2020 Theatre Studies Written examination

THEATRE STUDIESWritten examinationWednesday 25 November 2020

Reading time: 9.00 am to 9.15 am (15 minutes) Writing time: 9.15 am to 10.45 am (1 hour 30 minutes)

QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK

Structure of bookSection Number of

questionsNumber of questions

to be answeredNumber of

marks

A 2 2 30B 1 1 10C 1 1 10

Total 50

• Studentsarepermittedtobringintotheexaminationroom:pens,leadandcolouredpencils, water-basedpensandmarkers,highlighters,erasers,sharpeners,rulers,protractors,compasses, setsquaresandaidsforcurvesketching.

• StudentsareNOTpermittedtobringintotheexaminationroom:blanksheetsofpaperand/orcorrectionfluid/tape.

• Nocalculatorisallowedinthisexamination.

Materials supplied• Questionandanswerbookof20pages• DetachableinsertforSectionAinthecentrefold• Additionalspaceisavailableattheendofthebookifyouneedextraspacetocompleteananswer.

Instructions• Detachtheinsertfromthecentreofthisbookduringreadingtime.• Writeyourstudent numberinthespaceprovidedaboveonthispage.• Youmaysupportanyofyouranswerswithillustrationsand/ordiagrams.• AllwrittenresponsesmustbeinEnglish.

At the end of the examination• Youmaykeepthedetachedinsert.

Students are NOT permitted to bring mobile phones and/or any other unauthorised electronic devices into the examination room.

©VICTORIANCURRICULUMANDASSESSMENTAUTHORITY2020

SUPERVISOR TO ATTACH PROCESSING LABEL HEREVictorian Certificate of Education 2020

STUDENT NUMBER

Letter

2020THEATRESTUDIESEXAM 2

SECTION A – Question 1–continued

Question 1 (20marks)SelectoneofthefollowingproductionrolestointerpretThe 39 Steps.ThisproductionrolemustbedifferentfromtheproductionroleselectedforQuestion2.• actor• director• designer:costume• designer:make-up• designer:props• designer:set• designer:lighting• designer:sound

ProductionroleforQuestion1

Youmust refertothesameproductionroleinyourresponsestoparts a.–e.

SECTION A – Production roles and interpretation

Instructions for Section APleaseremovetheinsertfromthecentreofthisbookduringreadingtime.Usetheinformationintheinserttoanswerthequestionsinthissection.Considerthedramaturgyintheinsertandthescriptexcerpt(s)providedtoinformyourresponses.Answerallquestionsinthespacesprovided.

3 2020THEATRESTUDIESEXAM

SECTION A – Question 1–continuedTURN OVER

Planninga. Selectoneofthefollowingaspectsoftheplay’scontext.Eachaspectisexplainedinthe

dramaturgyprovidedintheinsert.

1. Acomedybasedonathriller2. Charactertransformationsusedintheoriginalproductionoftheplay3. Atheatricalrepresentationofanactionmovie4. Comedyintheperformance

Numberofselectedaspect

Explainhowyourselectedaspectoftheplay’scontextcouldinformworkinyourselectedproductionroleduringtheplanningstage.Inyourresponse,refertoone or moreoftheresearchimagesfromthedramaturgyprovided. 3marks



Use the following information to answer parts b.–e.ReadScriptexcerpt1.Thescenetakesplacenearthestartoftheplay.RichardHannayisawealthy,unmarriedEnglishmanwhohasrecentlyreturnedtoLondonfromoverseas.Heisfeelingalittlelostandboredwithhislife.Tocheerhimselfup,hegoestothetheatrebuttheperformanceisdisruptedbygunshots.Inthechaos,hemeetsAnnabella,amysteriousGermanwoman,whoasksifshecangowithhimtohisflat atPortlandPlaceininner-cityLondon.Theplaywrightintendedthescenetohavebothmomentsofcomedyandmomentsofsuspense.

Script excerpt 1

Hannay’s Flat. Night[…]Hannay Itwasyouwhofiredthatrevolverinthetheatre[…]

Annabella Verywell.Haveyoueverheardofthe–(She lowers her voice)–Thirty-nineSteps?

Source:PatrickBarlow,The 39 Steps,SamuelFrench,London,2010,pp.6–9

1Music Hall–atheatrethatpresentsmusic,comedyandnoveltyacts2trilbies–stereotypicalgangster’shats

Duetocopyrightrestrictions, thismaterialisnotsupplied.



b. Selectoneelementoftheatrecomposition.

