A2 Drama & Theatre Studies Unit 3: Written Examination

Unit 3: Written Paper Further Prescribed Plays 2 hours 30% of final A2 mark Two questions One on A Servant to Two Masters, one on Blood Wedding
Assessment Objectives: AO2: requires that candidates demonstrate knowledge and understanding of practical and theoretical aspects of drama using appropriate terminology. Mark out of 17 AO3: requires that candidates interpret plays from different periods and genres. Mark out of 33 Quality of written communication is also assessed (grammar, spelling, punctuation) Final mark out of 50 The following is to help you with Unit 3, Section B (Blood Wedding) The question is always the same: As a director, discuss how you would stage the following extract from Blood Wedding in order to bring out your interpretation of it for an audience. Your answer should include justified suggestions for the direction of your cast and for the design of the piece as appropriate to the style of the play and to your creative overview of it. You should also supply sketches and/or diagrams and refer to relevant research to support your ideas. Notes to remember: READ AND ACT UPON ALL THESE BULLET POINTS This is a synoptic question, which means you will be given a section of the play and then will need to suggest ideas for a complete stage realisation of this extract. You should know the question off by heart it is always the same and the one above. Learn it and write it down and keyword it at the start of every essay it will help you to keep on track. You should have read the whole play at least 8 times before the exam then you will know it well Relate everything to the question set your whole stage realisation of the given extract

Get all spellings (especially of characters names and theatrical terms) correct. Use appropriate subject language and make sure you have fully researched the world in which Lorca was writing and what he was interested in. You must mention the social conditions of the times what was important to the characters? What was the reason behind arranged marriages? Why is this a central theme to the play? What is the cultural context of the play? Sometimes the writing is very poetic in style how does this have an effect on your directorial intentions? Abstract movement? Poetry in motion? However, there are also moments that are very naturalistic This is a directing question so you need to talk about your casting decisions keep it brief, concise and detailed. Talk about physical appearance of the actors gender, age, height, build, colouring, and facial features. Vocal qualities pitch, pace, tone, accent. You can also briefly mention costume, make-up, and hairstyle ideas. Relate all to the period, setting and issues of the play. Do not just say you would cast a charismatic man to play Leonardo. Any decent actor should be able to portray these qualities. Similarly do not say he should be able to project his voice If an actor couldnt do this they would not be working. You could say: I would cast performers who through their physical appearance could convince an audience that they are related, whilst being able to show their different characteristics through action and voice. You would then go on to describe in detail the above. You need to talk about your overall vision for the play and then talk in detail about the specific scene or section you are given. What is your preferred style and atmosphere of the section with reference to Lorcas intentions? Be specific use lots of quotes from the text there should be about 12 in each essay. Make sure you justify your ideas: On the line.......I would direct the actor playing The Bridesmaid to......in order to show....... This is a whole stage realisation question so you need to talk about more than just casting and performing. Mention overall use of space, levels, movement and interaction between characters and staging. What are your ideas about the design of the production? How can music, sound, costume and other technical effects add to your overall vision of the section? You MUST include a sketch of your design ideas for the given section annotate this. As part of your revision/research it is a very good idea to keep a sketch book with drawings of all the scenes Remember to mention the context of the scene/section in terms of the whole play what has happened before and what happens after the scene you need to show that you know the play really well.

Audience response how do you want the audience to feel during the different parts of the scene/section? Do you want them to sympathise with any of the characters predicaments or arguements? How do you intend to achieve this? Ensure you make plenty of notes in lessons as we work through the play and workshop ideas these become valuable revision notes and will help you to construct essays. Anyone who turns up to lessons without their folder/paper/pens is immediately putting themselves at a disadvantage. Make sure you know the play inside out, read the other plays in the Lorca collection to familiarise yourself with his work.

You also MUST show a knowledge and understanding of:

The genre Tragedy in this case The importance of obeying societys conventions in their society Religious and social issues of the play How Andalusian society viewed the role of women

You need to mention something about all these in ALL your essays even if only briefly. It shows that you can interpret plays from other periods and genres which is the crux of AO3 (mark out of 33). Do not write about these things one at a time try to include your ideas in the body of the essay as you work through the section and discuss your staging ideas.

ARE YOU DOING YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND MAKING ENOUGH NOTES IN LESSONS? Finally you need to know the play inside out and do your own research on the world in which it is set, including Lorcas life and other works. You need to be very clear about the themes and issues that the play deals with.

The question:

As a director, discuss how you would stage the following extract from Blood Wedding in order to bring out your interpretation of it for an audience. Your answer should include justified suggestions for the direction of your cast and for the design of the piece as appropriate to the style of the play and to your creative overview of it. You should also supply

sketches and/or diagrams and refer to relevant research to support your ideas.