GCSE Drama Parental Revision SupportComponent 1 – Written PaperNote Taking This is one of the two most important skills which student need to master if they are to produce good, focused, relevant written work.Good Notes should:

Record what students have done, and so act as reminders Provide a framework for their thoughts and writing Make clear in their own mind the importance of different ideas and

thoughts Focus them on different needs and targets Recognise what is relevant, and so act as pointers Understand how their technical/design skills fit in with other design

skillsPossible headings for notes:

Stimulus Style Historical Background Research First ideas Staging Tasks Audience Reaction Key moments Difficulties and solutions Costumes Objectives/intentions Lighting Movement Materials Evaluation Voice

Notes should create clear focus by: Headings Examples Audience Reactions Reminders Details Pinpointing future needs

Essay-Writing:A good Drama essay will not waffle or give unnecessary and irrelevant information, but it will:

Answer the question asked Be written grammatically Be clear to the reader Use specialist Drama terms correctly (you could help by checking

your child has a copy of the vocabulary and terminology booklet provided by the Drama Department and are revising it regularly)

Breakdown of an Essay PEARLPoint Each point should help to answer the essay question. Sum up

the point in a context sentence. No more than two sentences long.

Evidence Start with a quote. Must be relevant to the question and link with it. It should help to prove the point being made, it should be an example to support ideas

Analysis Linking to the point being made. Explains how idea match the point. The point should now be made in more depth. Break the point down into parts and think about the different meanings it may have to back up analysis

Response The impact it will have on an audience (thoughts, feelings, understanding, atmosphere and/or mood)

Link Link back to the original question. This makes it clear what is being talked about and makes sure it is relevant to the question. The first line of the next paragraph should also Link to the final linking sentence of the previous one.

Step by Step Guidance At the back of this document is a step by step guide to answering the non-multiple choice questions in the written exam, including examples of answers

Component 2 and Component 3 – Practical Work Skills Development – Preparation It is important that students spend time preparing properly. In-depth research and decisions about objectives are essential to an effective production. Knowing clearly, right from the start of the rehearsals, exactly

what they wish to communicate will save a lot of wasted time, and will result in a much more successful final presentation.Questions to ask:What themes and issues are you exploring?What research have you completed?Are your rehearsal process notes up to date? What is your objective – e.g. should the audience feel sorry for your character?How will you achieve this on stage?

Research:Research is an essential part of performance. Students should be aware of;The themes Historical Period Background Playwright Productions of the Play

KEY QUESTIONHow are these influencing their own work?

Rehearsal Techniques: Students need to provide evidence of the rehearsal process, stating that they have learnt their lines and looked at clips on you tube is not in-depth enough. Here are some techniques they will complete in class and some suggestions of things they can do at home.Off text improvisation work Character modelling Character Objective Hot Seating Emotional Memory Internal dramatic dialogue Tableaux Thought tracking Mime Units of Objective (scripted work) Blocking/stage choreography

Personal Performance Techniques: Performance techniques are what make up a performance, and therefore are what will be assessed in the students’ final presentation of work. It is a good idea to encourage them to experiment and try a number of ways of doing things, as sometimes their first idea might not be the best idea.

Here are some activities for the students to try. These identify specific techniques and ask students to focus on them, so that they understand their individual contribution

Body and MovementThey could choose pick three key points in their performance and experiment to see how the character’s posture you change from one key point to the next.

Movement Move around a space, changing their movement according to different locations. They should try moving at different speeds, in different directions and with different body positions.

Gesture Students could build up a vocabulary of gestures. What gestures can they make that do not use hands? List as many as possible.

Facial ExpressionsStudents could imagine that they are walking around an art gallery. Trying to express how they feel about different pictures through their face.

Circle of Attention/Focus They could imagine that they are a busy chef cooking to a deadline. They have numerous pots on the cookers and an imaginary staff to keep an eye on. They need to communicate how much they have to be aware of through the changes in their circles of attention. Then they could write how they would apply this process to their own character.

