AS 91515 (B) annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 289 KB]

TKI Drama assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to select and effectively use complex performance skills associated with a drama form or period.

This involves supporting and enhancing the performance, and drawing out layers of meaning.  The performance is convincing, truthful to the drama or theatre form or period, and has impact.

The student performed ancient Greek theatre in two different masks, one for chorus work and one for the character of Medea. Medea’s mask has glittery red blood running from the eyes.

The statement of intention includes identification of the features of the selected Greek theatre form and a selection of performance skills to exemplify these features (1).

This student creates impact in the chorus work using large selective gestures and projects a declamatory voice. They convincingly sustain movement in unison and perform with complete and precise actions. This work draws out layers of meaning and communicates the Chorus’ commentary in a manner that is truthful to the form (V1).

As Medea, use of presentational mode with heightened voice and gesture supports and enhances the performance, and intentions for the role are convincingly realised (2) (V2).

Mask work and protocol are sustained effectively. Body is positioned so the mask is always facing out. This demonstrates an awareness of an audience that historically would be seated in a large Greek amphitheatre (3) (evident throughout the scene).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could use pace and tone more convincingly to draw out layers of meaning of Medea’s tragic role.

For Merit, the student needs to select and skilfully use complex performance skills associated with a drama form or period.

This involves sustaining the complex performance skills of the drama or theatre form or period with dexterity, competence, control and a sense of purpose.

The student plays multiple roles in Act I scene 3 of The Mother by Bertolt Brecht. She plays the Porter, Second Worker, Policeman and Ivan, an educated worker. She is the Porter at the start, set behind the security truck, red hair tied back.

This student has provided evidence of selection of complex performance skills and conventions, in the context of epic theatre. Awareness of the function of the play and specifically the scene underpins the student's selection (1).

The action after the initial freeze as Porter is competently stylised and studied in the manner of presentational theatre (V1).

The student uses the bell to transition scenes and changes role to become a ‘worker’. This is the first change of several multiple roles, adopted with control in full view of the audience (V2).

Performance skills during ensemble work are sustained and purposeful throughout the enacted scene and enhance the impact. They display dexterity and the impact of sound is shown in the song (V3).

Direct address is skilfully planned and competently executed (V4).

To reach Excellence, the student could use a greater variation of gesture and physicality to enhance the demonstrative function of the roles, and the transformation into the Policeman needs definition.

For Merit, the student needs to select and skilfully use complex performance skills associated with a drama form or period.

This involves sustaining the complex performance skills of the drama or theatre form or period with dexterity, competence, control and a sense of purpose.

He is the only male in the group standing behind the table at the beginning of the scene. He plays multiple roles as the Butcher and a strike breaker in Bertolt Brecht's play The Mother.

This student has provided evidence of selection of complex performance skills (1) that exemplify epic theatre, and demonstrates a purposeful use of them.

Roles are changed smoothly from the Butcher to the Strike-breaker. A basic level of competence is indicated (V1).

More physical impact is shown with control and a clear sense of purpose in his angry lunge (V2).

Use of the Russian accent and use of gesture is sustained and controlled. This is built competently to the altercation with the strike breakers (V3).

For a more secure Merit, the student could sustain the dextrous use of the performance skills throughout the first part of the scene.

For Achieved, the student needs to select and use complex performance skills associated with a drama form or period.

This involves making choices and using the complex performance skills of the drama or theatre form or period to communicate a credible interpretation of the text or scenario.

This female student stands stage left at the table at the start, blonde hair pinned back beneath a brown trilby hat wearing a bag over her shoulder. She plays multiple roles as Smilgin and Vlasova in Brecht’s play The Mother.

This student has selected some performance skills appropriate for the text and compatible with epic theatre performance (1).

The initial freeze is the first of several instances where the freeze is credible (V1).

Direct address is used at a basic level of skill when her role is giving out the pickled onion bags (V2).

‘We broke the convention of the fourth wall in our performance, in order to alienate the audience’. The student uses this performance skill as an individual on her ' pickled onion' lines. She drops her accent, enhancing the presentational effect and communicates a credible interpretation of this scene (V3).

To reach Merit, the student could show purposefulness and crispness of physical techniques. For example, the intensity and the posture of the freeze needs to be sustained with control, and the position of the student needs to enhance the image. Purposeful performance skills such as eye contact needs to be used for direct address.

For Achieved, the student needs to select and use complex performance skills associated with a drama form or period.

This involves making choices and using the complex performance skills of the drama or theatre form or period to communicate a credible interpretation of the text or scenario.

The student sits stage right at the table and is wearing a brown hat. She plays a strike-breaker and Vlasova from The Mother by Bertolt Brecht.

This student has selected some performance skills appropriate for the text and compatible with epic theatre performance (1).

The student positions herself to face the audience to present the skill of ‘direct address’ credibly but at a rudimentary level (V1).

The student changes role in mid scene as characters cross the audience line of sight (V2).

The student freezes as an indication that her role is not carrying the action of the scene (V3).

The student joins with others to form an appropriately Brechtian chorus (V4).

For a more secure Achieved, the student could have used shifts in accent and greater use of gesture to better define her roles as the observer commenting on the action, and then transitioning into the character in the situation.

For Achieved, the student needs to select and use complex performance skills associated with a drama form or period.

This involves making choices and using the complex performance skills of the drama or theatre form or period to communicate a credible interpretation of the text or scenario

There is no video evidence available at this grade.

The student plays a strike-breaker and Vlasova from The Mother by Bertolt Brecht.

The evidence for selection is sufficient to attain credit at the low Achieved level (1).

The role change is indicated by giving the hat to the other character and the student addresses the audience appropriately. Roles are presented with basic complex performance skills.

To reach Achieved, the student could use performance skills to convey embodied knowledge of Brechtian devices, such as demonstration of role and alienation to show some embodied knowledge of the epic theatre form.