Elementoftheatrecomposition

Duringtheplanningstage,howcouldworkinyourselectedproductionroleapplyyourselectedelementoftheatrecompositiontoexploitthemomentsofcomedywheninterpretingScriptexcerpt1?Inyourresponse,referto:• specificdialogueorstagedirectionsfromScriptexcerpt1• one or moreexercisesortasksusedduringtheplanningstage. 4marks



Developmentc. Duringthedevelopmentstage,howcouldworkinyourselectedproductionroleapply

theelementoftheatrecompositionfrompart b.toexploitthemomentsofsuspenseininterpretingScriptexcerpt1?Inyourresponse,referto:• specificdialogueorstagedirectionsfromScriptexcerpt1• one or moreexercisesortasksusedduringthedevelopmentstage. 5marks


SECTION A – Question 1 –continuedTURN OVER

Presentationd. Duringthepresentationstage,howcouldworkinyourselectedproductionrolebeinformed

bycollaborationwithanotherproductionroletocreateadeliberateeffectontheaudience? Inyourresponse,referto:• specificdialogueorstagedirectionsfromScriptexcerpt1• thedeliberateeffectontheaudienceduringtheperformance. 5marks

SECTION A – continued


e. Duringthepresentationstage,howcouldyoudocumentandevaluateworkinthetwoproductionrolesthatwasusedtocreatethedeliberateeffectontheaudiencefrompart d.? 3marks

This space is for any illustrations or diagrams to support your responses (optional).Please label clearly with the relevant question number(s).



Question 2 (10marks)SelectoneofthefollowingproductionrolestointerpretascenefromThe 39 Steps.ThisproductionrolemustbedifferentfromtheproductionroleselectedforQuestion1.• actor• director• designer:costume• designer:make-up• designer:props• designer:set• designer:lighting• designer:sound

ProductionroleforQuestion2

Youmust refertothesameproductionroleinyourresponsestopart a. andpart b.



Use the following information to answer parts a. and b.ReadScriptexcerpt2.ThemonologuetakesplaceafterthesceneinScriptexcerpt1.AnnabellahasbeenfoundmurderedinRichardHannay’sflatinPortlandPlaceinLondonandHannayissuspectedofthecrime,althoughhedidnotcommitit.HeistryingtoavoidarrestbytravellingthroughvariouspartsofEnglandandScotlandwiththepoliceinpursuit.

Script excerpt 2

Forth Bridge[…]Hannay starts to run. The plane chases Hannay

1plummy–upper-class,posh 2BBC–BritishBroadcastingCorporation3v.o.–voiceover 4aquiver–trembling




Source:PatrickBarlow,The 39 Steps,SamuelFrench,London,2010,pp.24–25andpp.33–34

5Tiger Moth–typeofplane

a. HowcouldworkinyourselectedproductionrolecreatethecontrastingplacesandtimesreferredtoinScriptexcerpt2?Inyourresponse,referto:• two or morespecificlinesofdialogueorstagedirectionsfromScriptexcerpt2• theatretechnologies. 5marks



END OF SECTION A

b. AnalysehowspecificdialogueorstagedirectionsfromScriptexcerpt2couldinformworkinyourselectedproductionroletorealisethecharacteroftheradioannouncer.Inyourresponse,referto:• thefunctionandpurposeoftheradioannouncer’scharacter• two or morecharactertraitsoftheradioannouncer. 5marks


SECTION B – continuedTURN OVER

SECTION B – Theatre analysis and evaluation

Instructions for Section BAnswerthequestion(s)inthespace(s)provided.

Thefollowingquestionrelatestothe2020VCETheatreStudiesplaylistforUnit3.Selectoneofthefollowingplays.

1. Torch the PlacebyBenjaminLaw Theatrecompany:MelbourneTheatreCompany

OR

2. The Importance of Being Earnest byOscarWilde Theatrecompany:MalthouseTheatreandRidiculusmus

OR

3. Summer of the Seventeenth Doll byRayLawler Theatrecompany:HITProductions

OR

4. Running with Emus byMerrileeMoss Theatrecompany:LaMamaTheatreandGhostTheatre

OR

5. This is Eden byEmilyGoddard Theatrecompany:EmilyGoddard

Writethenumberandthetitleoftheplayinthespacesprovided.

Play no.

Titleofplay


SECTION B – continued

Question 1 (10marks)Evaluatehowtheactor(s)andone or moreotherproductionrolesappliedtheelementofvariationtorealisetheintendedmeaningoftheselectedplay’sscript.Inyourresponse,referto:• one or moreofthefollowingaspectsofvariation:

– tension– conflict– intensity– energy– theuseofthespace

• specificdialogueorstagedirectionsfromtheselectedplay’sscript• one or morespecificmomentsfromtheselectedplayinperformance.


END OF SECTION BTURN OVER


SECTION C – continued

ThefollowingquestionrelatestotheplaythatyouhaveseenforUnit4.ThisplaymustbedifferentfromtheplayyouselectedinSectionB.

