St Columban’s Arts Department
‘Creating Excellence’
TASK
1
YEAR 11 DRAMA
TASK 2 – EXTENDED RESPONSE (WRITTEN)
What Simon Said is about the inner battles and conversations we all engage in and
how a lot of what we imagine happening, doesn't actually happen in the real world.
Brad Jennings (Director) & Steven Maxwell (Producer)
This term your creative journey in Drama has exposed you to the core subject matter that is
fundamental when creating and analysing dramatic action and meaning. You have also been
introduced to the dramatic styles of Realism and Cinematic Theatre, exploring the potential
each style has in shaping engaging performances.
After viewing the production What Simon Said by Markwell Presents, editors from the online
theatre publication Australian Stage have approached you to write an analytical essay about
the performance. Your task is to examine if Cinematic Theatre supports or distorts the
realistic world of the performance; is What Simon Said a strong example of the dramatic
style of Realism?
In your response you will need to identify the conventions of Realism and Cinematic Theatre
used in the production and analyse if these conventions assist the creation of realistic roles,
relationships, situations, tensions, spaces and places or if they create something else
entirely.
Within your analytical essay you must analyse and evaluate the production holistically,
building a clear thesis that states your position in response to the question and examining
some or a combination of the following dramatic languages:
Elements of drama:
Skills of performance:
Conventions of form
and style:
Role, relationship, situation, tension, space, place, time, movement,
language, contrast, mood, focus and symbol.
Acting, direction, design, voice and movement.
Realism – fourth wall, realistic acting (movement and voice), realistic
use of space (design - lighting, set, props and costume).
Cinematic theatre - cinematic backdrop, actual backdrop, cinematic
transitions, visual perspective, interactive elements and the mind’s
eye.
CONDITIONS
 At least two weeks preparation time in and outside of class time
 Teacher consultation and feedback on two drafts during preparation time.
 Draft submitted with final response
LENGTH
800 - 1000 words
UNIT 1 – SWITCHED ON
ASSESSMENT ITEM NUMBER 1: RESPONDING
Extended response (written)
RESPONDING
STANDARD A
STANDARD B
STANDARD C
STANDARD D
STANDARD E
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:

discriminating analysis of
use of the dramatic
languages to facilitate
dramatic action and
meaning

informed analysis of use
of the dramatic
languages to facilitate
dramatic action and
meaning

analysis of use of the
dramatic languages to
facilitate dramatic action
and meaning

partial analysis of use of
the dramatic languages
in dramatic action and
meaning

explanation of aspects of
the dramatic languages
used in dramatic action

perceptive and thorough
evaluation with
discriminating supporting
evidence of effectiveness
of the dramatic action in
communicating meaning
to audiences

informed evaluation with
convincing supporting
evidence of effectiveness
of the dramatic action in
communicating meaning
to audiences

evaluation with
supporting evidence of
effectiveness of the
dramatic action in
communicating meaning
to audiences

partial evaluation with
evidence of how dramatic
action communicates
aspects of meaning to
audiences

explanation of aspects of
the dramatic action

discerning synthesis of
positions about dramatic
action and meaning
through use of relevant
language conventions
and drama terminology.

effective synthesis of
positions about dramatic
action and meaning
through use of relevant
language conventions
and drama terminology.

synthesis of positions
about dramatic action
and meaning through use
of language conventions
and drama terminology.

communication of
positions about aspects
of dramatic action and
meaning through use of
basic language
conventions and drama
terminology.

communication of
opinions using basic
language conventions.
COMMENTS: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Signature: __________________________
RESPODNING ________
Date: ______________________________