GCSE Drama Concept Pro-forma guideline sheet

1. What are the major demands of the text? You should consider the structure of the extracts in the
context of the whole performance text and the original intentions of the playwright.

Write at least 3 sentences about the play and the playwright.

What are the intentions of the playwright?

Include a brief summary of the plot.

When was it set? What was happening in England at the time that it was set?

Did you do any explorations to explore the whole play?

What are the important parts of the play? What

What are the themes of the play?

Where do your two extracts fit into the whole play?

Multi-rolling – only two actors in the original version – what would the demands on the actors be?

2. What is your artistic vision for the two extracts?

What do you imagine your extracts to look like? What is your vision?

How are you going to bring your extracts to life?

Who is playing what roles?

What do you want the atmosphere to be like?

What about the staging?

Have you thought about lighting, costume and sound?

Designer: What 2 characters are you designing for? What do you imagine them to look like? What is your vision and
your initial ideas? You must justify all of your responses.
3. How did you develop your role(s) or design(s)? As an actor you should consider semiotics,
the use of language, gesture and expression. As a designer you should consider proxemics,
mood, supporting characters and supporting the chosen genre and style.

What have you done in rehearsals to prepare for your roles?

 Discuss how you have used still image, flashback, improvisation techniques, hot seating.
 Discuss how you have looked at Stanislavski- questioning who, why, what where and when for each scene.
 Discuss how you have chunked your scene into units making it easier to direct and how you have developed subtext for your characters.
 What is the importance of collecting extra propos for rehearsal and what was the results?

To develop my character I……………………… explain in detail what you did to become your character. Discuss both your characters in the group piece
and the monologue.

What rehearsal techniques have you used to bring your characters to life?
Role on the wall
Hotseating

Did you experiment with your staging? Use of Levels? Use of proxemics?

As a performer how have your developed your use of voice? Pace? Pitch? Pause? Did you experiment with a use of pause?

Did you experiment with the movement of your role? Mannerisms? Gestures? Eye contact? Give examples of how you used these (with references
to the play text) in performance.. eg if you are playing Bryan what are you doing physically to portray he is “different” to his other peers?

What ideas have you had about the costume? How will this help to develop your character?
How are you developing your ideas? What research have you done about the costume and characters perhaps in other productions? Discuss
performances you have watched on you tube etc and compare to yourself.
How have your ideas developed? Have you changed your mind about what your characters could wear? How? Why?

4. How do you want the audience to respond to your presentation of the extracts as an actor
or designer?
Give specific examples from each extract.

This is the question where you tell the examiner what they are going to see in both of your extracts. Direct the
examiner to key moments of your work. Choose 3 specific key moments from both of your extracts.

I shout………………, I do this as I want to communicate…………….

I want you to laugh at the moment when…………..

I want you to feel empathy at the moment I say………..

My Dramatic intention is……..

I hold a pause at the moment when I………………I do this to create tension and communicate that……………..

You must give specific examples from both of your extracts or both of your designs.

Designer: What are they going to see that is intentional of your character? Why have you chosen the costume items
that you have? Are there any colour connotations that communicate meaning to your audience?

Example: I want Roy to look aggressive so this is why he is wearing black to represent the dark side of his character. He
is wearing a black leather jacket as these were popular in the 1980’s at the time of the play being written. Roy wears a
watch as he keeps looking at it throughout the performance.

Fred is wearing a fat suit to represent he is ‘fat and old’. He uses a walking stick to also exaggerate this in his
character.