• SHP context link 3 times

• Vocals: use detail on how specific words should be said, use of pauses, and vocal tone

• Physicality: high levels of detail, explain why you chose it, and what the effect is

Performer question - ‘stage space’ meanings

• proxemics

• movement

• body language

• physicality

• DONT OVER MOVE - use stillness too

That Face designer answer tips:

• link the design element to specific lines

• link to genre to inform choices?

• use subject specific terminology

• Use specific small and precise details on things like fabrics etc and what they are communicating

• Give clear account of how, and why you have made your choices

Hedda Qs - Structure/overall response

• Keep referring back to ‘As a director’ + lang of Q throughout the piece

• Show enthusiasm for the text

• Spend enough time on it so can cover the demands of Q w/ sufficient detail

• Use sketches if add to answer

• Don’t discuss concept ideas that aren’t relevant to the question

• Research ideas

• Be clear

• In intro: outline the concepts/intentions of HG/Ibsen, how this influences my ideas, and why Stanislavski is a good fit for this

• Don’t be afraid to go into a lot of detail

• Use a plan if it’s helpful to make sure you cover all the points you want to

• Understanding of the role of the director

• More successful when writing about key moments chronologically bcs shows understanding for what it happening in the extract

• Find a balance b/w justifying choices + how it impacts the performance

• With questions about ‘stage space’ or the likes, don’t interpret too narrowly (eg: not just set design, but also it’s relationship w/ the audience or the proximity of set/props physically placed on stage, as well as how the actors use this stage space)

• Develop ideas, don’t just research them

• Make sure you have detailed knowledge about all design elements

Hedda Qs - OPC/Playwright’s intentions

• Link knowledge of OPC/SHPC to past/present, w/ insight/respect for the playwright’s intentions

• When mentioning OPC ensure it links to the context of what you’re saying

• Discuss OPC in relation to how it informed/inspired creative/theatrical ideas as a director NOT a history lesson

• If changing time/period then explain explicitly why (eg: relevancy to modern audience)

• Can use quotes if links to point

• Connect research to themes and ideas in the play → useful when supports this + enhances the playwright’s intentions

Hedda Qs - My intentions/concept

• Use you’re intended impact on the audience to justify choices

• Keep directorial concept at the root of the response, while also addressing other elements

• ‘detailed, knowledgeable, confident concept that closely referenced the extract while also connecting moments to the rest of the play … chooses a moment from the given extract and quite simply explains how this would be performed, nevertheless this detailed mapping to the extract was omitted entirely by many candidates.’ - examiner comment about a 24/24 response

• Always say WHAT and WHY → for WHY: don’t just make general statements, also explain for specifically the moment you’re discussing

• Don’t spend too much time on getting you concept down on paper at the expense of focusing on the question

• Best responses aren’t ‘too bizarre or quirky’ but ‘logical, appropriate, and well considered

Hedda Qs - Wider play/extract

• Root the answer in the extract + make specific reference to it (eg: quotes)

• Make sure to reference/discuss moments from the rest of the text

• Understand where the extract sits within the context of the wider play + where the characters sit within the context of the wider play

Hedda Q - practitioner

• Don’t dwell too long on rehearsal instead of overall performance

• Knowledge of key theories/methodologies + how to apply

• Mention throughout → integrated, not just an afterthought

• Can use creative flexibility when using practitioner’s techniques/manipulate them for a modern audience

• Can use quotes if links to point

• Create a balance of how Stanislavski might do something, and hoe you interpret that