GCSE Drama – Gordano School – Course Booklet

Component Three Theatre Makers in Practice

Written Exam 1hr 30 minutes

40% of Final Mark

2 Sections

Section A An Inspector Calls

45 Marks

Section B Live Theatre Review

15 Marks

Section A: Bringing Texts to Life

This section consists of one question broken into six parts (short and extended responses)

Based on an unseen extract from the chosen performance text.

Performance texts are not allowed in the examination as the extracts will be provided.

Section B: Live Theatre Evaluation .

This section consists of two questions requiring students to analyse and evaluate a live theatre performance they have seen.

Students are allowed to bring in theatre evaluation notes of up to a maximum of 500 words.

Overview

This component focuses on the work of theatre makers and the theatrical choices that are made by crucial members of the creative and production team in order to communicate ideas to an audience. As theatre makers, you will develop your knowledge and understanding of the ways in which drama can create meaning for an audience through performance.

You will explore practically how a complete performance text might be interpreted and realised from ‘page to stage’. This exploration will give you an insight into how texts may be brought to life for an audience and the creative roles within this process.

You will also analyse and evaluate your experience of a live theatre performance as informed members of the audience. You will develop skills to recognise the meaning created in the theatre space in order to communicate ideas to an audience. This will give you a more critical and varied approach to your own work as theatre makers.

Name:

Target Grade

2

What do I have to develop to succeed in each section?

Section A In developing your Knowledge and Understanding, you will need to:

• understand the practices used in twenty-first century theatre-making • understand production elements and theatrical conventions • understand the role of theatre makers in contemporary practice including

performers, • directors and designers • understand how the meaning of a text might be interpreted and

communicated to an audience • understand social, historical and/or cultural contexts including the theatre

conventions of the period which the text was created and performed • use appropriate vocabulary and subject-specific terminology.

In developing your Skills, you will need to show your ability to:

• analyse and evaluate the work of theatre-makers • recognise specific challenges for performers, directors and designers based

on your own experiences in exploring the chosen text • analyse and evaluate the ways in which different performance and

production elements are brought together to create theatre • use subject-specific terminology in discussing your work as theatre makers.

You must also be aware of, and be able to use appropriate subject-specific terminology.

Section B In developing your Knowledge and Understanding, you will need to:

• recognise and understand how theatrical choices are used by theatre makers to create impact

• understand how the meaning of a text can be interpreted and communicated to an audience

• use appropriate vocabulary and subject-specific terminology. In developing your Skills, you must show your ability to:

• analyse and evaluate the work of theatre makers • form critical judgements about live theatre based on their understanding of

drama and theatre • analyse and evaluate the ways in which different performance and

production elements are brought together to create theatre

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Section A Work Schedule - An Inspector Calls -

Week One - Background - Exploring Family Dynamics - Rebellion - Compliance - Control - Still images and linking movements - Exploring family dynamics – meal table characters exhibit one of those

traits - Exploring Society and Culture - Social Situation - Class - Politics - Culture - Gender roles - Lift speech - What social issues could be highlighted today?

Week Two

- Opening Section read through - Characters – what impressions from stage directions - Choosing one line and presenting that - Entrance into Dining Room - Reactions to Inspector entering - Direction

Week Three

- Inspector and Birling - Confrontation and conflict

Week Four

- Inspector and Sheila Week Five

- Inspector and Gerald Week Six

- Inspector and Eric Week Seven

- Inspector and Mrs Birling Week Eight

- The aftermath

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Section A Component Checklist - An Inspector Calls -

Task Done TeacherFeedback StudentComment

PlayEssentials

Read‘AnInspectorCalls’