Voice

ToneLook at their script and help them to choose a suitable tone for their characters mood and attitude. Discuss where there could be a change in the tone.

PitchLook at their script, and get them to play the actor as a child or someone quite young, and the director as elderly and tired. How would pitch help to communicate their age as well as their feelings? Then get them to apply pitch according to their characters actual age and feelings.

VolumeAsk are they achieving a variety of volume levels in their performance, at what points are they adjusting them and why? They could highlight these on their script.

Accent

Ask would the use of accent improve the characterisation? Encourage them to try as many different accents as they can for their character. Do some work better than others?

General

Levels Students could mime getting up late on a weekday morning. Encourage them to think consciously about including actions which use different levels. They should try to feel how it improves the visual interest at the same time as emphasising the panic and hurry.

MannerismThey should look at their script and consider what particular mannerisms help to give the characters extra interest or make them more believable? They should try out several possible mannerisms of of voice and movement, and try to find one which suits the role they are playing.

Strength/tensionThey should look at their script and highlight the strength and tension of their characters posture and movements to should the build-up of emotion e.g. worry, fear, anger.

PaceLooking at their script. Help them to identify where changes of pace for different character would help to emphasise their own characters or how they are feeling; and where changes in the pace of the script are needed to create atmosphere or interest.

Pause Looking at their script. Help them to identify where they could use pause to say more about the characters, or to make the audience react to the actor? Get them to try their lines again using the decisions.

RhythmUsing a regular but steadily getting faster beat of a drum, students can recite their lines to the rhythm and explore how this effects the tension. They should write some notes on their findings.

Flow Looking at their script. Encourage them to note down the variety of experiences and speeds in the dialogue. When is it calm? When is it fast? When is it racing, bumping or swirling? Where are these periods without pause and why?

Component 2 – The Devising LogTo show evidence of the process of developing practical work and reflecting on it, students are to complete supporting notes (coursework).

These notes are on-going during the development and refinement process and therefore it is important that they are kept up to date. Completing log entries is a good way to ensure that nothing is left out.Section 1: Response to a stimulus (400-600 words)Section 2: Development and collaboration (400-600 words)Section 3: Analysis and evaluation (400-600 words)Step by Step Guidance At the back of this document is a step by step guide to completing the Devising Log which you can use to help check your child has included all the necessary information.

Writing Frame for AnsweringSection B

Question 1 Question 01 asks you to describe some aspects of a given technical theatre element, in a given scene (4 marks)

Step 1Explain the context of the technical element – what style, period and themes are being explored.e.g. The character Sephy will be wearing a black top with a large white cross in the centre, to symbolise in an Epic Theatre style her social label as a crossStep 2 Explain what should be communicated to the audience by the technical element at this point in the play.e.g. However, Sephy will be wearing her top in a slightly different way to the other crosses, her sleeves will be rolled up over her shoulders, this should show the audience that there is an element individuality in Sephy, that she does not always conform to all the rules.Step 3Give precise details about the technical element (for set; scale, staging form, levels, ramps, steps, position of entrances/exits, gauzes, backdrops, projection, texture, colour), Any style suggestions (Epic – actor’s moving furniture and setting etc)Playwright’s instructions e.g. The top will be made of cotton and she will be wearing, smart tailored trousers which will be black three quarter length, to appear neutral, allowing the actor to adapt to any additional chorus roles she may be playing.Step 4 Link clearly though examples to the context of the playe.g. A great detail of the play happens in the school, so Sephy’s appearance will be formal and smart at this point in the school, to help set the tone of the school environment.Step 5

Give precise details about another example of the technical elemente.g. As step 3 Step 6Link clearly through your example, your understanding of the context of the play and what you want to communicate to your audience through the technical element at this moment

Band 4 AnswerCostume

I would have Elizabeth wearing clothes that are plain in colour to highlight her personality, and the community of Salem that the play is set in. At this stage in the play, Elizabeth is exhausted, and the state of her costume must make this clear to the audience. Elizabeth would wear a long (floor-length) cotton skirt. It would be dark brown. Elizabeth would also wear a white cotton blouse which would be fully buttoned-up due to the nature of the religious community that she lives in. Finally, in addition to this, Elizabeth would have a thick black woollen shawl and plain headscarf because of the weather conditions in Salem. She would wear plain black leather shoes that are flat with no heel. Elizabeth believes in a duty to God and her husband so her focus would not be on her appearance in this extract.

