Drama 2019 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• demonstrate evidence of research and playbuilding techniques   
• create and communicate dramatic meaning appropriate to the style
• workshop, revise, rehearse and polish the piece including each character and role
• fully support all actors on stage with strong ensemble
• use sophisticated stylistically appropriate dialogue which has been refined through an extended workshop and rehearsal process including tight editing of the script
• develop powerful actor/audience relationships through skilful use of the dramatic elements
• layer dramatic meaning and skilfully manipulate the mood of the audience
• ensure that the piece has been performed often in front of an audience
• keep to the time limit of 8–12 minutes.

In better performances, students were able to:

• present a clear and fully developed concept showing flair, creativity and innovation
• use an appropriate and effective dramatic structure and narrative journey with a clear beginning, middle and end
• present a sophisticated performance that displayed research, adoption and adaption of specific theatrical and performance styles and conventions
• demonstrate a unity of purpose where each dramatic moment contributes to the meaning of the piece
• skilfully manipulate and control the elements of drama, for example focus, tension, symbol, space and mood, to create powerful moments in the piece
• create a theatrical ‘world’ that was always clear to the audience
• powerfully engage the audience throughout the performance with a clear journey and through-line
• display performance skills appropriate to the dramatic and theatrical demands of the style of the performance
• closely workshop and edit their performances, both in terms of script and action.

Areas for students to improve include:

• being very clear in the intent of the piece and use of performance styles
• ensuring all scenes add to the overall coherency and theatre of the piece
• editing the piece to ensure that each moment is powerful and integral.

Please note teachers and designated student crew may assist candidates with performance area set-up. (Designated student crew may also sit with and be part of the student audience).

Students should:

• use an authentic actor’s voice appropriate to their skills and the demands of their selected material
• be aware of the audience response to a solo performance and ensure the audience engages through the actor’s intentions
• ensure self-devised scripts are well supported by strong writing and extensive knowledge of the theatrical style  
• be aware of the time limit of six to eight minutes and ensure scripting and stylistic choices produce powerful, succinct performances within the time limits.

In better performances, students were able to:

• select a piece that suited their performance skills, abilities and strengths
• demonstrate an understanding of the role of the audience in the performance and manipulate this relationship to ensure powerful engagement
• demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of the style adopted for the performance and appropriately adopt and / or adapt these conventions consistently throughout the performance
• select minimal props and costumes to enhance the semiotics and symbolism of the dramatic meaning of the piece
• realise their character in each moment with absolute conviction, focus, clarity and truth
• skilfully use dramatic elements such as rhythm, pace, timing, mood, atmosphere and dramatic tension
• present a well-rehearsed, complete and clear theatrical journey for their character, derived from a thorough analysis and understanding of the text and the character’s moment by moment intentions.

Areas for students to improve include:

• choosing a performance piece and theatrical style that is within their range and suits their strengths as an actor in regard to skills in movement, physicality and voice
• choosing or adapting a performance piece appropriate for the space in which the examination takes place
• carefully considering decisions regarding staging choices including set choice and placement, props, blocking and the resulting actor/audience relationship
• extensively workshopping, rehearsing and performing their piece to refine it and to develop the confidence which comes from regularly performing in front of an audience.

Costume

Students should:

• provide a Rationale in the form of a director’s concept/vision that informs a design concept for the costumes of a chosen play on the current course prescriptions list
• present renderings of four to six costumes for characters in the play
• include preliminary sketches/written descriptions for four different costumes that are presented with the project, not in the logbook.

In better projects, students were able to:

• show a thorough knowledge of the whole play through a clear director’s concept/vision
• present four to six renderings with flair and unity
• present the whole world of the play through the renderings and preliminary sketches/descriptions
• design insightful and appropriate costumes for the era/period/place and to reflect the characters’ roles/status/personalities
• provide fabric swatches to match the rendered costumes in colour, pattern and style
• include essential construction information, if required
• show how each costume hangs on a human body according to age, weight and design.

Areas for students to improve include:

• showing an awareness of the whole play through the costume designs presented
• developing a clear director’s concept/vision that is grounded in the text
• ensuring the preliminary sketches are for four other costumes, not preliminary sketches of the four to six main renderings
• checking their work meets the specific requirements of the project.

Set

Students should:

• provide a Rationale in the form of a directorial concept/vision that clearly outlines how the set design supports, and is integral to, the intended dramatic meaning of that vision
• present a design for a chosen theatre venue that considers the entire play, ensuring that no scenes are omitted
• present a model that is to scale and includes all necessary support material, including floor plans with sightlines and indication of entrances to the acting space
• include visual representations and/or explanations that explain thoroughly, the entrances and exits, workings and manipulations of the set.