FocusonPlot

FocusonCharacter

FocusonThemes

FocusontheFamily

FocusonSociety

Rehearsal/PerformanceTechniques

FocusonInspector

FocusonBirling

FocusonMrsBirling

FocusonGerald

FocusonEric

FocusonSheila

FocusonKeyScenes

Exam

Practice

Structure

Notes

PracticeQuestions

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An Inspector Calls SUMMARY

An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley, is a play that revolves around the apparent suicide of a young woman called Eva Smith. In the play, the unsuspecting Birling family are visited by the mysterious Inspector Goole. He arrives just as they are celebrating the engagement of Sheila Birling to Gerald Croft. The Inspector reveals that a girl called Eva Smith, has taken her own life by drinking disinfectant. The family are horrified but initially confused as to why the Inspector has called to see them. What follows is a tense and uncomfortable investigation by an all-knowing Inspector through which the family discover that they are all in fact caught up in this poor girl's death.

An Inspector Calls was first performed in 1945 at a time of great change - both World Wars were fresh in the minds of the people, women had become more prominent in the workplace and it was possible to be class mobile. It is set in 1912 - this means that the characters have no knowledge of these world events. Priestley uses this to make important points about society and responsibility

SOCIAL & HISTORICAL CONTEXT

An Inspector Calls fits into three possible genres: - well-made play - morality play - crime thriller

HOW THE PLAY CAN BE INTERPRETED

Well-made play A well-made play is a popular dramatic genre from the 19th-century. In a well-made play the plot is intricate and complex and the action builds to a climax. This is often concerned with events that happened before the events of the play. A well-made play usually ends with a return to order but Priestley moves away from this genre with the revelation at the end. An Inspector Calls is a well-made play because the events are all influenced by what happened to Eva Smith before the play takes place What is the effect of this? This structure allows J B Priestley to manipulate the audience. They do not know what happened to Eva Smith and so each revelation about her treatment by the Birlings and Gerald Croft adds to the drama. Each revelation is more shocking than the last and so Priestley cleverly builds to the climax. In An Inspector Calls there is a twist at the end of the plot - the characters are unsure if the Inspector existed at all. This gives the audience time to reflect on the events of the play. When it is revealed that another inspector is on their way and the curtain falls, the audience would be stunned.

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Morality play Morality plays were popular during the 15th and 16th-centuries. Historically they sought to teach the audience lessons that focused on the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. Whilst characters who committed these sins were punished, morality plays showed that if a character repented then they could redeem themselves. An Inspector Calls is a morality play because all of the Birlings and Gerald Croft commit crimes which are similar to the seven deadly sins. Mr Birling is greedy because he wants more money, Sheila is guilty of wrath and envy when she spitefully complains about Eva Smith and so on. Not all of the characters manage to redeem themselves. What is the effect of this? Priestley uses the morality play structure to teach a 20th-century audience a series of lessons that relate to his beliefs about social responsibility, age, gender and class. The audience is invited to enjoy judging these characters - they are also forced to question their own behaviour. Priestley would have hoped that people watching the play would have left the theatre as better people.

Crime thriller A crime thriller is a genre that tells a gripping tale based around a crime. The audience receives clues on who has committed the crime and will enjoy trying to guess what happened before the end of the action. An Inspector Calls is a crime thriller because the action centres around the suicide of Eva Smith. Initially, as this is a suicide and not a murder investigation, it would seem that there is no clear suspect. It soon turns out that all the characters are potential suspects for different reasons. What is the effect of this? The crime thriller genre encourages the audience to become involved in the events of the play. In this case they would be considering who is 'more' to blame for the death of Eva Smith. Ultimately, Priestley makes the audience suspects, their behaviour is questioned and they are left wondering if they had committed any 'crimes' like the Birlings had.

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An Inspector Calls APPROACHING THE TEXT

In reading An Inspector Calls, we will be dividing it up into the key sections that help explore and develop our understanding of the PLOT, Theme and CHARACTER.

