NCEA Level 3 Drama (90612) 2011 Assessment Schedule

NCEA Level 3 Drama (90612) 2011 — page 1 of 4

Assessment Schedule – 2011

Drama: Analyse drama processes in a new context and reflect critically on drama
performance (90612)

Evidence Statement

Question Achievement Achievement with Merit Achievement with Excellence
ONE
(a) (b) Analyse drama processes in the video recording. P
(i) Identifies at least ONE
For EACH of parts (a) and (b): technique, convention, and / or
(ii) technology
An C
AND
Identifies at least ONE Identifies at least ONE Perceptively analyses with
technique, convention, and / or technique, convention, and / or breadth and depth its use in
technology technology the performance to create
dramatic impact and power to
AND AND strengthen the performance for
the audience
Refers to its use in the Critically analyses how it has
performance. been used in the performance AND
with dramatic impact and power Justifies the analysis with
to strengthen the performance specific reference to the
for the audience performance.

AND

Justifies the analysis with
specific reference to the
performance.

TWO Reflect critically on live drama performance.
(a) (b)
For EACH live drama production:
(i)
RC d Dp
(ii)
Selects at least ONE dramatic Selects at least ONE dramatic Selects at least ONE dramatic
element element element

AND AND AND

Suggests ways it was used to Reflects critically on how it Reflects critically on how it
convey or deepen meaning in was used to convey or deepen was used to convey or deepen
the drama production. meaning in the drama meaning in the drama
production production

AND AND

Includes specific detail from Shows depth of
the drama production. understanding of the
production aspects in the
context of the drama production.

NCEA Level 3 Drama (90612) 2011 — page 2 of 4

Judgement Statement

Achievement Achievement with Merit Achievement with Excellence
2C+2d 2 P + 2 Dp
2 An + 2 RC

Codes Analyses
An = Analyses critically
C= Analyses perceptively
P= Reflects critically
RC = Includes specific detail
d= Explanation shows depth
Dp =

NCEA Level 3 Drama (90612) 2011 — page 3 of 4

Appendix A

Sample responses to Question One, “Analyse drama processes”

(i) Identifies at least ONE technique, convention, and / or technology

AND

(ii) Perceptively analyses with breadth and depth its use in the performance to create dramatic impact and power
to strengthen the performance for the audience

AND
Justifies the analysis with specific reference to the performance. (P)

Example 1

Convention: Direct address to the audience

The placing of the story within the context of a circus performance where the acts are directly announced to the
audience sets the style for my performance as Woyzeck. Direct address to the audience is a significant
proportion of my role, allowing me to express my point of view, to express my thoughts and motivations and,
not least, to reveal my inconsistencies and imbalance caused by my lack of sophistication and the extremes of
my circumstances.

The contrast of the play’s context to the story’s material of murder and jealousy, paradoxically, in the Brechtian
style of verfremdungseffekt, keeps the audience from identifying with the character but, at the same time,
counterpoints humour with pathos to highlight the latter. In “A man walks into a bar” my punning and banter
with the audience as well as the barman’s talk of me as a “contortionist” builds a jollity that contrasts with the
rapid descent into my paranoia about the audience staring at me, and my fear as I conceal the knife in the
water.

Similarly in “The End of the World”, I can tell the audience of my anguish in imagining Marie and the Drum
Major together, in terms of the hot night, the hot beers and the hot girls while the audience can see enacted
behind me what I am really thinking in the action of the Drum Major and Marie dancing. The sound of the music
box adds poignancy to my pathos and helps me in showing my pain, so that the last whispered ‘Marie’ truly
tears the heart of my role.

Example 2

Technology: Multipurpose props and set

In my role as Woyzeck, the context of the circus ring and the circus-type props and set help to keep the story in
the realm of metaphor and to support the Brechtian quality of the performance. The use of red and white,
especially the large white cloth with the red border, is reminiscent of circus colours but also represents blood.
This has put the focus squarely on the role to tell the story and so has aided my focus and centeredness on the
ideas and emotions I am conveying.

The simplicity and creative use of set and props has also meant the action can flow unimpeded, and my
performance has a continuity and single focus that contributes to its impact and power. For instance, the cloth
forming the front of the bar in “A man walks into a bar” becomes the lake into which the knife is thrown, and
then the edge is lifted as I try to retrieve the knife from under the water; there is no break in the flow of the
story. This same cloth later becomes the rug on the floor in the domestic scene in Marie’s and my lodgings.
This is not only a clever use of the one piece of material but has the interesting connection of being the
domestic rug and the place where the murder weapon is hidden.

NCEA Level 3 Drama (90612) 2011 — page 4 of 4

Appendix B

Sample responses to Question Two, “Reflect critically on how meaning was conveyed through
the use of dramatic elements”

(i) Selects at least ONE dramatic element

AND

(ii) Reflects critically on how it was used to convey or deepen meaning in the drama production

AND

Shows depth of understanding of the production aspects in the context of the drama production. (Dp)

Mary Stuart (Friedrich Schiller, adapted by Peter Oswald)

Dramatic element: Symbol

Mary Stuart chronicles the conflict between the two cousins Mary and Elizabeth who represent the Catholic
and Protestant faiths also in conflict at the time. Colin McColl’s production provides a symbolic context for this
conflict on a number of levels. John Parker’s set design comprising a number of high metal freestanding
latticed grilles worked on a number of symbolic levels. The diamond grille-work suggested Tudor leadlight
windows but also the open prison of Mary’s house arrest and the dilemma Elizabeth is caught in. The grille-
work, too, references the confessional and the gibbet cage. The grilles are cleverly moved for various scenes
in the play – the constricted environment of political house arrest; the maze of the political court with corners
and crannies where courtiers eavesdrop; and the openness of the grounds of a castle. The restricted colours of
costume also take on symbolic significance. The black of the unfortunate Mary contrasts with the white of the
dominant Elizabeth in her court. Most of the courtiers wear grey – a mixture of the black and white extreme.
When Mary meets Elizabeth in Fotheringhay Castle grounds she wears a scarlet dress under a floral overcoat
– reference to her past amorous misdemeanours. The colour contrasts starkly with the other blacks, whites and
greys of costume and set. The only other red in costume is Leicester’s suit – Leicester the love interest of
Elizabeth and wooer of Mary.

Lighting is also used symbolically to create a sense of intrigue in both Fotheringhay and in Elizabeth’s court.
Beyond the action the set quickly fades into blackness except where, often, a silent listener or person waiting is
trapped in a small cone of light. This creates a pervading mood of menace. In the final sequence we see
Elizabeth almost trapped in a small rectangle, made from two of the right-angled grilles, isolated because of the
blame she carries for Mary’s death.

Often the physicality of the play symbolically represents the relationships between the characters. When Mary,
arguing with Elizabeth in the castle grounds, scores major points against her cousin, we see Elizabeth on two
occasions physically felled by the power of the argument. When Leicester is remonstrating with Elizabeth over
her strategies with Mary, at one point she is lying on the floor and he climbs on top of her symbolising his
manipulation of her emotions and the love she has for him.