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Devising Original Drama
Quick questions on Working from a stimulus explained: O-Level Drama devising
9short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are generating responses?Show answer
The first job is to generate ideas openly, without judging them too soon. Questioning is a reliable technique: ask who, what, where, when, why and what if of the stimulus to open possibilities. Free association or brainstorming captures every idea, feeling and image the stimulus suggests, written down before any are dismissed. Responding physically is powerful too: making still images in response to the stimulus, or improvising short moments it suggests, often unlocks ideas that talking does not.
What is moving from open ideas to focus?Show answer
A pool of scattered ideas is normal and good, but a piece needs focus. The group moves toward focus by grouping similar ideas, noticing what excites them most, and identifying a central theme or question the piece could explore. From this they decide a dramatic intention: what they want the audience to think or feel, and the focus or message of the work. Focusing means selecting and committing, choosing the strongest ideas that serve the intention and setting the others aside.
What is dramatic intention as a compass?Show answer
A clear dramatic intention is the compass for the whole devising process. Once a group can say what they want their piece to do to an audience, every later decision - which material to keep, how to structure it, how to perform and design it - can be judged against that intention. Without it, a piece drifts and stays a collection of disconnected moments. The move from an open response to a focused intention is therefore the crucial early step that turns a spark into a piece of drama with purpose and direction.
What is only talking, never moving?Show answer
Discussion alone misses ideas the body would find; respond physically with images and improvisation.
What is never focusing?Show answer
Keeping every idea leaves a drifting collection of moments; commit to a dramatic intention and discard the rest.
What is no clear intention?Show answer
Without deciding what the piece should do to an audience, later choices have nothing to be judged against.
What is q1?Show answer
Define a stimulus in devising and give three examples of types. [3 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Name two techniques a group can use to generate ideas from a stimulus. [3 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Why does a group need to move from open ideas to a clear dramatic intention? [4 marks]