Band 3 AnswerSetting

It is important to show the difference between the sort of classroom in the school that Mickey and Linda go to compared to the school Eddie goes to. As I design my set, I would want lots of detail to show the period of the play and that it is a working-class school. The desks and chairs would all be made of wood and also be very shabby and worn. They would not be set out in neat rows either. The blackboard would be an old-fashioned painted blackboard on wheels and on this there would be graffiti which said ‘Mickey Luvs Linda 4 Eva’ on it to show more about their characters. There wouldn’t be much colour in the design for my set at all.

Band 3 AnswerProps

This extract is set in Hannay’s flat and the play takes place in the 1930s so the props and furniture would all need to look authentic. Firstly, I would have an armchair for Hannay in the flat. This would be made from

leather (green) and would be very straight at the back and uncomfortable to sit in. Because Hannay is posh I would have the armchair in really good condition with no scratches or scuffs. In terms of a prop, I would have a cocktail set on a drinks trolley next to the arm chair, as these were popular in the 1930s. This would be a whisky decanter and a set of glasses and also an ice bucket.

Writing Frame for AnsweringSection B

Question 2 Question 02 asks you to describe how you would use vocal and physical skills to perform a specific line from the play text (8 marks)

Step 1Explain what the character’s attitude, objective or intention is at this pointStep 2 Explain how you would use vocals to show this (precise details e.g. pace, pitch, volume, pause, emphasis, tone, rhythm)Step 3Explain how you would use your physical skills (precise details e.g. movement, gesture, body language, facial expression, stillness)Step 4 Explain how your vocals and physical skills will change as the line progressStep 5 Justify why you are doing this

Band 4 AnswerThe first thing that is immediately clear is that Elizabeth is shocked at seeing her husband like this, exhausted and frail. I would show this shock firstly in her voice. I would use the dash in the line for a pause, and on this pause I would slowly cast my eyes over (the actor playing) John so that I can clearly see how weak and pitiful he is. This pause would emphasise how Elizabeth was struggling with the situation. Obviously, in this scene,

Elizabeth has seen John before, but only in this moment does she register his physical weakness and that he is breaking down. I would continue to show how shocked I was by changing the pitch and tone of my voice as the line changes. At the start of the line, I would say the word ‘you’ as though I was making a bold statement or an accusation, and use a strong and clear tone of voice. However, after the shock of seeing John in such a state, I would say the words

Band 4 AnswerI would want to create the effect that Diane and Maureen are both really good friends and very likeable characters. The audience should like them and be pleased to see them whenever they appear on stage. Diane is something of the ‘Mother Hen’ figure here, and I would want to communicate this sense of her status and also how happy and settled she is. I would play Diane with a warm, Lancashire accent, with soft vowel sounds and would roll my ‘r’s as I spoke. This would create the sense of her being a rural character, and would also give a ‘country’ quality to how she spoke. I would chuckle gently as I said ‘We are, Maureen’ to show that Diane is happy and contented and really likes living on the farm with Maureen. As I spoke this line, I would also use my elbow as a ‘wing’ to nudge Maureen. This would create the effect that they are good friends, but also reinforce the idea of a human actor playing a chicken that speaks. On the words ‘They’re kind’ I would point behind me at the feast of corn that we have just been at together. As I say, ‘they’re loving’ I would put my arm around Maureen’s shoulder to create the effect that we have a strong friendship and are contented with the surroundings. And, as I say ‘and they look after their own’ I would rub my stomach with both beak-hands, and puff out my belly to create the effect that we have been well fed from the feast we have just been at. At the end of the line, I would give another soft chuckle and a burp to show how full I was. This would create the effect of the talking animal character Diane being larger than life. There is a real innocence about the characters – as they are not aware why they are being so well fed – and I would perform this line with full sincerity to show that Diane truly believes what she is saying here.

