Exemplar for Internal Assessment Resource Drama Level 1 Resource title: Master and Zanni This exemplar supports assessment against: Achievement Standard 90999 Use Features of a Drama/Theatre Form in a Performance Expected responses The moderators have developed expected student response from a wide variety of sources. Date version published by Ministry of Education December 2010 To support internal assessment from 2011
This standard requires the student to use features of a drama/ theatre form in a Features are the specific physical and historical conventions associated with the form and which are used to convey the intention of the dramatic context. The performance may be scripted or devised. In the performance, students will need to demonstrate that they are able to perform in the style of the specified drama/theatre form. It is this skill, and not the theoretical knowledge of the form, that is assessed in this standard. EN 4 of the standard provides suggestions for appropriate choices of drama/theatre forms. Choices need to be appropriate to the skills and interests of the students. Achievement Achievement with Merit Achievement with Excellence Use features of a drama/theatre form in a Skilfully use features of a drama/theatre form in a Effectively use features of a drama/theatre form in a The primary evidence for this standard comes from the demonstration of the features of the drama/theatre form in EN5 states that supporting evidence, in the form of completed template, bulleted list, chart, diagram, notes or sentences, is also required for achievement. This must consist of a brief statement of intention and a list of features used. It is important to note that lengthy descriptions and explanations are not required, as the focus must remain on the demonstration of these features in The statement of intention should contain indication of role, time, place, situation and action. It sets and clarifies the scene. The list of features acts as a support for the student in The detail of the list and the quality of the description of purpose must not be taken into account when making judgement calls for the higher grades. Evidence for achievement at the higher grades of merit and excellence is to be found in the quality of the demonstration of features in the student In order to achieve, students will provide the required documentation and use features appropriately as indicated in the statement of intention. In order to achieve with merit, students will provide the required documentation and will use features skillfully. This means that they will work with competence, control and a sense of purpose in their specified drama/theatre form role. Students will sustain the use of the features so as to support the dramatic context. In order to achieve with excellence, students will provide the required documentation and will use features effectively. This means that they will present work convincingly, capturing the essence of the dramatic context with impact. The use of the features will enhance the performance of the drama/theatre form.
Grade Boundary: High Merit This student received this grade because they provide a list of features of commedia used, and a clear statement of intention for the scene. Uses features of commedia with competence, clear control and sense of purpose in Captures the essence of the dramatic context with impact at times. Role: Pantalone Statement of intention: Place: My house and Il Dottore s house. Time: Throughout one day. Situation: I want a love potion to make Isabella fall in love with me. Action: I fight Il Dottore over money because I do not want to part with it. Then I give the potion to Isabella who is supposed to fall in love with me. But I end up drinking it by accident and fall in love with Il Dottore. Features used: Lazzi I use this in throwing flowers to get Isabella s attention. But I do it in competition with Il Dottore. Audience interaction this is used at the entrance or exit of a character. This helped us move to new scenes easily. It also keeps the audience interested in each of the characters. I go right into the audience to stare at a woman. But when I hear a gold coin drop I am torn between the woman and the coin. This links with my fatal flaw. Use of fatal flaw I had to choose between money and women to show I only care about money. Mask I wear the mask of an old man with wrinkled brows. Pantalone is always worried about money so he rarely smiles. Exaggerated use of body Pantalone is always looking on the ground for money so I have to be bent over and hunched a lot of the time. Clip-1 00:01:10-00:02:43 00:03:14-00:04:10 Commentary Enters and positions himself SR of Il Dottore. Pantalone begins to brag about his wealth and tries to outdo Il Dottore. The bragging lazzi communicates a sense of the self- centred role. The flowers lazzi again establishes a sense of self interest and importance as Pantalone sets out to win Isabella. He uses gesture and sound to develop the burle with Il Dottore, goading him during the flower lazzi. This shows control and a sense of purpose. This is reinforced by the characters use of his money sack in a provocative manner during the flower scene. However the student limits his use of space and physical tempo and this detracts from possible impact. There is a brief moment when he touches his mask. This is fleeting and so does not, in balance, detract from the final grade. Alone on the stage, Pantalone addresses the audience. The student demonstrates a clear sense of the age and disposition of the stock character through the breathy rasp of the voice which communicates a greedy, self -
centred, old man and which is well sustained, and through the hunched, shuffling walk. He walks down the steps into the audience and addresses a male audience member as a pretty little girl. This comic use of mistaken identity demonstrates a sense of the ridiculous which is suited to the short - sighted Pantalone. When he sniffs the air and states Who has money? the student demonstrates a clear sense of the singular obsession that characterises Pantalone. This performance demonstrates competence, control and sense of purpose as the stock character of Pantalone. However, he closes off the mask as he exits the stage and loses the opportunity to create impact in the end of the scene. 