How to approach the 12 mark director question from The Crucible, with a model answer included using Proctor.

1. Week commencing 30-03 Y9 Drama
Welcome
• This week we are going to focus
on the 12 mark Director
question.
• The extract from The Crucible
we are focussing on is P82-83
• There will be tasks to try to do
and then to attempt the
question under timed
conditions.
You will need:
• Your exercise book
• Pen and ruler
• A copy of the text if you have
one, otherwise you can read the
extract in the following pages of
this presentation.
• Digital Theatre Plus

2. Example 2 - Exam Question (b) (ii)
EXTRACT PAGES: 82-83
Proctor is challenging the
courts findings
As a Director, discuss how the
performer playing this role
might demonstrate his feelings
to the audience in this extract
and the complete play.
You must consider:
•Voice
•Physicality
•Stage directions and stage
space
(12 marks)
• Answering the question
• Worth 12 marks, so spend 15
minutes on this question.
• Voice- delivery of specific
lines, tone, pitch, pace and
pause
• Physicality – levels, gestures,
facial expressions, body
language, posture, subtext
• Stage directions and stage
space – consider the physical
stage space and any
restrictions, levels and
proxemics
This is an
example of a
12 mark
question.
Note that you
are answering
as a Director,
which will
change your
responses
slightly. Note
also you are
told which
character,
some
information
about their
characteristics,
and the three
main areas to
focus on.

3. Proctor’s ‘Challenging nature’
• Why does he do this?
• What could he have done
sooner?
• Why didn’t he do this?
• What is he risking by doing this?
• How might a performer show
inner conflict through their
performance skills?
• EXTRACT FOCUS – 82-83
• Firstly read the extract which
follows and make notes on the
questions opposite.
• You might wish to talk the last
one through with members of
your family to get more than
your own opinion.

4. Planning for the 12 mark question
• Remember this question asks about the extract and the .play as a whole.
VOCAL PHYSICAL STAGE SPACE
WHAT
HOW
WHY
Aim to complete all
areas of the table.
You know lots of vocal
and physical skills, so
it’s a case of selecting
ones which would best
fit the question. Use the
text extract for the
stage directions too
Draw out the table
to plan how to
answer this
question. Pay
attention to the
stage directions
Miller includes –
they can be very
helpful to
Directors.
Include some
examples about
Proctor from other
parts of the play
too.

5. Planning for the 12 mark question
• Remember this question asks about the extract and the .play as a whole.
VOCAL PHYSICAL STAGE SPACE
WHA Hesitations and pauses
HOW Where indicated in the
text ‘ Why I – I would free
my wife sir’
WHY He knows his own
motives, which is to save
his wife’s life without
needing to confess his
own sins, but suspects
others might think he is
there to overthrow the
court

6. Planning for the 12 mark question
• Remember this question asks about the extract and the .play as a whole.
VOCAL PHYSICAL STAGE SPACE
WHA Hesitations and pauses
HOW Where indicated in the
text ‘ Why I – I would free
my wife sir’
WHY He knows his own
motives, which is to save
his wife’s life without
needing to confess his
own sins, but suspects
others might think he is
there to overthrow the
court

7. Once you have planned what to write, have a go at the question.
Use the exam timings – this 12 mark question should take you 20
minutes
EXTRACT PAGES: 82-83
Proctor has come to challenge the court’s findings.
As a Director, discuss how the performer playing this role might
demonstrate his feelings to the audience in this extract and the
complete play.
You must consider:
•Voice
•Physicality
•Stage directions and stage space
(12 marks)

9. How do I check my progress?
• As last week, in your next lesson
you will find a model answer I will
have written.
• You can then check your own work
accordingly and know how you
have achieved.
• You need to email me your
responses as a word document
saved with your name in the title,
which I can then mark and return
to you.
• THANK YOU for bearing with this
situation, everyone at the school is
behind you and supporting you.

