This document provides guidance for students taking a written exam on drama and live theatre. It discusses the format of the exam, including two sections - one focusing on analyzing texts and one focusing on evaluating a live performance. For the second section, students are advised to build vocabulary, understand how to answer analyze versus evaluate questions, research and take notes on the performance they saw, and prepare detailed notes for the exam. Specific tips are provided on writing exam responses, including not rewriting the question, focusing answers, using appropriate terminology, and managing time constraints. Students are also encouraged to create "word banks" and take notes on key moments to help them effectively answer questions in the exam.

1. Written Exam
18th May PM
Section A – Bringing Texts to Life – The Crucible
Section B- Evaluation of Live Theatre

2. Feedback from the questions last week
•Reading through
feedback
•Points of note from
the marking
•Actions to improve
•Notes development
time
• In section B of your exam you will have to
answer questions about the live
performance you have seen.
• You will need to:
• Build up a good bank of relevant drama
vocabulary and terminology that you can
draw on in the exam
• Understand the difference between
answering an ‘analyse’ question and an
‘evaluate’ question
• Research the play you have seen; take
careful notes of the style of performance
or design approach used
• Prepare detailed and relevant notes to
take into the final exam.

3. Don’t write out the question again
• Many of you have the habit,
possibly as a result of being
taught to do it in another
subject.
• X – wastes time
• X – Carries no marks
• X – it will be clear which
question you are answering on
the exam paper
• DO
• Read the question and
UNDERLINE the keywords, such
as COSTUME or SPACE
• Tailor your answer to the
question.
• Good points made about
different e.g. elements not
mentioned in the question will
not be awarded marks.

4. ‘Analyse’ or ‘Evaluate’
• Analyse (6 marks)
• Give example of how the
production element was used, or
how a performance skill was
used.
• No need to evaluate the impact
or meaning in this question
• Likely to focus on a key moment,
e.g. the opening or closing
moments.
• Evaluate (9 marks)
• Further to your analysis
• Asks you to make a judgement
on the impact on your audience.
• Personal opinion
• Likely to focus on several
moments in the play

5. Quality of written work
• Thankfully in component 1 and 2
your spelling and grammar isn’t
considered and cannot lose you
marks.
• In the written exam your work
has to be clear, it is handwritten
so practice exam questions to
the timings given in the guides.
• Section A (five questions – 4,6,9,12,14)
• Section B (two questions – 6 + 9)
• In section B of your exam you will have to
answer questions about the live
performance you have seen.
• You will need to:
• Build up a good bank of relevant drama
vocabulary and terminology that you can
draw on in the exam
• Understand the difference between
answering an ‘analyse’ question and an
‘evaluate’ question
• Research the play you have seen; take
careful notes of the style of performance
or design approach used
• Prepare detailed and relevant notes to
take into the final exam.

6. Time
• The second question in section B
is worth more.
• Many of you ran out of time and
were unable to answer it fully or
at all.
• Word banks and a full set of
notes will help you write quickly.
• In section B of your exam you will have to
answer questions about the live
performance you have seen.
• You will need to:
• Build up a good bank of relevant drama
vocabulary and terminology that you can
draw on in the exam
• Understand the difference between
answering an ‘analyse’ question and an
‘evaluate’ question
• Research the play you have seen; take
careful notes of the style of performance
or design approach used
• Prepare detailed and relevant notes to
take into the final exam.

7. Word Banks – create a ‘family of words’
LIGHTING
• Colour
• Angle
• Intensity
• Effects
• Symbolism
• Location
• Time (of day or night)
• Atmosphere
SPACE
• Levels
• Width
• Depth
• Areas of the stage
• Format (End on, Thrust stage)
• Entrances and exits
• Audience

8. Areas of the stage
Upstage Right Upstage Centre Upstage Left
Centre Stage Right Centre Stage Centre Stage Left
Downstage Right Downstage Centre Downstage Left

9. Areas of the stage continued…
• In your notes on SPACE, try to
consider what was happening in
these areas of the stage
• Use the terminology
• E.g. on far stage left were some
characters commenting on the
main action, the painting of
banners and signs which was
taking place centre stage.
• When Madam Z enters she entered
from stage right, as if she had just
arrived in town.

10. Key moments for your notes
• As well as the family of words for
each element
• List of key moments from the play
• Create a mind map for each with
notes on how different elements
• SO – two notes based tasks at least
to do
• Families and Key Moments
• In section B of your exam you will have to
answer questions about the live
performance you have seen.
• You will need to:
• Build up a good bank of relevant drama
vocabulary and terminology that you can
draw on in the exam
• Understand the difference between
answering an ‘analyse’ question and an
‘evaluate’ question
• Research the play you have seen; take
careful notes of the style of performance
or design approach used
• Prepare detailed and relevant notes to
take into the final exam.