WJEC/Eduqas GCSE Drama: Revision Guide

Skills for devising These skills will help you make the most of the rehearsal process and of working with the members of your group. Listen The best ideas often grow out of other ideas or are ones that you come back to later. During your discussions, listen to everyone and take lots of notes. It is better to have too many ideas than not enough when you begin responding to your stimulus, and it is certainly better to take notes than to struggle to remember great ideas later. Try it out Often, getting an idea ‘on its feet’, rehearsing (rather than just discussing it) is the best way to discover whether it is right for your piece and what will be needed to make it work. The games on the next pages will help you and your group try out and develop ideas in practical, dramatic ways. Play to your strengths Some actors are great at Physical Theatre, others are great at bringing out the meaning when reading text. Give your group members a chance to shine. You will all find different things more challenging. Make the most of the fact that not everyone has the same strengths by helping each other. Your piece will be stronger for everyone’s contribution being different. Clear objectives, clear images It is no good having the most amazing idea in the world if it is not expressed visually and your audience does not understand it. Remember the drama watchwords, ‘clarity’ and ‘simplicity’ when writing your piece: • What is your scene about? • What key ideas do you need to communicate? • What are the key images you will use to convey them? • How can movement, stage design, sound or lighting support them? Remember, theatre works visually: try to ‘show, not tell’ whenever possible. Even the most well-written script is only as successful onstage as the actors, director and designers make it. Try out each of the drama watchwords on your scene in class. How does each one make your story clearer? ACTIVITY 1.1 AO 2 AO 1 Read about the drama watchwords on pages 9–10. LINK Explain what you did for Activity 1.1. Use rehearsal photographs, written explanation or both to help. FOR YOUR PORTFOLIO 15 CHAPTER 1 chapter 1 DEVISING