10. Welcome to Lesson 2
• Now that you have done your
preparation in the form of the
table in the previous lesson, we
shall look firstly at a model
answer and where the marks are
given.
• Then you will do your own, using
the timings recommended by
the exam board.
• You can email me your work as a
word file. This means I can mark
it and email it back to you with
my comments and marks. I
actually prefer this to marking
books!
• I will update my records with
your marks so that your progress
is still kept up to date.
• How to email?

11. Emailing staff
• If you don’t already know, this is
really easy.
• You MUST use your student
email.
• This is the year which you
started, which for Y10 was
2016,and then your name and
then
@students.stratfordschool.co.uk
• Example Joe Bloggs is in Y10 and
his email address is
• 16jbloggs@students.stratfordschool.co.uk
• A couple of students have been in
touch already using their student
email, so it definitely works!
• On with the worked example…

12. The 12 mark Director Question
• There are 12 marks available, so
you are looking to create 2
examples for each of the areas
mentioned –
voice/physicality/stage space
• As a starter, you could create
revision cards on these topics. On
one side write the key word e.g.
VOCAL SKILLS and on the reverse
write as many ways in which a
performer can use their voice to
create meaning.
Proctor has come to challenge the
court findings.
As a Director, discuss how the
performer playing this role might
demonstrate his feelings to the
audience in this extract and the
complete play.
You must consider:
•Voice
•Physicality
•Stage directions and stage space
(12 marks)

14. Worked example –
I need to ensure that my ideas are consistent with the way in which the question has indicated Proctor
to feel at this point – ‘challenging the authority of the court’ Refer to points in the extract AND write
like the Director. You also need to refer to other points in the play where he might act like this.
Brief intro The extract takes place in the court where Proctor has brought Mary to provide new evidence, challenging the courts findings
so far.
Voice Vocally the performer should speak with a firm and determined tone. He should sound keen to express his feelings and not
easily put off by their authority. This is similar to Act I where he directly challenges Parris. Proctor knows the truth that the
girls are lying.
Voice However when Danforth asks him ‘there lurks nowhere in your heart…a desire to undermine the court?’ his pace could
hesitate as the stage directions indicate; he falters at this, wondering what Danforth can mean, this should appear as if he
hasn’t anticipated his question and his task may be more difficult than he thought.
Physical Proctor would use nods and shakes of his head when replying to Danforth to add certainty to his responses, therefore I
would ask the performer to deliberate with these actions on ‘no sir’ and ‘I am sir’ when Danforth questions him on P82
Physical Later when Parris interrupts John asking ‘Do you read the Gospel’ I would ask the performer to keep their eye contact on
Danforth, to whom they are in the middle of responding to. By not looking at Parris when answering him this would reveal
Proctor’s lack of respect for him and his anger at being interrupted by him.
Space During this extract Proctor must spend most of his time attempting to reach the centre stage area occupied by Danforth. He
is unable to do this due to Danforth’ s authority of the room, which is in contrast to his dominance of his own house in Act II.
Space Throughout I would also ask that Proctor offer physical protection to Mary, in the form of shielding her with his own body by
placing himself between Danforth and her. He would step aside and bring her forward with his hands on ‘ this one will swear
she lied to you’

15. Now your turn
• Your task now therefore is to complete your
own answer to this question, based on the
extract given in this presentation.
• Try to avoid using the model answer – but in
truth I would rather you practiced copying
that out than do nothing at all.
• Remember refer to the extract AND other
points in the play.
• At this time it is better that 95% of you do
50% of the work, than 50% of you do 95% of
the work.
Deadline information
• All submissions must be made via email by
Monday 6th April.
• I will then return them to you ASAP by email
using your student email.
• Do not use personal email addresses when
contacting staff.
• Further information can be found via the
school website.
• Please continue to engage with the blog and
use the comments if anything is unclear, or
email me.
• Looking forward to reading your responses.