Transcript A Level Drama Preparing to Teach Component 1

Approaches to A Level
Component 1
Theatre Workshop
Overview of Component 1: 20% of qualification
• Text to be chosen from list in Appendix A of specification
• A 10-15 minute extract from this text should be studied within the context
of the whole
• The ideas of a practitioner or theatre company should be studied and
applied to a re-interpretation of the text, retaining 30-70% of the original
dialogue
• Groups should consist of between 2-5 acting candidates. Up to 4
additional design candidates, each working on a different technical skill
• The performance should be between 5-16 minutes, depending on the
number of performers
• The candidates must produce a creative log which demonstrates the
research, creation and development of ideas
• The centre can set their own date for the exam
• The centre record the work on DVD
• All assessment evidence is internally assessed and externally moderated
Stage 1: Researching
The Practitioner or Theatre Company
Theatre Practitioners
Theatre Companies
Stanislavski
Kneehigh
Brecht
Frantic Assembly
Boal
Earthfall
Artaud
DV8
Berkoff
Complicite
Katie Mitchell
Punchdrunk
Marianne Elliot
1927
Polly Teale
Julie Taymor
Rupert Goold
Declan Donnellan
The Practitioner or Theatre Company
• Learners should explore:
 their historical, social and cultural context
 their theatrical purpose and practices
 their artistic intentions
 the innovative nature of their approach
 their working methods
 their theatrical style and use of conventions
 their collaboration with/influence on other practitioners.
The Practitioner/theatre company
•
Ensure the learners have a clear understanding of the key features
of the ideas of their chosen practitioner or theatre company
•
Ensure that they apply these ideas clearly in their pieces
•
Take them to see performances in the style of their chosen
practitioner or of work by the theatre company as part of their
research, so they can see how the ideas work in practice
•
Ensure the practitioner/theatre company chosen allows them to
access all the assessment criteria.
•
Encourage them to apply ideas in a creative way and to “think
outside the box”.
The Practitioner or Theatre Company
• Experiment with a range of practical exercises that highlight the ideas of
the practitioner or theatre company prior to the learners undertaking the
re-interpretation project.
• Look at extracts from the list of texts to familiarize learners with the
different styles and working methods.
• Encourage the learners to choose a practitioner/theatre company whose
methods they confidently and fully understand and how and why they
work in performance.
Selecting An Appropriate Text
•
Learners must choose a text from Appendix A in the specification a
copy is in your pack.
•
It is important that learners are exposed to a range of texts from
different genres, social, historical and cultural contexts across the
qualification see flowchart of potential text combinations in pack.
•
Centres must complete a form stating the texts and practitioners
studied see draft example in pack
•
Each group of learners can choose a different extract or text.
•
Different groups can choose the same text or extract.
•
Teachers should guide learners to choose texts/extracts that are
suitable for the combination of learners, including designers, within
each group
Researching the Text
•
Learners must study their chosen extract within the context of the play as a
whole, considering genre, social, historical and cultural context,
themes/issues, etc.
•
They should consider how performance texts are constructed to be
performed, how meaning is conveyed through:
•
•
structure
•
character construction
This research could be done individually and form the basis of the initial
discussions within the groups
•
It could be recorded in a range of ways - presentation, report, prose, bullet
point notes – but should avoid too much description without analysis
Stage 2: Developing
What is Re-Interpretation?
•
A deconstruction of the text in order to create a new piece of theatre
•
Putting a new ‘spin’ on the creative aims of the piece e.g. altering the
focus of the themes or intended audience response
•
Performing/designing for the extract in a way not originally intended
e.g. applying the ideas of a practitioner that are not naturally
occurring in the text
See handout in your pack
Development - Methods of Re-Interpretation
Learners can choose to do one/several of many things with the extract
in order to deconstruct and re-interpret it see Cherry Orchard example
activities in your pack:
• change the context of the text
• change the intended audience
• change the order of dialogue
• change the characters who say the dialogue
• add in or take away characters
• change character motivation
30-70% of the original dialogue must be retained
Rehearsal Process
• It is recommended to have a rehearsal period, where the learners
can hone their performance or design skills, as well as the clarity of
the piece
• Teachers must monitor the progress of the work at least once in
order to be able to authenticate it as being the learners’ own
• Once the practical work is underway, feedback from teachers must
be limited to general advice on what needs improvement. You must
not provide specific advice on how learners could action this.
Rehearsal Process
• Encourage learners to refine and develop key areas of their skills.
• Learners should consistently review their use of the practitioner or
theatre company’s ideas in their pieces and how effective the piece
is for an audience – keep exploring different approaches and
encourage them not to be afraid of discarding ideas if they aren’t
working.
• Ensure that learners are recording their working practices – targets,
methods and outcomes.
• Encourage learners to set deadlines for all of the necessary
production and performance processes e.g. when all lines should be
learned, completion of set and costume, technical rehearsals, etc.
