Analysing and evaluating live theatre overview quiz - Edexcel GCSE Drama quiz

AO1

AO4

AO2

AO3

10 marks

30 marks

15 marks

45 marks

A full annotated copy of the play text

The full published review taken from a newspaper

Nothing at all may be brought in

Up to 500 words of theatre evaluation notes

Describe the moment, name the choice, explain its effect on the audience

Summarise the whole plot, name the lead actor, then give your own opinion

Read the script, then watch the play, and finally write a review

List the full cast, the venue and the date of the performance

It is not actually weak at all; a clear plot summary is exactly what the Section B question wants from you

The question asks how a moment was staged and performed and its effect, not what happened in the story

A plot summary simply takes far too long to write out in the time available

The examiner has never seen the production you are writing about

Simply describe in careful detail what happened in the scene

Write as quickly as you possibly can in the exam

Judge how well the choice worked, with evidence (evaluate)

Ignore the design elements of the production entirely

Simply how loud and how clearly the performer happened to speak throughout the piece

How many lines the performer was given to learn for their role

How long the whole play lasted from start to finish

How effectively they communicated their character and meaning to the audience

Acknowledging a strength and a limitation shows genuine critical judgement

It is not actually any stronger than simply praising the production throughout

A balanced judgement is much shorter and quicker to write in the exam

Examiners actively dislike reading any praise of a production at all

Fabric, condition and the costume's silhouette

Colour (gel), intensity, angle, transition

Pace, pitch and the use of the pause

Stage configuration, the levels and the furniture

It is not useful at all; the examiner only ever wants you to write about just one single design element entirely on its own

Because only combined design elements are awarded any marks at all in the whole of Section B of the paper

Design elements often work together to create atmosphere, so judging the combination shows how the whole effect was built

Because single design elements on their own have no real effect on the audience whatsoever in the theatre

Simply read a short plot summary of any old play online beforehand

Memorise the whole of the script word for word before the exam

Wait until you are actually sitting in the exam room to decide what you are going to write

Watch a production actively and write specific notes on acting and design moments