Summary AQA Drama A-level - Coursework - Devised Drama (year 12)
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Course
Devised Drama
Institution
AQA
An example of an A* essay for a year 12 devised drama piece. My essay focuses on set design, so would be particularly useful to anyone doing a design specialism - as there aren’t many resources for this.
This is my own work and copy of this will be plagiarism so do not copy, this is purely for...
I am working as the set designer in our devised performance, which is based on the idea of
being falsely accused. We watched a Panorama documentary1 on the Post Office Scandal,
where between 2000 and 2014 the Post Office wrongfully prosecuted 736 subpostmasters
due to the Horizon computer system2 making it appear they had committed fraud. After a 20
year long legal battle, campaigners successfully had their convictions removed and will be
compensated £100,0003. This became our stimulus as we found it an emotionally sad story
both performers and designers could explore through contrasting characters and locations.
We decided verbatim would be the most suitable style for our production, due to its serious
subject matter, and as it would create sympathy through providing "a voice for the
voiceless4" of the underrepresented sub-postmasters. After using The Paper Birds 'Theatre
Creativity Card's5 in the rehearsal room, we chose The Paper Birds as our practitioner. They
have been the UK's leaders in verbatim since formed in 2003,6 are an all-women cast like
ours, and have a socio-political agenda, taking on complex subjects and making them more
accessible - which we aim to emulate. The key ingredients of their work are: verbatim,
movement, character and narrative, ‘exposing the method’, and motifs7. One of their
dramatic intentions is to 'tell the truth' through "breathtaking theatrical fashion8" - seen
through their inventive, colourful designs. I will similarly need to create a balance between
authenticity and theatricality.
These dramatic intentions are clear in their production of 'Thirsty'9. The use of three toilet
cubicles created different locations: a girl's bathroom, nightclub, and locker room. It
supported the ingredient of character and narrative as it helped differentiate between
multirole characters and changing settings. This inspired me to use a composite set10 in my
design as it requires multiple, fast-changing locations - like the post office; court; and prison.
I liked the interactivity of the set, which supports the ingredient of the actors' movements and
physical theatre style. For example, the toilets were trucked. This allowed for inventive
movements, such as travelling on them, which supports my group's aim of using elements of
physical theatre. The performers used marker pens to write stories audience members told
them during the performance onto the flattage - we could perhaps highlight the
1
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000gpbv Reporter Nick Wallis reveals how the Post Office covered up
evidence.
2
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56718036 Horizon was a computer system (used for tasks like
transactions, accounting and stocktaking) installed into the Post Office network from 1999 and was developed by
the Japanese company Fujitsu. Bugs in the system reported shortfalls in money.
3
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/victims-of-post-office-horizon-scandal-to-benefit-from-new-compensation-scheme
4
https://www.thepaperbirds.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/In-a-Thousand-Pieces_Student-Resource-Pack_we
bsite-edition.pdf They aim to give a "voice" to the "voicless" of not only underrepresented and misunderstood
communities but explore voices from all walks of life. They first used this methodology in their production of 'In a
Thousand Pieces'.
5
https://www.thepaperbirds.com/theatre-creativity-cards/ A teaching resource to aid devising and improvising. By
responding to the statement on the cards (grouped into themes of emotional, thoughtful, physical or playful), it
gets you to think and move in new ways.
6
https://www.thepaperbirds.com/history/ Upon graduation from Bretton Hall, The Paper Birds was formed in
Leeds by friends: Jenny Robinson, Michelle Folliot, Helen Lindley, Kylie Walsh, Elle Moreton, and Jemma
McDonnell.
7
https://www.thepaperbirds.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/The-Paper-Birds-_-5-Key-Ingredients.pdf Although
it varies from show to show, at The Paper Birds they have 5 key ingredients that are prominent within their
productions.
8
https://www.thepaperbirds.com/whoweare/
9
https://www.thepaperbirds.com/thirsty/ Examines the UK's binge drinking culture, using stories collected from a
'drunken hotline' and a questionnaire answered by young and old. Set designed by Fiammetta Horvat, and first
performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2011.
10
A set design that reflects more than one location.
, subpostmasters' stories on our set too. This employs the ingredient of exposing the method11
as it breaks the fourth wall. It reflects how The Paper Bird's often adopt a Brechtian style of
performance through the 'distancing' effect12 which alienates audiences from characters so
they understand their wrongdoings. I could also use this technique, perhaps through
projection, to highlight antagonistic characters like Fujitsu bosses or Paula Vennells (CEO of
the Post Office till 2019).13
These ingredients can also be seen in their production of 'Broke'14. A bed centre stage was
the only furniture used, yet the location was easily recognisable as a bedroom. Our set also
could be minimal, instead focusing on iconic imagery to create recognisable locations, such
as metal bars for prison. Therefore, set dressings (like LED lights, a dreamcatcher, and
children's toys in 'Broke') are important to enhance the ingredient of character, by providing
an insight into characters' personalities or ages. I found the multipurpose bed duvet, not only
as a duvet but as a cyclorama where statistics are projected on as actors talk, effective in
supporting the verbatim style. I too could use multipurpose items, for instance a perspex
screen as a post office window, prison phone booth, and jury box in court. Similarly, I plan to
use the ingredient of motifs by projecting recurring facts, quotes, statistics and interviews.
This supports the ingredient of narrative and creates sympathy.
Verbatim theatre is a form of documentary theatre based on the spoken words of real
people, taken from interviews or recordings15 - supporting our practitioners' style. It
originated in 1950's Germany in the form of court trials16, and has been influential on the 21st
century revival of political theatre17. I researched key verbatim theatre companies (like
11
Exposing the method means they try to incorporate ways of heightening the action on stage with some insight
into the background of how they made the show, or the choices and editing they've conducted throughout the
process. This reminds the audience that they are in the theatre and the issues they see on stage are real issues
currently happening in our society.
12
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zwmvd2p/revision/3 Also known as 'verfremdungseffekt', means
audiences do not become emotionally invested in their characters.
13
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10774905/Post-Office-executive-Paula-Vennells-oversaw-Horizon-scan
dal-stripped-CBE.html Vennels was promoted to CEO of Post Office Limited from 2012 to 2019, and awarded a
CBE in 2019 for services to the Post Office, even though it is said she knew that money could appear to be
missing from the accounts.
14
https://www.thepaperbirds.com/broke/ Explores stories from the frontline of poverty and debt in the UK. Set
designed by Fiammetta Horvat, and first performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2014.
15
https://www.york.ac.uk/tfti/research/current-projects/documentary/
16
https://forum-theatre.com/where-did-verbatim-theatre-originate/
17
https://www.theburningofrome.com/contributing/what-is-the-history-of-verbatim-theatre/
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