SECTION ONE – THE BIRLING FAMILY The first of the three acts opens with the Birling family and Gerald Croft celebrating the engagement of Sheila Birling and Gerald. As it is a happy occasion, Mr Birling takes the opportunity to make a speech. During the speech he reveals how happy he is that Sheila is marrying Gerald because Gerald’s parents are wealthy business owners. It is clear that Mr Birling feels this marriage will be to his advantage, he boasts that he is to be considered for a knighthood. It is important to realise that the audience of 1945 would pick up on the fact that a lot of what Mr Birling says is incorrect. He states how war will never happen and that the Titanic is unsinkable. This would indicate to the audience that what Mr Birling says is not to be trusted. It might also alert them to a few other clues that Priestley gives in this opening scene that things are not as positive as they might appear in the Birling house. Eric Birling is distracted and a little drunk, while Sheila teases Gerald about him neglecting her last summer. During the speech, Mr Birling suggests that 'a man has to make his own way'. At this precise moment, Inspector Goole arrives

INITIAL THOUGHTS

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PERFORMANCE NOTES

Key Questions to inform your interpretation of the play.

- How is the stage space set up?

- Who are the characters?

- How are they presented to us?

- What are the key lines that each character says?

- What do they say about the characters?

- What are the relationships between the characters?

- How do the stage directions show how you portray the

characters?

- How did you work on the key lines/exchanges?

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SECTION TWO – THE INSPECTOR, EVA SMITH & BIRLING

The Inspector tells the family that a girl died in the infirmary two hours ago. She took her own life by drinking disinfectant. The family are shocked by this news but don't see how they could be involved. The Inspector has a picture of the girl and a letter and diary she had written. He only ever shows one person the picture at a time - this is an important detail for later. He reveals the girl's name - Eva Smith, and that she used to work in Mr Birling's factory. Mr Birling had Eva sacked as she was the ringleader of a group of workers who had asked for higher pay. Mr Birling still can’t see how he has anything to do with Eva’s death. The Inspector points out that her being sacked could be the beginning of a chain of events that led to her suicide but Mr Birling is still not convinced.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

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PERFORMANCE NOTES

Key Questions to inform your interpretation of the play.

- How is the stage space set up?

- Who are the characters?

- How are they presented to us?

- What are the key lines that each character says?

- What do they say about the characters?

- What are the relationships between the characters?

- How do the stage directions show how you portray the

characters?

- How did you work on the key lines/exchanges?

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SECTION THREE – EVA SMITH & SHEILA The Inspector explains that Eva Smith had no family to turn to and was out of work for two months after being sacked by Mr Birling. He then turns his attention to Sheila who has been deeply affected by the news of the girl’s suicide. He asks if she remembers making a complaint about a worker at the department store, Milwards. She does and then he shows her the photograph to confirm the girl’s identity. Sheila is horrified when she finds out that her complaint led to Eva being sacked for a second time. Sheila gives a full and honest account of what happened in the store, admitting that she thought Eva had smiled when she tried on a dress that didn’t suit her. Sheila is very ashamed of her behaviour.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

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PERFORMANCE NOTES

Key Questions to inform your interpretation of the play.

- How is the stage space set up?

- Who are the characters?

- How are they presented to us?

- What are the key lines that each character says?

- What do they say about the characters?

- What are the relationships between the characters?

- How do the stage directions show how you portray the

characters?

- How did you work on the key lines/exchanges?

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SECTION FOUR – EVA SMITH & GERALD The Inspector says that after being sacked from Milwards, Eva Smith changed her name to Daisy Renton. On hearing this, Gerald is shaken and privately Sheila presses him for more information. He admits that he was having an affair with Daisy over the summer and that was why he didn’t see Sheila. The first act ends. Act II begins with Gerald and Sheila discussing the affair. Gerald is initially hesitant to come clean but eventually tells the truth. Although Sheila respects him for his honesty, she returns his engagement ring. Gerald had picked up Daisy in a bar and had looked after her, giving her money and accommodation. While Gerald was fond of Daisy, she had much stronger feelings for him and was devastated when Gerald ended the relationship.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

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PERFORMANCE NOTES

Key Questions to inform your interpretation of the play.