00:05:25-00:06:11 00:09:11-00:09:22 As Pantalone, the student demonstrates comic use of the song to show his lust for Isabella and competitive, self-focus when singing with Il Dottore. His use of voice, posture and gesture is effective. However, again, space is limited and this prevents the impact of the excellence grade in terms of the physicality of the role. The student uses spying to further the communication of his role as a manipulative, self-engrossed character. The action of the head is comical. This lazzi enhances the humour and absurdity of the context. Overall, this student has a clear sense of purpose for the self- centred and obsessive Pantalone. He uses mask, gesture specific to the stock greedy character and the gait of an old, hunched man, with competence and control. There is a limited use of space and this hampers the movement to the excellence grade. The lack of use of space limits the physicality of the role. To have gained the excellence grade: this student would have needed to perform features with impact. Greater consistency in the physicality in role would have aided this impact. The student could have used acrobatic movement in incongruous moments to enhance the comedy of the character. Having Pantalone twist himself into knots to find his money purse or leap over Il Dottore to get to Isabella would have enhanced the communication of Pantalone s key obsessions in a comic manner and provided greater impact. There is movement towards this in the Lazzi between the legs with Arlecchino. There is room in this piece to develop more detail in the status relationship with Arlecchino through the use of physical contact and further slapstick. This would make the relationship more convincing. Similarly a heightened awareness of the use of mask, by maintaining the contact with the audience, or possibly using the mask and the tilt of the head to manipulate mood, would have enhanced the
Grade Boundary: Low Merit This student receives this grade because they provide a list of features of commedia used, and a clear statement of intention for the scene. Uses features of commedia with competence and control in Establishes a clear sense of purpose in the role in initial scenes but loses this later in the Role: Arlecchino Statement of intention: Place: Isabella s house; Pantalone s house Time: In the morning Situation: Isabella is to be married off. Action: Isabella seeks her true love so tells her father that she wishes to marry. Pantalone overhears and writes Isabella a love letter, getting Arlecchino to send it. This causes great confusion when Isabella falls in love with Arlecchino, believing him to be her knight in shining armour. This shows off Isabella s stupidity and Arlecchino s obedience to other characters. Features used: Mistaken identity Arlecchino pretends to be Flavio and Isabella mistakes him for the real Flavio. Lazzi Isabella talks to a mirror and Pantalone pretends to be the voice of her reflection and gives her advice. Il Capitano tells a heroic war story this is unbelievable and Isabella is unimpressed. Physicality specific to the stock character Arlecchino is agile and fleet footed. The student plays Arlecchino. He is dressed in black trousers, white shirt and vest. Clip-2 00:06:08-00:06:36 00:06:45-00:09:38 Commentary The student presents the mask as he enters the space, supporting the audiences ability to identify with the role. This indicates some competence in the use of mask. He enters with an acrobatic leap and takes on the lower role as servant to Pantalone. His use of the higher pitched voice and the gesture of raised arms to protect against the blows of Pantalone demonstrate a sense of the role with competence. He turns his back on exiting and the audience loses the mask. Had he looked back as he exited this would have confirmed greater competence in the use of mask technique. The student generally sustains the hunched, bird-like gait of Arlecchino. He uses voice and body well to communicate the mimicking of other roles and create humour. He communicates the slow wittedness of the role in contrast with the quick body. This creates humour and gives evidence of control. Music and dumb show are well used to express Flavio s love for Isabella and to create the complication in the love interest when Isabella overhears Arlecchino singing. The bewilderment and confusion is conveyed clearly through the startled upright posture and high arms held close to the body when Isabella mistakes Arlecchino for Flavio.
00:09:46-00:11:12 Why is this better than Achieved? When talking to Brighella, the student loses the voice of Arlecchino and this drops the evidence for the control of the role to the lower Merit, and undermines the sense of purpose.. There is also opportunity for greater physicality in the role which is not taken by the student. A clear stock character is established and generally sustained. There is evidence of variety in the student s physical and vocal choices for the character as well as energy in his use of pantomimic dramatization. This supports control and a sense of purpose. Physical comedy is used with competence and control, particularly in the mocking of other characters and the use of song.
Grade Boundary: High Achieved This student receives this grade because they provide a list of features of commedia used, and a clear statement of intention. Uses the features in the Begins to demonstrate competence and control in the use of features specific to the stock character of Commedia dell Arte but limits the physicality and energy of the Commedia role. Role: Il Dottore Statement of intention Place: My house and Pantalone s house. Situation: Pantalone wants a love potion to make Isabella fall in love with him. Action: I compete with Pantalone over money. Pantalone gives a love potion to Isabella who is supposed to fall in love with him. But he ends up drinking it by accident and falling in love with me. Features used: Lazzi I used this at the start of the play to show the audience how clever I am -I brag about my ability to spend money because I am wealthy. Audience interaction this kept the audience interested in each of the characters personally. Use of fatal flaw We used our fatal flaw to show the audience what our willingness is and to make decisions on stuff like Pantalone and money. Pantalone had to choose between money and women to show he was an old creepy guy who only cared about money. Music to add to the comic effect. My singing added comedy because it did not fit with my character normally. It was unexpected. Mask. I wore the mask in It is the mask of a wealthy high-status character so my nose is very long. I have a high sense of self importance. Clip-3 00:01:10-00:01:25 00:01:30-00:01:33 00:01:45-00:02:49 Commentary Enters and stands centre stage, trying to outdo Pantalone in importance with the use of the lazzi. This demonstrates an awareness of the exalted self- belief of this stock character. There is a problem with vocal projection which undermines the control over the role. Delivers the important command for Flowers upstage, thus losing the control over use of space and sense of domination for this character. The student does develop the detail of his characterisation through the use of a fussy hand gesture when talking to his servant. This moves towards a purposeful use of technique. However, his general characterisation is quite closed and lacks the pantomimic expansiveness that would support control at merit level. Throws flowers in competition with Pantalone once more. Uses appropriate gesture for the age and status of Il Dottore but use of space is limited. The confined range of movement and lack of conscious build in this burle indicate a lack of competence within the role and form. When he turns and walks through the curtain, there is evidence of appropriate exaggerated gait in the walk.
