Edexcel Drama and Theatre Unit 4

That's pretty much the structure I follow :smile:

I did a one on acting style for a mock and got an A following this.
Our teacher also gave us some general tips which she got from a session with one of the examiners:

•

Lead with the modern production you have seen and then compare to the original/past period.

•

Make it personal e.g. I think, In my opinion, Personally I felt, I reacted to this with sympathy/shock etc

•

Name actors/the director.

•

Impact on the audience is an important aspect of your answer

•

If you think things in the performance you see could have been done another way then you can discuss this.

•

Make it vivid with clear descriptions of the performance you have seen including zoom-in moments.

Hope this possibly helps! What plays are you all doing? I have Richard III.
Also for Section B we were given 5 main areas to focus on which could come up: intended audience, historical context, design elements, one of the play's main themes and light/sound. Personally I'm hoping for main themes so I can blabber on about the tragedy in Woyzeck :tongue:

Reply 22

loopynutcase

OP

Original post by magicalyoghurt

That's pretty much the structure I follow :smile:

I did a one on acting style for a mock and got an A following this.
Our teacher also gave us some general tips which she got from a session with one of the examiners:

•

Lead with the modern production you have seen and then compare to the original/past period.

•

Make it personal e.g. I think, In my opinion, Personally I felt, I reacted to this with sympathy/shock etc

•

Name actors/the director.

•

Impact on the audience is an important aspect of your answer

•

If you think things in the performance you see could have been done another way then you can discuss this.

•

Make it vivid with clear descriptions of the performance you have seen including zoom-in moments.

Hope this possibly helps! What plays are you all doing? I have Richard III.
Also for Section B we were given 5 main areas to focus on which could come up: intended audience, historical context, design elements, one of the play's main themes and light/sound. Personally I'm hoping for main themes so I can blabber on about the tragedy in Woyzeck :tongue:

Apparently another section for B that could appear is colour and how you'd use colour in your production but then again you can write about other sections in the essay which isn't so bad if it does appear :smile:

I'm doing Hamlet for Section C the Northern Broadsides production

Reply 23

Colour?! That would be quite hard I think :frown:

Well I suppose I would find something to blabber on about using all the stuff I have from other answers and focusing more on colour :smile:

Oh I'd love to have done Hamlet :frown:

I seen it a little while after Richard too. My production was by Love and Madness theatre company.

I can't wait til this is over and done with though because it is my last exam ! :smile:

Reply 24

loopynutcase

OP

Original post by magicalyoghurt

Colour?! That would be quite hard I think :frown:

Well I suppose I would find something to blabber on about using all the stuff I have from other answers and focusing more on colour :smile:

Oh I'd love to have done Hamlet :frown:

I seen it a little while after Richard too. My production was by Love and Madness theatre company.

I can't wait til this is over and done with though because it is my last exam ! :smile:

Ya huh colour but my teacher said you could like start a paragraph off by saying how you'd use colour then onto comparing it to something else lihe the use of lighting/ sound then summerize the effectiveness of colour in comparison to whatever or what other element it would go with and how they'd work together :smile:

I love Hamlet as well but the production I saw was rubbish apart from the actor's playing the Gertrude, Claudius and Ophelia as the as the two grave diggers... Everyone else either were too quiet to hear or didn't really show any emotion to the humour plus they cut all the amazing bits out! D;

Reply 25

almbrown

Has anyone got any tips on how to achieve high marks on the Lysistrata exam?

I am so stuck it's in a week and I got 30/80 on the mock my teacher is a total cow who in her words- 'wont hold any lessons during study leave as she is not willing to give up her personal time'

No idea what to do and I'm in the biggest panic ever!!! I need an A for my Uni :frown:

Reply 26

I'm so scared, my teachers are an absolute joke! I have no idea what I'm doing, I'm trying to prepare but am totally stuck. I have a question:
For sec. C can the 1000 words be typed up?

Reply 27

Original post by csea

I'm so scared, my teachers are an absolute joke! I have no idea what I'm doing, I'm trying to prepare but am totally stuck. I have a question:
For sec. C can the 1000 words be typed up?

Yes! They have to be 2 A4s or 1 A3 :smile:

They can be typed/written/both. I have random pictures drawn over mine to remind me of stuff :redface:

As well I put mine in a table so I have the modern production on one side and the original conditions on the other which is quite helpful :biggrin:

Don't panic!!! Our teacher is a bit mad and she told us to view this exam as a celebration of all the drama and theatre things we know lol :tongue:

But she is right kind of. I would say that you can prepare by making a list of the ways you can rehearse your section A text, make sure you have a clear idea of what your directorial idea is for section B and your notes are there for section C so its great :smile:

Good luck! Hope I helped :L

Reply 28

Original post by magicalyoghurt

Yes! They have to be 2 A4s or 1 A3 :smile:

They can be typed/written/both. I have random pictures drawn over mine to remind me of stuff :redface:

As well I put mine in a table so I have the modern production on one side and the original conditions on the other which is quite helpful :biggrin:

Don't panic!!! Our teacher is a bit mad and she told us to view this exam as a celebration of all the drama and theatre things we know lol :tongue:

But she is right kind of. I would say that you can prepare by making a list of the ways you can rehearse your section A text, make sure you have a clear idea of what your directorial idea is for section B and your notes are there for section C so its great :smile:

Good luck! Hope I helped :L

Aw thank you! Yeah you did :smile:

My notes are spread on 3 pages because of lists etc, but are only 1000 words.. will I have to do something about that? my teachers haven't really specified whether we'll be scrutinised or if invigilators will take anything away. They don't take scripts or notes at the end, do they? Haha I sound like an idiot, I am just very ignorant about this exam :P

Reply 29

Kay :)

Original post by magicalyoghurt

That's pretty much the structure I follow :smile:

I did a one on acting style for a mock and got an A following this.
Our teacher also gave us some general tips which she got from a session with one of the examiners:

•

Lead with the modern production you have seen and then compare to the original/past period.

•

Make it personal e.g. I think, In my opinion, Personally I felt, I reacted to this with sympathy/shock etc

•

Name actors/the director.

•

Impact on the audience is an important aspect of your answer

•

If you think things in the performance you see could have been done another way then you can discuss this.

•

Make it vivid with clear descriptions of the performance you have seen including zoom-in moments.

Hope this possibly helps! What plays are you all doing? I have Richard III.
Also for Section B we were given 5 main areas to focus on which could come up: intended audience, historical context, design elements, one of the play's main themes and light/sound. Personally I'm hoping for main themes so I can blabber on about the tragedy in Woyzeck :tongue:

Do you find, for instance, with set, there is many things to discuss, so is it possible to speak about two things on the set, rather then all of it? In addition, if it is a broad question with a quote, is it better to have 2/3 elements, i.e. acting costume etc. If we zoom in say on one character, is that better then describing the whole thing?

Reply 30

Shan<3

9

These are helpful, thanks :smile:

I'm doing Woyzeck (awful play) and Romeo and Juliet.

Reply 31

blake eley

Ok guys, i don't know what is what argh! All i know is i'm doing lysistrata for the 60% and King lear for the 40% of the paper, i dont know what each of the sections are, as you guys have been talking about section AB and C? could you guys help me :smile:

as exam is on wednesday ha!

Thanks, Blake.

Reply 32

Original post by csea

Aw thank you! Yeah you did :smile:

My notes are spread on 3 pages because of lists etc, but are only 1000 words.. will I have to do something about that? my teachers haven't really specified whether we'll be scrutinised or if invigilators will take anything away. They don't take scripts or notes at the end, do they? Haha I sound like an idiot, I am just very ignorant about this exam :P

Yeah the notes can taken up at the end of the test so I think they will need to be on the required number of pages! Try resizing the writing or tables? That's what I had to do to make it fit! lols My teacher seems to have explained things a little better so if you have any more questions ask and I shall attempt an answer :L

Reply 33

Original post by Kay :)

Do you find, for instance, with set, there is many things to discuss, so is it possible to speak about two things on the set, rather then all of it? In addition, if it is a broad question with a quote, is it better to have 2/3 elements, i.e. acting costume etc. If we zoom in say on one character, is that better then describing the whole thing?

I think it would be better to be super specific about one key thing and give all your reasoning and 'zoom in' etc. We were always told to do this anyway. Of course you could give a general overview too e.g. "Sound would add high production value and could be used to emphasise [Woyzeck's mental deterioration]. For example, in scene 12 I would have..." then talk about a specific moment. Hope I helped? :L I think this exam is kind of open to interpretation a bit so there are going to be lots of different ideas and thoughts!

Reply 34

Kay :)

Original post by magicalyoghurt

I think it would be better to be super specific about one key thing and give all your reasoning and 'zoom in' etc. We were always told to do this anyway. Of course you could give a general overview too e.g. "Sound would add high production value and could be used to emphasise [Woyzeck's mental deterioration]. For example, in scene 12 I would have..." then talk about a specific moment. Hope I helped? :L I think this exam is kind of open to interpretation a bit so there are going to be lots of different ideas and thoughts!

I meant with Section C, :smile:

Reply 35

Original post by magicalyoghurt

Yeah the notes can taken up at the end of the test so I think they will need to be on the required number of pages! Try resizing the writing or tables? That's what I had to do to make it fit! lols My teacher seems to have explained things a little better so if you have any more questions ask and I shall attempt an answer :L

Do you mean they have to be taken up? Like they'll be taken to examiners or something?
And thank you so much, it's hard to find anyone who knows what's going on! haha :smile:

Reply 36

Wanttobeasucess

How are people structuring the section B essay?
Does anybody have any sample essays by any chance?
Would be sososo appreciative if somebody does!!

Reply 37

K187D

Hey can anybody help me on how to tackle this particular question? im having trouble in what things to include:
(c) Explain to your performers how you intend to work on developing the relationship between Lysistrata and the other women in this extract, giving reasons for your approach, supported by clear examples (10 marks)

thanks!

Reply 38