- How is the stage space set up?

- Who are the characters?

- How are they presented to us?

- What are the key lines that each character says?

- What do they say about the characters?

- What are the relationships between the characters?

- How do the stage directions show how you portray the

characters?

- How did you work on the key lines/exchanges?

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SECTION FIVE – EVA SMITH & MRS BIRLING The Inspector tells us that after the affair with Gerald, Daisy went to live by the sea for two months - this was when she kept the diary he had found. Attention then turns to Mrs Birling who is revealed to be a prominent member of the Brumley Women's Charity Organisation. She has kept quiet about the fact that just two weeks earlier Daisy had approached the charity seeking help. Daisy had called herself Mrs Birling when she introduced herself to the charity, Mrs Birling did not like this and sent her away. The Inspector continues to question Mrs Birling and it turns out that Daisy was pregnant. Mrs Birling claims that the man who got her pregnant should be made an example of. Sheila knows what has happened by this point and begs her mother to stop talking, Eric enters the scene and Act II ends

INITIAL THOUGHTS

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PERFORMANCE NOTES

Key Questions to inform your interpretation of the play.

- How is the stage space set up?

- Who are the characters?

- How are they presented to us?

- What are the key lines that each character says?

- What do they say about the characters?

- What are the relationships between the characters?

- How do the stage directions show how you portray the

characters?

- How did you work on the key lines/exchanges?

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SECTION SIX – EVA SMITH & ERIC Mrs Birling looks very stupid after Eric admits that it was he who got Daisy pregnant. Like Sheila, he is very ashamed of his actions and is honest about his involvement with Daisy. He tells the Inspector that he drinks heavily and how, during a night out, he met Daisy. He admits that the first time they met he walked her home and pressured her into letting him into her lodgings. He slept with her that evening and on a further evening. When he next met Daisy, he found out that she was pregnant. They both knew that they weren't in love and marriage wasn't an option but Eric wanted to help by giving her money. She refused to accept the money when she found out Eric had stolen it from his father's business

INITIAL THOUGHTS

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PERFORMANCE NOTES

Key Questions to inform your interpretation of the play.

- How is the stage space set up?

- Who are the characters?

- How are they presented to us?

- What are the key lines that each character says?

- What do they say about the characters?

- What are the relationships between the characters?

- How do the stage directions show how you portray the

characters?

- How did you work on the key lines/exchanges?

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SECTION SEVEN – THE AFTERMATH The Inspector leaves The family are distraught by this point and are arguing amongst themselves. The Inspector interrupts and makes a speech about how if we are not responsible for each other, there will be terrible consequences. The Inspector leaves and Gerald returns after a walk outside. He met a police officer and found out that there was no Inspector Goole on the force. They also begin to wonder if the girl mentioned to each of them could have been 'four or five different girls', suggesting that the whole evening could have been a trick. Gerald rings the local infirmary and discovers that no girl who had died by drinking disinfectant had been admitted. Mr and Mrs Birling and Gerald are excited by the idea that they may not be to blame. Eric and Sheila are aware that it makes no difference whether or not the Inspector was real, they still behaved badly. The phone rings Just as Mr Birling is mocking the Inspector and is celebrating that he is off the hook, the phone rings. Mr Birling answers and to his horror it is the police. They inform him that a girl has just died after drinking disinfectant and a police officer is on their way to ask the family some questions. The curtain falls and the play ends.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

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PERFORMANCE NOTES

Key Questions to inform your interpretation of the play.

- How is the stage space set up?

- Who are the characters?

- How are they presented to us?

- What are the key lines that each character says?

- What do they say about the characters?

- What are the relationships between the characters?

- How do the stage directions show how you portray the

characters?

- How did you work on the key lines/exchanges?