Director's Notebook (high marked example)

https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/proof/apps/va-carousel/index.html?doc=Theatre_Example_5_e&sample-count=25

Example 5: Director’s notebook

NONGOGO by Athol Fugard

Assessment

Criterion	Markband achieved
A	Theatre in context: The play text, its context and the ideas presented	7–8
B	Theatre processes: Artistic responses and live theatre experiences	7–8
C	Presenting theatre: The director’s intentions and intended impact	7–8
D	Presenting theatre: The staging of two moments of the play	7–8

Examiner comments

1. The student has researched and explained the cultural context of the play as well as mentioning the theoretical context. Research into cultural context is closely related to the ideas of the play, fitting with the political subject matter of the play. The student explains the ideas presented by the playwright making particular reference to how these ideas are presented and evident in the play. The student integrates research into the context from which the play originated with the ideas of the play, demonstrating an understanding of context, the ideas of the playwright and the relationship between the two.
2. The student explains their artistic responses focusing primarily on character, explaining that they see the oppression of character as the main focus of the play. The student presents a combination of their personal responses, artistic ideas and explorations of the play. The student makes very good links to a range of live theatre productions, explaining how these productions will inform their own production. Their references to productions, however, are largely descriptive and they do not explain how directors created moments of tension, emotion, atmosphere and/or meaning. As a result the student would not get the full marks in this band.
3. The student clearly describes their directorial intentions for the staging of the entire play text. Their ideas are effective and feasible and the student shows how they are appropriate by relating them directly to the play’s political context and the ideas presented by the playwright as identified in Criterion A. This is supported by an appropriate range of imaginative production and performance ideas. The student clearly explains the impact they want the entire play to have on the audience and consistently explains how their performance (characterization, movement) and production elements (set, costume, props, lights, sound) would together create this intended impact on the audience. 

4. The student selects two distinct and focused moments from the play. The student is clear about their intention in the staging of these moments and explains how this will be achieved. The student identifies both moments as moments of meaning that convey key ideas, but also describes how tension, emotion and atmosphere will be created and the impact this will have on the audience. The student explains how they would use performance and production elements in the two selected moments of the play to effectively fulfill their intention of communicating the ideas of the play. They are consistently conscious of the audience experience.