Writethetitleoftheplayinthespaceprovided.

Titleofplay

Selectonecharacterfromtheplay.

SECTION C – Performance analysis and evaluation

Instructions for Section CAnswerthequestion(s)inthespace(s)provided.


SECTION C – Question 1–continuedTURN OVER

Question 1 (10marks)a. Identifyanobjectiveandmotivationofyourselectedcharacterintheplaythatyouhaveseen

forUnit4. 3marks

b. Howdidtheactoruseone or moreactingskillstorealisethestatusofyourselectedcharacterduringonespecificmomentintheproductionoftheplay? 4marks


c. Howdidone or more directorialdecisionscontributetotherealisationofyourselectedcharacter? 3marks

END OF QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK


Extra space for responses

Clearly number all responses in this space.

TURN OVER


Ananswerbookisavailablefromthesupervisorifyouneedextraspacetocompleteananswer.Pleaseensureyouwriteyourstudent numberinthespaceprovidedonthefrontcoveroftheanswerbook.At the end of the examination, place the answer book inside the front cover of this question and answer book.

1 2020 THEATRE STUDIES INSERT

TURN OVER

Insert for Section APlease remove from the centre of this book during reading time.

DramaturgyThe following information is a collection of dramaturgical research about The 39 Steps, a play by Patrick Barlow, adapted from the novel by John Buchan and the movie by Alfred Hitchcock.

Aspects of the play’s context

1. A comedy based on a thriller

• Theplayisacomedythatmakesfunoftheconventionsofthethrillergenre,whichincludemystery,chase scenes, spies, murder, mistaken identities and aspects of romance.

• JohnBuchanpublishedthenovelThe Thirty-Nine Steps in 1915.• AlfredHitchcock,themasterofsuspense,adaptedJohnBuchan’snovelintoamoviein1935.• LikeHitchcock’smovie,PatrickBarlow’splayissetinthelead-uptoWorldWarII.• Inthelead-uptoWorldWarII,therewaspoliticaltensionbetweenEnglandandothercountries

(especially Germany) and fear that there were spies who threatened national security.

2. Character transformations used in the original production of the play

• Theplaywasoriginallyperformedbyfouractors,whoeachplayeddifferentcharactersintheplay.– One actor played the character of HANNAY, the romantic lead who is falsely accused of murder.– OneactorplayedthecharactersofANNABELLA,PAMELAandMARGARET–thesefemale

charactersareHANNAY’sloveinterestsintheplay.– Twoactors,referredtoasCLOWN1andCLOWN2,playedallothercharactersintheplay,

includinggunmenwearing‘sinistertrilbies’,policemenandaradioannouncer.• Thereareapproximately250characterswhowereplayedbythefouractors.

3. A theatrical representation of an action movie

• Hitchcock’smovie,onwhichtheplayisbased,includesmurders,shootings,trainchases,planecrashes, someone being chased by an aeroplane, and gangsters in fast cars.

• Thesettingsoftheplayincludeaflatininner-cityLondon,atheatre,atrainstation,atraincarriage, a bridge high above a river, and the Scottish moors.

4. Comedy in the performance

• Partofthecomedyoftheplayresultsfromtheaudiencebeingawarethattheactorsarechallengedbya task that seems impossible.

• Theactorsaretryingtomakeaplayinthestyleofanaction-filledmoviethatusesmanydifferentlocations and has a large cast of characters.

• Intheoriginalproductionoftheplay,theactorsusedtheiractingskillstotransformthelimitedsetpieces and properties to create the range of characters and settings.

• Manyofthesechangesoflocationandcharacterareveryfast-pacedanddifficult.Sometimestheplay’soriginalproductionaimedtoimpresstheaudiencewithquickandcleverchanges;sometimestheproductionaimedtoshowtheactorsbeingsillyormakingmistakesperformingthesequickchanges.

2020 THEATRE STUDIES INSERT 2

Research imagesResearch image 1 – A poster made in the style of Art Deco, an art style of the 1920s and 1930s

Research image 2 – An empty stage area with various objects and theatre technologies

3 2020 THEATRE STUDIES INSERT

TURN OVER

Research image 3 – A man from the 1930s wearing a stereotypical gangster’s hat and a trench coat

Research image 4 – A range of simple comedic disguises

2020 THEATRE STUDIES INSERT 4

END OF INSERT

SourcesResearch image 1: svekloid/Shutterstock.comResearch image 2: aerogondo2/Shutterstock.comResearch image 3: Stokkete/Shutterstock.comResearch image 4: lynea/Shutterstock.com

2020 Theatre Studies Written examination

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