Additional Help Section B (part two of the question)

Here are a few hints on answering the second part of the question in Section B.

When answering the question say how you would ACT your character in BRH focus your answer of a particular scene or section you acted well in, and you remember lines from. You must answer in the first person e.g “I would make my eyes wide to show that I was surprised”. Make it clear exactly how you would tackle the character, your vocal and physical expression etc.

Use the following structure to write your answer

A good answer will show that you can visualise the performance and can respond imaginatively to the challenge of playing your chosen character.

Firstly state the play’s title; "Blue Remembered Hills by Dennis Potter written in 1979, set in the West country during WW2."

Next say which character you are answering on, who they are, their age, their status and their role in the play’s plot (for BRH you should also mention why their age, the fact that Potter wanted them to be played by adults and the need for them to have a West Country accent.)

Then work through the section you have chosen e.g 'killing the squirrel or Donald in the Barn' taking a few lines you speak and explain how you would perform it :

vocally

then physically

and finally how you would respond to the other character’s on the stage.

         

Additional Help on Section B (the first part of the question)

You will have the choice of two questions in Section B, each question is divided into TWO parts (this will be numbered either 5&6 or 7&8, choose the question most focused on ACTING) 

Here is the examiner feedback from last year's question 5, Part One of the question:

“Excellent responses to this question had thoughtful application of vocal and physical skills to the preparation work undertaken by candidates. Strategies used to develop skills included, workshops, character profiles, off-text improvisations, role on the wall, reading and discussion of the script, use of youtube and seeing a live production of the play”

To answer this you must first select a few rehearsal techniques for example:

• Hot Seating to understand your characters background, thoughts and feelings.
• Watching the film of BRH (this helped with accent, vocals, physicality of children)
• Playing children's games (for physicality)
• Looking at stage directions and character descriptions given by Potter in the play
• Using memories of childhood (this help with movement and interactions between characters)
• Improvisations

Choose one key moment to focus on, I would suggest the scene you know the best and can remember lines from. Explain how you created your character in this scene and how you moved, your facial expressions and your vocal delivery. Be detailed and use lines from the play to back up your points.

SECTION B Help

SECTION B

45 minutes to answer the question.

There are TWO questions in section B each divided into 2 sections.

If possible choose the one that is aimed at ACTING skills only.

You must read both questions and choose the one that suits you best.

Aprox 10 minutes on each part of the question.

Part 1 of the question assess’ AO1 “Informed knowledge and understanding of the ACTING SKILLS needed to CREATE a play” This question’s focus is on rehearsal techniques.

Part 2 of the question assess’ AO3 “Ability to ANALYSE and EVALUATE the effectiveness of your acting skills” This question’s focus is a reflection of the performance. Analyse in detail your key scene and how effective your acting skills were.

In the exam you must 

• Identify the role you play
• Give detail about what you did in rehearsals
• Analyse with clear evidence (lines) from the play
• Make very clear reference to the performance skills used.

Start with a clear introduction that gives all the essential information about the play.

“Blue Remembered Hills was written by Dennis Potter in 1984. It was originally written for Television. The play takes place in the West Country during the long summer holiday, 1943 in the middle of World War 2. The time frame is “real time” where one incident follows another. Our version  of the play concentrates on five 7 year old boys, played by adult actors as Potter felt the adult body works as a “magnifying glass of the children’s emotions”

Next you need to describe YOUR CHARACTER. What is their role in the plot? Their Status? Their relationship with other characters? Use the information from the text (what other characters say ABOUT you and the stage directions that describe you)

Miss Howell's class 1984 notes

1984 from the novel by George Orwell adapted by Matthew Dunster

Seen at South Hill Park - Bracknell

Winston Jack Cosgrove

Julia Lily Knight

O’Brien Owen Lindsay

Charrington George Bryan

Syme Jonathan Ashby-Rock

Act 1:

4 White pillars two have screens on for Big Brother broadcasts (blue light) and to watch people (red light)

4 Tables on wheels on which they work, stools

Feeling is open, clinical

Workers take their place behind tables and are given papers to process, work is repetitive

Big Brother rally - all enthusiastic and fired up except Winston who is at the back and not so active

Scene changes are done behind the action so the pace maintained

Winston’s bedroom - he does exercise directed by Big Brother

When he is being watched screen turns red and he is nervous and conscious of it

When he meets Julia in forest, there is a slo-mo fight behind them involving the proles (lowest class of workers)

As Winston and Julia continue to meet in their rented room, other events are played out as dreams or flashbacks, eg the story of Winston and Catherine his ex wife

They generally undress for the love scene meetings - symbol of not wearing uniform and therefore defying Big Brother

The space is transformed for the big rally using banners and bunting

Act 2:

The forbidden book becomes important and symbolic for Winston

Voice over when Winston reads book as Julia sleeps, so we hear contents of the book

Nice repetitive movement sequence of 4 workers

Sing a political song

Winston is shocked by what he reads - control and memory... electric shock treatment

The thought-police come to arrest Julia and Winston at the bedroom

Beating up scene - brutal they use truncheons

The lighting is an evening state with steel blues

Lights snap to pinks for slo-mo to emphasise movement of hitting and kicking

Winston in the cells

Make-up for bruising very good

The inmates are all being taken off to be beaten and come back blood splattered

Winston is tortured using beating and electric shock

Shadows cast on back cloth and eerie music gives this scene an otherworldly feel

The torture scene is very intense

Jack Cosgrove playing Winston is superb in these scenes. He shows the fear on his face and the pain as his body is abused. He changes his body physically to shake and twitch in pain. Body language closed in and defensive

Room 101 where he is strapped to the rat cage

This finally breaks him

After confessing he is stripped and placed in front of mirror - his moment of utter degredation

Becomes silent as he dresses and steps into line for inspection

He meets Julia and they talk but feel nothing for each other

Winston’s last tragic words “I love Big Brother” he makes a triumphant fist-in-air gesture but it is very sad... the system has beaten him and robbed him of his individuality

Y11 Revision 2013

Hello Year 11 Drama students!

I have updated the blog for the exam this year. Please look at the post on Section A.

The Revision Sessions with me are:

Thursday 16th May, period 2 in the drama studio.

Tuesday 21st May, period 1 in the drama studio.

THE EXAM IS ON WEDNESDAY 22nd MAY.

Please email if you are stuck with anything and I will help as soon as I can.

Please check this blog as I will update it with additional revision sessions we are running in school and helpful materials for section B.

Good Luck!