Understanding the questions
Type of question
In this section, there are 50 marks available split across eight questions. Each question provides between 4 and 8 marks.
Different questions require a response from different perspectives:
- performer - consider how physical and vocal skills might be used to portray a character, how the performer uses space and their stage positioning
- designer - focus on the design ideas that are appropriate to the play and the type of staging selected
Command words - describe, explain, justify, compare and discuss
Each question will feature exam command wordsThe words used in exam questions that inform on how to answer the question., which relate to how a question should be answered. There are a range of command words in the written exam:
- describe
- explain
- justify
- compare
- discuss
To describe is to set out the characteristics of something, often in detail. For example, a description of a costume could look like this:
I would dress him in a slightly oversized black blazer with some of the buttons missing and the elbows covered with spare patches of mismatched fabric. Under the blazer, he would wear an off-white shirt with small rips.
To explain is to set out the purposes or reasons behind a point that has been made. Some questions will require an explanation as well as a description. The explanation for the above description could look like this:
By dressing the character in this way, I would be able to convey to the audience that the character had fallen on hard times. This would also provide the audience with a key understanding about the historical context of the play and how challenging life could be for working-class people at this time.
Just like explaining, to justify is to provide reasons for a given answer. For example:
List three ways in which an actor could use their voice to portray this character, and justify with examples from the play you have studied.
For this, three vocal skills would need to be provided along with the reasons why those vocal choices were appropriate to the character and their role within the play.
To compare is to identify differences and similarities - sometimes this might be looking into advantages and disadvantages. For example, when looking at performing in the round stagingWhen the audience are placed all around the outside of the performers' playing space. The stage area may be circular or square, with entrances and exits through the audience., some advantages and disadvantages are:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| The audience sit close to the actors on stage, making the performance more immersive. | Performers need to move and change their positions frequently so audience members don’t look at a performer’s back for too long. |
| The audience are able to see more angles of the stage. | Set pieces can’t be too high or they will obstruct sightlines. |
| There are more entrances and exits for performers. | Lighting can be challenging as lights need to be positioned carefully so they don’t shine into the audience’s eyes. |
| Advantages | The audience sit close to the actors on stage, making the performance more immersive. |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Performers need to move and change their positions frequently so audience members don’t look at a performer’s back for too long. |
| Advantages | The audience are able to see more angles of the stage. |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Set pieces can’t be too high or they will obstruct sightlines. |
| Advantages | There are more entrances and exits for performers. |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Lighting can be challenging as lights need to be positioned carefully so they don’t shine into the audience’s eyes. |
To discuss is to present the key points surrounding an idea. For example:
Discuss how a performer playing a character may use their vocal and physical skills to present the character’s emotions.
In this instance, a range of points should be made, showing an understanding of:
- the specifics of the question, ie vocal and physical skills
- the character’s emotions
- the play in general