Rehearsal Process
•
Encourage learners to watch each others work and give constructive feedback.
Ask them to look at both the acting and the design elements, where applicable.
•
Design candidates work closely with the acting candidates throughout the
rehearsal process. Their work should also illustrate their understanding of the
practitioner’s/theatre company’s ideas and methods.
•
Always have a dress rehearsal.
•
Encourage learners to record all stages of the process, using any means
appropriate, in preparation for their creative log.
Stage 3: Reflecting
The Creative Log
Learners keep a Creative Log, compiled during the process. It should
contain reflection on the following elements:
•
How ideas are created, developed and refined to communicate
meaning as part of the theatre-making process, including how
conventions, forms and techniques are used in the piece
•
How they have applied research into both the extract in context and
their chosen practitioner or theatre company
The creative log should fully justify decisions made and is not a diary of
the rehearsal process.
The Creative Log - Requirements
The Creative Log can be presented via a variety of illustrative means
but there are strict word/time considerations that should be adhered to:
• Written annotation and/or continuous prose: 1200 – 1500 words
• Blog (suitably edited): 1200 – 1500 words
• Audio commentary and audio-visual: 9 – 12 minutes (in total)
Preparing the Creative Log
•
Encourage learners to keep records throughout the process, including
activities where they explored:
 texts,
 practitioners and genres,
 research, ideas, structure,
 use of space,
 editing dialogue,
 performance skills,
 ‘showbacks’ to peers,
 responding to feedback,
 refining the piece and performance or design skills,
 dress rehearsal, etc.
Photographs
• eg. rehearsals
• eg. set model boxes
Sections of
script
Blog
Visual images
Mind maps
Mood boards
Ground plans
Sketches
Written prose
Audio
commentary
Lighting cue
sheets
Sound clips
• eg. Links to
Soundcloud
Video clips
Annotated
Research
• eg. rehearsal work
• eg. discussions
?????
Power Point
presentations /
slides
Charts
Preparing the Creative Log
• Encourage learners to record the process in different ways:
photographs, annotating extracts from text and/or researched
materials, short clips from rehearsals and/or discussions, sketches,
ground plans showing character positioning and movement, mind
maps, screen shots, pictures of whiteboard notes, mood boards,
written logs, digital media e.g. sound and/or video clips (no longer
than 1 minute), etc.
Looking at some exemplar…
Preparing the Creative Log
• Rather than just being a ‘diary’ of the process, encourage learners to
pick out and analyse key moments that had a significant impact
upon the development of their piece in each rehearsal
• The creative log could be finalised after the performance of the
piece to ensure that the ‘best’ significant moments are chosen and
reflected upon, along with ensuring it adheres to the word/time
limits.
Stage 4: Realising
• Learners should realise their piece of theatre and the timings depend on the
number of actors in the group:



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2 actors: 5-10 minutes
3 actors: 7-12 minutes
4 actors: 9-14 minutes
5 actors: 11-16 minutes
• Each actor must interact with other performers and/or the audience for a
minimum of five minutes in order to show meaningful interaction.
• Encourage learners to be mindful of this when refining their pieces as they will
be penalised by having a mark deducted for every full minute under/exceeding
these time limits
The Performance
•
Making a ‘big deal’ of the practical exam - with a public audience, etc. –
can often lift the performance (and potentially, therefore, the marks
achieved for both AO1 and AO2).
•
It can be scheduled at a time in the year best suited to the centre
•
Should be recorded and this should be sent to the moderator by the
deadline given.
•
Scripts of the re-interpreted pieces, with the lines taken from their
selected extract highlighted, should be sent to the moderator. This aids
the moderator and ensures they adhere to having 30-70% of the extract
in the final piece.
Assessment of Work
Stages 1-3: Researching, developing and reflecting (AO1)
• Assessed through the performance/design and the creative log
• 30 marks in total
• Creating and developing ideas (20 marks)
• Making connections between theory and practice (10 marks)
Stage 4: Realising (AO2)
• Assessed through the performance/design
• 30 marks in total
• Interpretation (10 marks)
• Application of design/performing skills (10 marks)
• Individual contribution and communication (10 marks)
Assessment of Work
• Familiarise yourself with the assessment criteria before the exam for
both the acting and technical candidates.
• Familiarise yourself with the standard of the various mark boundaries
through viewing work on the secure website.
• Be aware of key words within the assessment criteria, e.g. highly
imaginative/effective, excellent range, highly sensitive, etc.
• Accept that you might not have top mark candidates within your
group.
• Be conscious that a candidate may achieve marks across different
bands for AO1 and AO2
Marking grids available in your pack
Performance Exemplar
Text
Re-interpretation
Features
Practitioner/
company
The Tempest
William Shakespeare
• Back story of
Complicité
Sycorax enacted
• Ending changed to
be tragic