Live theatre evaluation - OCRResponding to the question

Making a mini plan

It can be useful to make a mini plan to help structure a response to the question, as it can keep the response focused. There is no correct way to do this and it will very much depend on the question being asked.

A typical question might be:

Evaluate the visual impact a live production had on you as an audience member.

You must include examples from the live performance you have seen in your answer. At the start of your answer state the name, venue and date (month and year) of the live performance you have seen.

[30 marks]

OCR Sample Question Paper GCSE Drama 2016.

Structuring the response

As a 30-mark question, the response will need to be longer than previous questions, and it is a good idea to use paragraphs to help separate points.

There are many different ways to approach the response to this question. The response could be structured:

1. according to the various visual aspects of the show, ie set, costume, lighting and performers
2. by referring to different moments in the play

Here are some example structures for these approaches:

Introduction

Before getting into the main body of the essay, writing a mini introduction is required to help introduce the response. In the introduction, the name of the play, venue and date (month and year) of the performance should be included, as well as a brief synopsis or overview to help place the response in context.

Summary

When summarising any points made in the response, it is a good opportunity to link the response back to the original question.

Answering the question

Don’t waste time writing a detailed description of the plot, as the question won’t ask about the story. The response should instead be focused on analysing and evaluating the production using accurate drama terminology.