G.C.S.E Performance Guide
This guide has been split into three
sections to help with your
understanding
• This guide has been split into three sections
Practitioners
• Structures
• Styles of Theatre
• There are examples of each to help you
understand in more detail the terminology
included
G.C.S.E Preparation - Practitioners
• Throughout the course it would be an idea to
learn specific styles of theatre and
practitioners
• As a performer there are three main
practitioners featured in this presentation,
these are designed to help with style and
technique especially for your final
examination piece
Practitioners
Bertolt Brecht
Constantin Stanislavski
Augusto Boal
Brecht
• Brecht was a pioneer of political theatre and believed drama
should educate
• He founded the ‘Berliner Ensemble’ and created
‘Verfremdungseffekt’ (alienation technique)
• Brecht broke down the illusion of the ‘Fourth Wall’ by
distancing audiences from the action thus preventing their
emotional involvement with the characters
• He created ‘Epic Theatre’ with songs, explanatory placards,
unnatural lighting, projection screens, spoken stage directions
and the actors directly addressing the audience
• Example-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-828KqtTkA
Stanislavski
• Stanislavski was a pioneering actor and director who
brought ‘Naturalism’ to the stage
• He believed actors should research scripts and relate their
character’s motivations by delving into their own emotions.
• Co-founder of the Moscow Art Theatre, Stanislavski created
the first acting training programme called ‘The System’.
• As naturalistic acting grew in popularity ‘The System’ was
adapted in the U.S into ‘The Method’ – hence ‘Method
Acting’
• Example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9ofwr4y7H4
Boal
• Boal was a pioneering theatrical director, writer and politician who
founded the ‘Theatre of the Oppressed’
• He created various games and warm-up exercises for actors which
influenced the development of ‘Community Theatre’ and ‘Theatre
in Education’ (T.I.E)
• Boal created ‘Forum Theatre’ in which members of the audience
were allowed to stop the performance and suggest alternative
actions
• He developed ‘Invisible Theatre’ that took place outside the
theatre. Actors would perform in public places such as shopping
centres without the knowledge of the audience
• Example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uRNtWGh3Qo
G.C.S.E Preparation -Structures
• There are many structures to theatre and
performance, here are examples of four that
you may wish to incorporate throughout the
course – again especially with your final
devised unit of performance
Structure
•
•
•
•
Naturalistic
Classical
Surreal
Episodic
Naturalistic Structure
• This structure is usually associated with
Stanislavski
• It gives the illusion of real life presented on stage.
There is unity of time and place (a recognisable
situation and time-span). The action evolves
through the situations and personalities of the
characters. EastEnders is a good example of a
naturalistic structure
• Example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HydqLpwt
PTY
Classical Structure
• This structure is usually associated with the plays of
Shakespeare
• This follows the shape of three acts. Act one usually
introduces the main protagonist and an incident that
needs to be solved. The second act will deal with the
character and plot development. The final act resolves
the action. If the play ends badly it is a tragedy. If it
ends well it is classed as a comedy. Death of a
Salesman by Arthur Miller follows a classical structure
• Example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYFyfpELfg
Surreal structure
This structure is associated with Artaud, Stephen
Berkoff and Absurdist theatre.
• The play is not set in a recognisable place or
time. The task is to take the audience on a
journey into the subconscious or dream-world
• Example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNpnMl
c0hR0
Episodic Structure
This structure is associated with the plays of Brecht.
Lots of relatively short scenes are linked together by
the same character, place or theme. Scenes could
be shuffled around and placed in a different order
because there is no overall beginning, middle and
end. Dr Kovak's Example and Stone Cold are
examples of plays that use an episodic structure.
Example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlia11PnQG4
Styles
• As with structures, there are also many styles
to theatre and performance, included are
some of the most popular
Styles
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•
•
•
•
Commedia Dell ‘arte
Farce
Kitchen sink drama
Melodrama
Naturalism
Commedia Dell ‘arte
• Originated in Italy. Refers to improvised comedy.
Usually about love or tricks to get money. Most
plays contained roughly the same characters. For
example, a plotting maid, an old father, a wily
servant. Masks, stock gestures and catchphrases
were prevalent in this genre. The comedy was
farcical, and often physical with acrobatics
• Example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSUdq9g1qY
Farce
• A style of comedy. Involves improbable and ridiculous
situations, disguise, mistaken identity, verbal humour
and a fast paced plot which gradually increases; usually
culminating in a fast chase scene at the end. People
are, in essence, all idiots. Makes a good companion of
satire. Examples include The Comedy of Errors by
Shakespeare and Fawlty Towers, staring John Cleese
• Example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcEws7il4EY
Kitchen Sink
• Created in England. Set in rougher, poorer
parts of England, usually the North. Includes
common Northern accents. “Depicts the real
and often trashy side of life.” Usually have a
political or societal message. Examples are
Coronation Street.
• Example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKgiZlM
iK6Y
Melodrama
Apparently so bad that most of the world were trying to make new
versions of Theatre (See Naturalism and Epic Theatre).Involves the
heavy use of music to denote usually one dimensional character types.
For example, a hero would enter to the sound of trumpets, while the
villain would enter to the sound of ominous chords. The emotions and
plot / action are emphasized, rather than the characters, like in a
drama. Contains “a limited number of stock characters: the hero, the
villain, the heroine, an old man, an old woman, a comic man and a
comic woman engaged in a sensational plot featuring themes of love
and murder. Often the good but not very clever hero is duped by a
scheming villain, who has eyes on the damsel in distress until fate
intervenes at the end to ensure the triumph of good
Example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptDUGNkPvHY
Naturalism
Popularised by Constantin Stanislavski .Involves the
goal of creating an illusion of real life on stage.
Involves deep, three dimensional and realistic
characters. Detailed, non exotic settings. As realistic
as possible, so no magic, spoken in prose etc. Plots
that are realistic. Involves physical dangers as part
of the play’s main conflict.
Example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc1S0jRs4Ig
Experiment……
• Try now to experiment and mix and match
practitioners works, with structure and style!
• Enjoy………………..