UNIT FOUR

Presenting an Interpretation

How will you be assessed?

Task 1 A written report that describes and justifies dramaturgical decisions for a creative and imaginative interpretation of a monologue and its prescribed scene. The report may be in any one or a combination of the following formats: an essay or responses to structured questions. (20 marks)
Task 2 An oral presentation about the possibilities, intentions and vision for an interpretation of a monologue and its prescribed scene, including responding to question/s. (10 marks)

Area of Study 1

Researching and presenting theatrical possibilities Outcome 1: On completion of this unit the student should be able to describe and justify a creative and imaginative interpretation of a monologue and its prescribed scene.

Students document and report on dramaturgical decisions that could inform a creative and imaginative interpretation of a monologue and its prescribed scene. Students outline an interpretation of the scene, focusing on the ways in which the scene could be approached as a piece of theatre, including its place within the script, its specific structure, its characters, its themes, its images and ideas, its possibilities and its theatre styles. Students conduct dramaturgy as the basis for decisions that will inform their interpretation. This includes research into the contexts of the script and influences on the playwright/s. Students consider how elements of theatre composition and theatre technologies could be employed to realise their proposed concepts and aims. They identify issues relating to safe and ethical theatre practices that they will need to apply in their work to realise their proposed interpretation.

Key knowledge

Dramaturgy and how it informs the interpretation of a scriptElements of theatre compositionContexts of the period in which the script is set and was conceivedInfluences on the playwright/sThe place of the scene within the complete script for the playWays in which themes, images and ideas can be conveyed within a sceneStructure and plot of, and the character/s in, the scriptWays theatre styles and theatre technologies can be appliedTheatrical possibilities including ways in which the script may be interpreted as a piece of theatre for an audienceWays meaning can be communicated in the interpretation of a script through use of techniques and processes and safe and ethical working practices Approaches to justifying creative and imaginative interpretive decisionsTheatre language, terminology and expression

Key skills

Undertake dramaturgy into the contextual background of the selected script to inform an interpretation of a monologue and its specified sceneOutline theatrical possibilities and describe a possible interpretation of a monologue and its prescribed sceneJustify dramaturgical decisions that underpin the proposed interpretation, including how the interpretation will convey intended meanings of a monologue, its specified scene and the wider scriptDescribe work in selected production roles that will be required to realise the proposed interpretationOrally describe and justify proposed application of theatre styles and use of elements of theatre composition and theatre technologies to enhance the interpretation for performance to an audienceOutline safe and ethical working practices associated with theatre production that will be applied to realise the interpretationUse theatre terminology and expression appropriately.

Externally assessed, but you must complete tasks in class to receive an 'S"

Area of Study 2

Interpreting a monologue Outcome 2: On completion of this unit the student should be able to interpret and present a monologue and orally justify and explain their interpretive decisions.

In this area of study students focus on the interpretation of a monologue from a scene contained within a script selected from the VCE Theatre Studies Monologue Examination published annually on the VCAA website. Students select a monologue from the current examination and study the text of the monologue, the prescribed scene in which it is embedded and the complete script from which the scene is derived. Students apply selected production roles and develop an interpretation of the monologue that is informed by a study of the prescribed scene and the complete script and dramaturgy, including the contexts of the play. Students make decisions about how the contexts, theatrical possibilities, elements of theatre composition and theatre styles will inform their interpretation of the monologue. Students work in their selected production roles to realise and present their interpretation of the monologue. They consider the interrelationships between acting, direction and design. The interpretation should be prepared for a performance of the monologue by an actor in a single, clearly lit, relatively small space.

Key knowledge

The text of the monologue, the scene in which it is embedded and the complete script from which the scene is derivedThe contexts of the monologue, the scene and the script, including the original contextsPossibilities for interpretation of the scriptIntended meanings of the monologue, the scene and the scriptThe theatre styles implied in the monologue, the scene and the scriptInterconnections between the contexts and the intended interpretation of the monologue, the scene and the scriptInfluences on theatre presentations to an audienceWays of working in the selected production roles to interpret a monologue in performance, including utilising elements of theatre compositionWays in which interpretation of scripts is informed by dramaturgyWays to orally justify and explain interpretive decisionsTheatre terminology and expressions

Key skills

Conduct dramaturgy and apply discoveries to inform interpretation of the scriptInterpret the contexts of the monologueConvey intended meanings of the monologueApply theatre styles to the monologueInterpret the monologue by working in selected production roles, including applying elements of theatre composition creatively and imaginatively Present an interpretation of the monologueOrally justify and explain interpretive decisions made Use theatre terminology and expressions appropriately in writing and discussion.

How will you be assessed?

An analysis and evaluation of acting, direction and design and their interrelationship in a production from the prescribed playlist, in any one or a combination of the following formats:

an analytical essay
responses to structured questions

(20 marks)

Area of Study 3

Analysing and evaluating a performanceOutcome 3: On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse and evaluate acting, direction and design in a production.

Students focus on the analysis and evaluation of the acting, direction and design in a production selected from the prescribed VCE Theatre Studies Unit 4 Playlist. Students attend a production selected from the Unit 4 Playlist. They study the theatrical style/s evident in the performance and analyse and evaluate how actor/s, director/s and designer/s interpret the script for an audience. They consider the interrelationships between acting, direction and design in the performance. In doing so students consider character/s in the play, how the actor/s interpreted them on stage and the contribution of the director/s to this process. They study acting skills used by the actor/s to portray the character/s, including facial expression, voice, gesture, movement and stillness and silence. Students develop an understanding of other aspects of acting, direction and design, including artistic vision, focus, the use of elements of theatre composition, the use of verbal and non-verbal language to convey the intended meanings of the play and the establishment and maintenance of the actor–audience relationship. Students’ understanding of the techniques being used by the actor/s, director/s and designer/s is informed by techniques they used to interpret the monologue they selected for Area of Study 1. They refine their understanding of the terminology and expressions associated with analysing theatre productions.

Key knowledge

Character/s in the production including the function and purpose, objective/s, motivation/s, status and traitsInterpretation of a script in performance by actor/s, director/s and designer/sActing skills used by the actor/s to realise character/s, including facial expression, voice, gesture, movement, stillness and silenceActing and directorial decisions made in interpreting a script and application of direction in the production Design decisions made in interpreting a script and application of design in the productionApplication of elements of theatre composition in the productionFocus and verbal and/or non-verbal language to convey the intended meanings of the scriptEstablishment and maintenance of the actor–audience relationshipInterrelationships between acting, direction, design and theatre style/s utilised in the productionTheatre terminology and expressions to analyse and evaluate a theatre production

Key skills

Analyse the character/s in the production including function and purpose, objective/s, motivation/s, status and traitsAnalyse and evaluate interpretation of a script in performance by actor/s, director/s and designer/s, including the acting, direction, design and elements of theatre composition used and the interrelationships between acting, direction and designAnalyse the use of focus, the acting space and verbal and/or non-verbal language to convey the intended meanings of the scriptAnalyse and evaluate:

the acting, directorial and design decisions made in interpreting a script
the application of elements of theatre composition in interpreting a script
the use of acting and design in the performance
the establishment and maintenance of the actor–audience relationship

Analyse the ways that actor/s, director/s and designer/s work with the theatre style/s utilised in the productionUse theatre terminology and expression appropriately

Outcome 1: 9% of total year's mark (approx.)
Outcome 3: 6% of total year's mark (approx.)

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