In better projects, students were able to:

• show a thorough knowledge of the text and provide a sophisticated and stylistic interpretation of the material
• select a specific performance space and work appropriately in that space
• expand the vision of the design across the play through a combination of diagrams, descriptions and/or a photographic sequence of the play
• go beyond the literal to use metaphor, symbol, semiotics or imagery in the design
• create the model using appropriate and evocative materials.

Areas for students to improve include:

• having an awareness of the entire play and meeting its demands and challenges
• providing a concept that is visually clear, moving beyond the practicalities of the play’s requirements and design for the play on a more symbolic or metaphoric level
• working with items that are handmade and/or constructed as opposed to purchased items.

Lighting

Students should:

• provide a Rationale in the form of a directorial concept/vision that clearly outlines how lighting supports, and is integral to, the intended dramatic meaning of that vision
• choose two contrasting scenes that embrace and support the intended dramatic vision
• indicate the set elements and key acting zones to be lit.

In better projects, students were able to:

• present a concept that shows a thorough analysis of the play’s central action from a director’s perspective
• provide all the necessary support materials: cue sheet, annotated script and floor plans (1:25 scale)
• provide descriptions or photographs that illustrate how the lighting works with the set
• provide support materials that are clear, organised and not overly complicated, either drawn by hand or computer aided.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing a directorial concept/vision that moves beyond just being practical, to a vision that is metaphoric, symbolic, theatrical and supports the subtext, images or meaning of the play
• choosing a venue that is sympathetic to the play’s requirements and supports the needs of the play
• providing more comprehensive and evocative support materials.  

Promotion and program

Students should:

• provide a Rationale in the form of a director’s vision/concept for the play which flows into a design/publicity concept and justifies the creative choices
• select a theatre company and target audience appropriate for the chosen play
• develop a strongly unified and consistent directorial vision through all visual and textual components of the project.

In better projects, students were able to:

• design and create powerful visual images that clearly express the director’s concept on the poster, flyer and program
• create and use their own original photographic images throughout the project or manipulate existing images in an original and effective way to suit their director’s concept
• demonstrate control over all visual elements in the promotional package to reflect an accurate understanding of the concept and chosen theatre company’s profile
• enrich and extend the directorial vision for the play through all written components of the project, particularly the director’s notes, which appear in the program, and appropriate casting choices
• use the media feature to explore how practitioners or audience might experience specific aspects of the production onstage, such as staging, set design, sound, lighting and costume, using evocative language. This should support and develop the directorial vision
• provide 150 words of original, persuasive, promotional text on the flyer in addition to essential booking information. This text should use aspects of the directorial vision to appeal to the potential audience
• show awareness of the journey of the potential audience member as they encounter each piece of promotional material, and an understanding of the different function of each component of the promotional package.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using unique, original images to communicate the directorial vision, rather than images that are predictable or derived from past/existing promotional materials
• extending the vision for the production in the written elements rather than repeating the same information in the different written components
• avoiding plagiarism or the use of images or language that is closely based on existing material such as text from the back cover of the play text or materials from past productions.

Portfolio of theatre criticism

Students should:

• choose a diverse range of productions that allow for in-depth, perceptive analysis and synthesis of their theatrical experiences across the portfolio
• identify the key ideas in each play and how the production brings these to life in a unique way
• write in a way which creates clear visual images of specific moments of the production.

In better projects, students were able to:

• identify the significant element(s) of each production and use this to inform their critique of dramatic elements and the specific impact in each review
• differentiate the voice as appropriate in the four reviews, if writing for specific publications
• adopt a review style and voice that allowed them to demonstrate their strengths in manipulating language and style to clearly bring to life specific moments and images of the productions for a reader
• write evocative, original material without plagiarising the ideas of other reviewers
• develop positive and/or negative reviews across the portfolio of four reviews
• edit their work to avoid punctuation, spelling and syntax errors
• state and adhere to the word count.

Areas for students to improve include:

• writing in a detailed analytical way rather than making sweeping generalisations
• developing an appropriate tone and style for each review that reflects the conventions of the media and where the review is to be published.

Director’s folio

Students should:

• provide a Rationale that communicates a directorial concept/vision for the chosen play from the current list of texts, including motivation for developing this vision, rather than a description of their process
• ensure that the concept is theatrical and able to be realised practically on stage.