Band 4 AnswerBottom is a comic character and in this extract he finds himself in a ridiculous situation. To most people this would be frightening, but Bottom is bewildered and also flattered and confused. It is important that the audience sees all of this, and that it is still a funny scene. This line is a response to Titania complimenting his intelligence and beauty, which is absurd. On the words ‘Not so neither,’ I would show a puzzled facial expression, but also nod my head in agreement with what Titania is saying. This is creating comedy as the nodding agreement is the opposite of what the words mean. The rest of the line shows just how pompous Bottom can be because she is flirting with him. I would declaim this line with real confidence, a strong voice, and loud volume to show Bottom standing his ground and proving what he thinks is his status. Physically, I

would place my hands on my hips and stand with my legs apart and my chest puffed out, almost like a classic romantic hero. This would create more comedy for the audience because Bottom thinks he is smart and handsome but is actually dressed as a donkey. I would maintain eye contact with Titania throughout all of this line to show my confidence in my appearance and intelligence. At the end of the line, I would do a huge ‘neigh’ or snort sound like a donkey might, rolling my head back and shaking it wildly. This would create comedy for the audience, as Bottom is not in control of the situation, even though he desperately wants to be. The noise would be enormous and exaggerated for comic effect so it could startle Titania.

Writing Frame for AnsweringSection B

Question 3 Question 03 asks you to describe how you would use a specific performance medium or element (e.g. performance space) to communicate an identified meaning or atmosphere (e.g. romantic tension) for in a key moment from the text (12 marks)

Paragraph OneStep 1Explain what the specific meaning or atmosphere is and how it links to the character motivations or themes and issues being explored in the extract. Comment on the potential to create your dramatic intentions Step 2 Quote your first line form the extract and explain how you would use vocal skills. Explain what this would should about your character Step 3

Explain how you would use physical skills at this moment and what meaning this would communicate to your audience Paragraph TwoStep 4 Repeat step 2 and 3 for your second quote REMEMBER THIS CAN BE A LINE OF DIALOGUE OR STAGE DIRECTIONParagraph ThreeStep 5 Repeat step 2 and 3 for your third quote Paragraph Four Step 6 Repeat step 2 and 3 for your fourth quote

Remember each point you make (not quote! But point!) must have a justification for your performance choice.

Band 4 AnswerThis part of the extract takes place in a jail cell which would be very cramped and uncomfortable, and not have nice living conditions; especially in the 17th century when The Crucible is set. Because of this, John and I would have a limited amount of space in which we could move, and we would have to be very careful in terms of how we used this space to create tension. Up until this point in the play, Elizabeth and John have had a very turbulent relationship because of his lies and the accusations against him. It would be important to show this in the extract, but also that these two people love each other despite everything that has happened – this is what helps to create the tension. When John asks Elizabeth how Giles Corey dies (‘Then how does he die?’) the actor playing John should move towards me quickly and with his arms outstretched to place them on my shoulders. John is terrified of the manner in which he will die and this line is like an accusation. He should start to lose patience with Elizabeth, even though she is trying to be kind and keep the truth from him. With John very close to Elizabeth there will be real tension between them as she is forced to say ‘They press him, John,’ with a pause before that. As I say this line I would nervously avoid eye contact and look away from John so that I did not have to directly look into his eyes as I start to reveal what will happen to him. This will create further tension for the audience because the characters are physically close, but Elizabeth is trying to avoid the truth. When Elizabeth finally reveals about the crushing of Giles – and of what will happen to John – I would have the actor playing John’s mouth slowly fall open in a mixture of shock and fear as if he had never imagined that such a thing could happen to him. As he says the line ‘More weight' I would have his arms drop from Elizabeth’s shoulders and have him stagger backwards slightly. Because he is so weak and disoriented

