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Devising Original Drama

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Why is devising a team art, and what behaviours, roles and ways of working make a group create better drama together than any member could alone?

Collaborate effectively as an ensemble when devising, including roles and responsibilities, productive group behaviours, resolving disagreement, and working as a team
A focused answer to the O-Level Drama outcome on collaboration and the ensemble. Why devising is a team art, useful roles and responsibilities, productive group behaviours, and how to resolve disagreement and make decisions together.
8 min answer →

How do you turn a focused idea into actual scenes and moments, and which devising techniques generate material you can then shape and keep?

Generate and shape dramatic material when devising, including improvisation and other techniques for making content, and how to develop, select and refine raw material
A focused answer to the O-Level Drama outcome on generating and shaping devised material. Improvisation, hot-seating, still images and other techniques for making content, and how to develop, select and refine raw material into usable scenes.
8 min answer →

How does a rough devised piece become a polished performance through rehearsal, and what does a group actually do to refine and sharpen its work?

Refine a devised piece through rehearsal, including the purposes of rehearsal, techniques for polishing performance, using feedback, and preparing for an audience
A focused answer to the O-Level Drama outcome on refining a devised piece through rehearsal. The purposes of rehearsal, techniques for polishing performance, using feedback and run-throughs, and preparing the piece for an audience.
8 min answer →

How do separate scenes and moments become one coherent piece with shape and momentum, and what structures can a devised piece use beyond a simple straight line?

Structure a devised piece, including linear and non-linear structures, ordering material for effect, and shaping a beginning, development and ending that serve the intention
A focused answer to the O-Level Drama outcome on structuring a devised piece. Linear and non-linear structures, devices such as montage and flashback, and how ordering material gives a piece shape, momentum and a satisfying ending.
8 min answer →

What is a devising log for, what should it actually contain, and how do you write reflectively about a process rather than just describing what happened?

Keep a devising log and write reflective documentation, including what to record, how to reflect rather than describe, and how to explain and evaluate creative decisions
A focused answer to the O-Level Drama outcome on the devising log and reflective documentation. What to record across the process, how to reflect rather than describe, and how to explain, justify and evaluate creative decisions.
8 min answer →

What is a stimulus, how do you unlock ideas from one, and how do you turn an open starting point into a focused dramatic intention?

Work from a stimulus to begin devising, including types of stimulus, techniques for generating responses, and how to move from open ideas to a clear dramatic intention
A focused answer to the O-Level Drama outcome on working from a stimulus. Types of stimulus, techniques for unlocking responses such as questioning and free association, and how to move from open ideas to a clear dramatic intention.
8 min answer →