00:04:25-00:06:13 00:07:11-00:07:27 Why is this not a Merit? Enters with Brighella. Voice lacks projection in the spoken dialogue but the singing adds comic interest to the scene through the conscious manipulation of vocal quality. There is evidence for competence and control in the singing as Il Dottore. It is this action of the scene that takes this student to the high end of achievement. Brighella suggests a plan but the vain Il Dottore believes it to immediately be his own. The gripping of the coat and the lifted chin suggest a clear sense of purpose which is evidence towards the merit grade. The student is aware of the vanity and authority of this character. However, he misses an opportunity to show greater control by staying in the representational mode. Had he opened out to the audience and sold his vanity to the audience more he would have been given a stronger sense of purpose. This choice also resulted in the audience behind him being blocked to some degree. On a stage that attempts to exemplify the traditional cart of the early Commedia, the student needs to have demonstrated a greater awareness of performing to the whole audience in order to support control and competence. Overall this student demonstrates competent use of posture and vocal quality in role as the high-class figure of Il Dottore. He also demonstrates appropriate use of gesture to denote age and one-upmanship. There are moments of competence in this. The singing is comic and contributes to a sense of the ridiculous that confirms a sense of purpose in this particular part of the scenario. However, the student lacks projection at times and use of space is very limited. He needs to explore a greater variety of movement in order to indicate a stronger sense of purpose in his ongoing competition with Pantalone. This lowers the grade to achievement.
Grade Boundary: Achieved This student received this grade because they provide a list of features of commedia used, and a clear statement of intention. Uses some features in the performance to demonstrate an awareness of the role and form. Does not demonstrate control of the form in that features used are limited. Role: Pantalone Statement of intention: Place: Isabella s house Time: In the morning Situation: Isabella is to be married off. Action: Isabella seeks her true love so tells her father that she wishes to marry. Pantalone overhears and writes Isabella a love letter, getting Arlecchino to send it. Arlecchino pretends to be Flavio and pretends the letter is from him. This causes great confusion. Features used: Song Arlecchino, Pantalone and Isabella sing Hello by Lionel Ritchie expressing their love for each other. This allows the audience to see the love triangle. Lazzi to show the audience more about the characters, what they do/dislike/relationships with other characters. Mask allows us to get into character Conjoined speech multiple characters take turns speaking showing each of the characters thoughts and feelings about the situation Pantalone, Il Capitano and Arlecchino talk about the wedding and what they want money, Isabella, power. Stolen speech- Isabella is talking to a mirror repeating Mirror, mirror on the wall. Clip-4 00:03.38 00:06:35 Commentary The student enters as Pantalone, establishing suspicion in the audience that this is a sneaky and disreputable character by the brief use of the spying lazzi through the curtains prior to entering the stage and shadowing Isabella, and by the low, hunched body position that lends itself to the creeping gait. The brevity of the spying lazzi suggests that the student has some awareness of this feature of the form but does not have particular competence or control in it s use. The movement behind Isabella becomes somewhat repetitive and drawn out which lessens the evidence for control in role. The voice used is raspy and indicates the age and ruthlessness of Pantalone s character. The understanding of the use of mask in performance is generally clear, however, there are instances where the student turns her back on the audience. This suggests that she is not fully competent in the use of mask. The student demonstrates awareness of the significance of the money pouch by bringing this to the audience s attention. She communicates Pantalones great quandary, Lust or Lucre? This is not developed to demonstrate a sense of particular purpose The student explores audience interaction. However, her body stays quite closed within the role and more effort could have been made to explore the variety within the movement range to create a more detailed, less
two dimensional, stock character. The lack of physical variety and the limited use of the pantomimic characterization that is common to this form makes this performance a low achieved. 00:15:50-00:16:24 While the student enters in role as Pantalone and does nothing to lessen the credibility of the role, there is also nothing added to the on-going sense of purpose for the role. The student remains at achievement. This performance does utilize basic mask technique and indicate the broader characteristics of the stock character. Some attempt is made to explore the motivation of Pantalone. Had the student presented less awareness of mask protocol or had shown less detail in the understanding of the role in terms of motivation or demonstration, there would have been insufficient evidence to support achievement.