In better projects, students were able to:

• communicate a clear concept/vision with integrity, developed from an in-depth knowledge of theatre and an analysis of the central action of the chosen play
• present a clear and theatrical directorial concept (explicit or embedded) in a form(s) and style(s) that is justified by the play itself
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of appropriation and modernisation, underpinned by understanding that the original text cannot be rewritten by the director
• choose appropriate rehearsal techniques that were often embedded in staged moments from the production and clearly achieve their directorial vision in performance
• provide a balance of textual analysis, staged scenes and production experience, throughout the play, rather than only the beginning and end, without focusing too heavily on design and production elements.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing a directorial concept/vision that focuses on an analysis of the play’s central action rather than a recount the plot of the play
• attempting to clearly immerse the reader in the imagined theatrical experience and including relevant support materials (visual and/or textual) that illuminate and reinforce the concept/vision
• dealing with the text as written and using visual metaphors and images to help create a director’s vision
• ensuring that the concept is suitable for a theatrical production on stage rather than a film.

Applied research project

Students should:

• write a hypothesis that is not too broad and/or too personal to be manageable within the stated word limit, or so narrow that the conclusion is self-evident.

In better projects, students were able to:

• develop a clear and original hypothesis (often in the form of a question) that evolves from initial research into a passion for a particular area of theatre, which constitutes the survey of the area of study
• use multiple methodologies, including primary sources, to gather extensive research which they clearly analyse through application of their hypothesis
• apply their research in appropriate test conditions through running a workshop, viewing a production, performing a theatrical work or other applications
• draw an insightful conclusion which proves/disproves the initial hypothesis and concludes a fully synthesised, clearly structured journey for the reader.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using appropriate academic conventions such as footnotes and referencing, even if the style is personal.

Students should:

• communicate a clear idea or message that is effectively explored in a short, 15-minute play
• write a complete script for the theatre and clearly communicate what a live audience sees on the stage
• write a narrative that is original or take a known story and theatrically shape it in an original way
• choose a clear theatrical style in which to write, such as Absurdism, Realism, Black Comedy, and sustain this style throughout the play
• include page numbers on the script and ensure they write no less than 15 and no more than 25 pages
• adhere to formatting requirements including font type, spacing and margins.

In better projects, students were able to:

• include dramatic action that can be realised on the stage
• control the number of setting changes in order to sustain an engagement with the audience of a short play
• communicate clearly how the scenes change within the play
• include action in the play that is engaging and moves the narrative forward
• ensure there is effective use of the Elements of Drama, especially tension, to sustain audience engagement
• develop a play that aims to engage an audience either emotionally or intellectually
• sustain their theatrical vision from the start to the finish of the play
• create characters that have clearly defined voices and relationships.

Areas for students to improve include :

• developing a complete plan for the script before writing to ensure that the ending is as strong as the beginning
• controlling the number of characters in the play to avoid overcomplicating the dramatic action with too many characters
• ensuring the dialogue is suited to the characters’ ages, status and personalities
• creating clear and distinct ways of speaking for each character so the reader ‘hears’ and sees that character
• writing a play that includes action that is meant for the stage, not for the screen.

Students should:

• have a definite idea or concept that they wish to express in a short film
• craft a dramatic narrative, written for the screen, to drive the drama
• begin with a screenplay supported by detailed storyboards so that they are working with a visual language
• edit the video using headphones to check and balance sound levels in the diegetic and non-diegetic sound
• check that the video file plays through to the end after it has been exported
• present videos on a USB, preferably in mp4 format.

In better projects, students were able to:

• tell a complete story, often in a chosen genre, and control the tropes
• control the directorial vision and have a clear idea of the intended audience response
• select appropriate cast members, locations and props for the chosen genre and narrative
• create a world on screen for the characters to inhabit, paying attention to the production design/mise en scene
• use post-production techniques, especially editing, to create and maintain pace, tension and audience engagement.

Areas for students to improve include:

• directing the action for the screen, taking the perspective of the audience
• working within the aesthetic of a short film so that the narrative is resolved within the 5–7 minute time limit
• manipulating the elements of drama using film making techniques.

Students should:

• analyse the questions during reading time, reflecting on what is being asked and developing a thesis
• use key words from the question throughout their response and avoid using language from past questions or pre-prepared answers
• use staging workshops as evidence for both sections of the paper to demonstrate their  experiences with the topics and a practical understanding of theatre as a live medium.

Question 1

In better responses, students were able to:

• accurately describe a specific atmosphere relevant to the staging of the plays studied, such as ‘ a foreboding atmosphere of fear’ (the atmosphere could be created by different elements such as lighting, set, costume, vocal and movement choices)
• effectively use scenes from the play that directly relate to character experiences to illustrate their points, for example, ‘In the sequence where Ross first realises with horror that Kenny is dead...’
• link possible staging choices of the plays, to a reflection of Australian society, such as monotony of modern life, identity, racism, migrant experience, or suburbia
• move beyond textual evidence alone, to use insightful evidence from classroom staged workshops of the plays that show an understanding of theatre as a live artform
• make links between the evidence chosen and a particular audience response, for example, ‘This made me feel uncomfortable at Norm’s obvious racist intention’ or ‘this created laughter in the audience’
• refer to workshops that were relevant to the question and that demonstrate directorial interpretations of the text, rather than a purely literary thematic or contextual analysis.

