OCR A-Level Drama and Theatre: Practitioners in Practice and devising overview quiz quiz

The non-exam devising unit, the largest component (120 marks, 40 percent)

A written closed-book exam answered on a single studied set performance text

A live theatre review of a professional production seen during the course

A scripted extract performance of a published play, performed as the outcome

AO2 and AO3 only (realising a piece and showing contextual knowledge)

AO1, AO2 and AO4 (approximately AO1 50, AO2 40, AO4 30)

AO3 and AO4 only (contextual knowledge and evaluation of the work)

All four objectives weighted equally across the whole component

It is the only part of the whole component that is formally assessed

It is graded externally by an OCR examiner rather than by the centre

It evidences AO1 and AO4, which together are around 80 of the 120 marks

It replaces the devised performance entirely so no piece is staged at all

Generating as much raw improvised material as possible and keeping all of it

Memorising the two practitioners' biographies and key dates in their careers

Performing the source extract accurately as the finished assessed outcome

Developing and selecting the strongest ideas, and structuring deliberately

It is a source explored through the practitioners' methods to generate ideas for the devised piece

It is rehearsed and then performed line by line as the final assessed outcome of this whole component

It is set aside and ignored once the devising stimulus has been chosen by the candidate

It is the live professional theatre production that candidates evaluate for the AO4 marks

There is no real difference at all, as the extract is treated in exactly the same way across both components of the course

Here the extract feeds original devising; in Exploring and Performing Texts an extract is performed as the finished piece

Here the extract is only written about in the portfolio and never explored practically in the rehearsal room at all

Here the extract is chosen and prescribed directly by OCR rather than selected by the candidate or the teacher

Perform first, then research the topic, then plan the structure and refine it later

Structure the piece, perform it, evaluate it, and only then research the practitioners

Respond to stimulus, research, explore, develop and select, structure, refine

Improvise once at the start and keep absolutely everything generated without selecting

A complete day-by-day diary recording every single rehearsal in full and exact chronological detail

A plot summary of the finished devised piece, retelling its events from start to finish

A full list of every prop, costume and set item used in the staging of the devised piece

A selective, reflective record of decisive choices and the practitioners' influence in practice

Honest, evidenced judgement of effectiveness, with successes, weaknesses and informed development

A plain description of what the piece did, moment by moment, without any evaluative judgement

Uncritical praise of the piece that lists only its strengths and quietly ignores any of its weaknesses

A detailed summary of the original stimulus and the research undertaken before devising began

It does not help at all; only confident praise of the piece earns marks in the reflective report

AO4 rewards judgement, so weighing genuine weaknesses with evidence reads as mature evaluation

It makes the report shorter and therefore quicker for the examiner to read and to mark fairly

It is required purely by the strict word count that the board sets for the reflective report

Director only, taking sole charge of the staging

Theatre critic only, reviewing the finished piece

Performer (11 or 12) or designer (13 or 14)

Playwright only, scripting the devised piece in full

AO1 (create and develop ideas towards an original devised piece)

AO2 (apply theatrical skills to realise the devised work)

AO4 (analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of the work)

AO3 (knowledge of how theatre is developed and performed)