Text in Context: overview of Section 1 of the SQA Higher Drama question paper

Text in Context is Section 1 of the SQA Higher Drama question paper, worth 20 marks. You write one extended response on a text you have studied from the prescribed text list, taking the perspective of a director, actor or designer. This page maps the skills the section assesses and links to the detailed answer pages.

What this section assesses

The question

One extended response worth 20 marks on a prescribed studied text, asking you to make and justify production choices about a focus the task sets (a central concern, a relationship, a character or an atmosphere).

The director's perspective

Leading with a directorial concept and justifying staging choices: blocking, proxemics, stage pictures and the direction of actors, plus a brief to the design.

The actor's and designer's perspectives

Justifying acting choices (voice, movement, characterisation, subtext) for one role, or design choices (set, lighting, sound, costume, make-up, props) that create place, atmosphere or meaning.

The 2025-26 changes

From session 2025-26 the Higher Drama question paper was revised: it is worth 40 marks and lasts two hours, and a prescribed text list was introduced for this section. Section 2 (theatre production: application) was removed from the paper. Always check the current specification, because the prescribed text list and structure are set by the SQA.

How to study text in context

1. Know one text well. Study a prescribed text in depth, with key moments mapped for production choices.
2. Pick a strong perspective. Practise answering as the role (director, actor or designer) you can write about in most detail.
3. Make justified choices. For every choice, give the textual reason and the effect on the audience.
4. Write timed extended responses. Practise planning and writing a full 20 mark answer within the exam time.

For the official course specification

The SQA publishes the full Higher Drama course specification, the prescribed text list, specimen and past papers, and marking instructions at sqa.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and SQA past papers, because the structure and text list are board-specific and were updated for 2025-26.