Question 2 – The voice of women in theatre

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify clearly, the nature of the playwright’s voice, for example, an indigenous voice, a socialist voice, a feminist voice
• link the playwright’s voice to the roles and identities of specific characters from the plays
• identify and discuss the techniques that playwrights use to convey their voice
• describe staged examples of moments that were from the plays as they are written, rather than alternative versions of the plays or warm up exercises
• describe evocatively, moments from the plays on stage, focusing on how the playwright’s voice is conveyed
• provide a balanced discussion of both plays.

Question 3 – Approaches to acting

In better responses, students were able to:

• analyse how practitioners’ philosophies, techniques and exercises affect an actor’s presence on stage and the subsequent audience engagement. For example, the focus on the actor’s body in training results in increased physical communication skills in performance, and allows an audience to understand the universal human experience
• make insightful links between the practitioner’s work, the actor’s presence on stage and the intended impact on the audience. For example, ‘Boal’s philosophy, “anyone can act”, leads to direct audience involvement in the creation of theatre and an ability for participants to make real change in the performance of their lives’
• provide relevant and evocative onstage evidence from the student’s own workshop experience and/or the practitioner’s theatre work that shows an understanding of the way that actor training results in theatrical performance. For example, ‘the inherent movement in the crumpling of a paper bag is able to be used as a dramatic analogy and be transposed into a character’s movement’
• show a comprehensive understanding of the practitioner’s work and aesthetic. This could include historical context, influences and theatre work created by either the practitioner themselves or their students.

Question 4 – Verbatim theatre

In better responses, students were able to: 

• explain insightfully, how direct testimonies can give authority to the Verbatim process, describing how these testimonies may be constructed to engage an audience
• refer to specific characters and their experiences in the plays as a way of communicating and explaining these social contexts. For example, ‘the enduring trauma caused by institutionalisation’
• provide evocative and relevant descriptions of staged experiences/workshops from the plays, referencing theatrical elements
• discuss both texts and their own Verbatim piece of theatre equally and insightfully, providing specific details to support their response.

Question 5 – Black comedy

In better responses, students were able to:

• discuss the statement with specific reference to the staging of female characters in the plays set for study, rather than referencing only male characters
• present a range of relevant examples which clearly showed how the staging of female characters could be confronting for the audience and how the staging could make the audience laugh
• present a range of evidence that moves beyond the narrative of the texts
• include examples from class workshops, productions and/or imagined productions that demonstrate how moments from the plays can be theatrically brought to life on stage, rather than warm-up activities or improvisations based on themes in the plays
• present a discussion which demonstrates a strong understanding of the specific forms, styles and techniques used in Black Comedy to present female characters that are both confronting and comedic. 

Question 6 – Multi-discipline theatre

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify and explain the different roles of the creative team in multi-discipline theatre beyond actors and director, such as production roles, the role of a test audience during the process or performance, the role of technology, the role of collaboration
• explain insightfully, how these roles are involved in creating challenging dramatic narratives or challenging traditional, dramatic narratives, such as using visual imagery instead of dialogue or challenging conventional Realism by using other expressive and dramatic forms
• explain specifically, how the philosophy of the practitioner influenced the global issues that were presented through the performances, for example, “he wanted to communicate to an international audience, so explored issues of grief and love”
• show how their own original multi-discipline theatre work, not just class workshops or warm-ups, also mirrored a similar expectation of role, narrative and issues as the practitioners
• discuss evocatively, staged examples from the practitioner’s work and their own work to support their thesis
• engage with all elements of the question for both the practitioner and their own original multi-discipline performance piece.

Question 7 – Significant plays of the 20^th century

In better responses, students were able to:

• go beyond simple statements to provide highly relevant insightful analysis supported by appropriate examples and illustrations of their points
• use clear and evocative examples where markers could see and hear characters on the stage in moments of action
• show how the distinctive characters shifted the paradigm into new areas
• discuss specific styles such as Brechtian, magic-realism, Verbatim and Absurdist
• discuss stylistic techniques through important moments of action in the plays.

Question 8 – Japanese traditional and contemporary theatre

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the styles of both Tadashi Suzuki and the chosen traditional style
• recount staged examples evocatively in a way that was easy for a reader to understand
• use relevant examples of classroom workshop and performance experiences as evidence, for example, using the staging of a class performance in the style of Suzuki, rather than only his training exercises
• identify how both traditional and contemporary Japanese theatre is related to the social context of the times
• show that social context is more than the historical context
• link both styles skilfully to all aspects of the question.