AQA GCSE Drama sample

Writing about your design ideas Question 1 will ask you to consider an aspect of design for the play in relation to its context. Below is a student’s plan for the following question: TIP It is important that you justify your ideas. Explain why you are making these specific choices, don’t just describe what they will look like. What do we learn about the Narrator’s role in the play and what effect do you want them to have? 1 Understanding of the character in the play: 2 Period: 3 Occupation/role: 4 Character shown through costume: TASK 5 Using the above plan as a guide, create your own plan for the character of the Narrator in answer to the following question: You are designing a costume for the Narrator to wear in a performance of this extract from the first act (from the opening ‘So did y’hear the story of the Johnstone twins’ to ‘How she came to play this part’). The costume must reflect the context of ‘ Blood Brothers ’, set in Liverpool in the 1970s. Describe your own design ideas for the costume. You are designing a costume for Mrs Johnstone to wear in a performance of this extract (from ‘Hello Mrs Johnstone’ to ‘O, I see …’ from the first act). The costume must reflect the context of ‘ Blood Brothers ’, set in a working-class community in the 1970s. Describe your design ideas for the costume. 1 Understanding of the character in the play: Mrs Johnstone is a working-class, single mother who works as a cleaning woman to support her family. 2 Period: Colours and fabrics: 1970s bright prints, inexpensive fabrics, such as polyester and cotton. Knee-length dress as appropriate for the 1970s. 3 Occupation/role: She would wear an apron or tabard to protect her clothes. She is a cleaning woman, so clothes need to be practical and hard-wearing. Her hair would be pulled back so it doesn’t get in her way. Her shoes are well-worn flats, which need to be replaced, but she can’t af�ord to yet. 4 Character shown through costume: She is naturally cheerful and tries to make the best of bad situations, so, even though she doesn’t have much money, her dress, though worn, would be neat. The dress might be brighter than the drab tabard over it. She has put on weight since having children, so the fit of her clothes would be shapeless to suggest this. Her simple clothes should contrast with Mrs Lyons’ more expensive outfits. TIP It is important to know that there are many other interpretations of how Mrs Johnstone might be costumed. 56 COMPONENT 1 UNDERSTANDING DRAMA