anyway, this would mean he could collapse backwards against the wall of the cell, as the realisation sinks in. Finally, when John suggests to Elizabeth that he will confess to clear his name – something he has been determined not to do throughout the entire play – I would have him stay leaning against the wall, but make very strong and clear eye contact with Elizabeth. This is because the question is so important – it is literally life or death, and this would generate tension waiting to see how she will respond. There would then be a deliberate pause waiting for her response. I would have her shuffle slightly, and look down at the floor, so the audience cannot properly see her face and won’t know exactly what she is thinking. Again, this will create tension. As she says the line, ‘I cannot judge you, John,’ I would have her turn away from him, and face the door of the cell. Although their bodies are close because it is such a small space, she is so scared of him seeing her true feelings, and that she cannot bear to look at her husband. This would create tension because the extract will end with them physically close but not connected because of John’s fate.

Band 4 AnswerThen, as Gretel says ‘Happy’ the actor playing Maureen would place her head around the upstage-right corner of the metal frame and make the same sound, so that we both maintained full eye contact with each other. As Gretel says ‘egg-laying chickens’ we would both waddle into the centre-stage space, flapping our arms (wings) and making little clucking sounds. As Mother says her line to Gretel, Diane and I would stand mesmerised by the corn feeder above us. We would face upstage and waddle quickly from foot to foot and stare at it and Gretel, waiting for it to start. We would squat a little and flap our wings as we waited. Then, as the corn feeder started, we would both run and scream wildly around the performance space, leaping with our arms in the air as we tried to catch the falling corn. We would make loud gobbling sounds as we mimed chewing and eating the corn and we would run towards each other upstage-centre so that we could dance together. There would be a platform here which would work as the lift and the chopping block, so that we would be standing on it at the end of the extract. As the lift/block moved upwards into the air, I would be stuffing handfuls of corn into the pockets of my dungarees and shirt and grinning because I was so happy. The actor playing Diane would say the line ‘Oh, Maureen’ with real warmth and happiness, and as she said it, we would do our signature dance where we would flap our wings in time with one another, turn with our backs to one another and wiggle our bottoms and then finally turn to peck/kiss each other’s cheeks.

Writing Frame for AnsweringSection B

Question 4 Question 04 asks you to explain how you would use your acting skills to demonstrate a specific character in the text extract

Paragraph OneStep 1Explain the character(s)’s role within the play contextStep 2 Explain the characters attitude, motivation and/or objective with the extract contextRemember: when talking about context make reference to the themes/issusesParagraph TwoStep 3 Explain what your artistic intentions are for this moment (what do you want to show the audience?)Step 4Give an example of how you will achieve this through your overall performance of the scene and explain what it will show the audienceStep 5 Give an example from the extract REMEMBER THIS CAN BE A LINE OF DIALOGUE OR STAGE DIRECTIONStep 6 Explain what is happening and what you are trying to achieve/show to the audience Step 7Explain how you will use vocal and physical skills precisely to achieve thisParagraph ThreeStep 8 Repeat steps 4, 5, and 6 for a second example Paragraph Four Step 9 Repeat steps 4, 5, and 6 for a third example Remember each point you make (not quote! But point!) must have a justification for your performance choice.

Band 4 AnswerJohn Proctor is a complex man who is a product of the society that he lives in. Because the town of Salem in the seventeenth century is so ruled by fear and religion, people believe completely in God and Satan and witchcraft. John Proctor is a tragic figure throughout the play. We know that he is thought of as a weak man because of what he has done with Abigail, and also because he has lied about this to his wife. In this extract specifically I would want to show this as it is towards the end of Proctor’s journey through the play. He has been gradual ground down by those around him and the events of the witchcraft trials and he has no energy left. In this extract he is not angry with Elizabeth, and I would want to show a sense of his shame for what he has put her through, and perhaps fear when he learns of his fate. I would show this by my having limited eye contact with Elizabeth throughout, and letting her initiate all the physical contact. I would be sitting on the floor of the cell, with my back against the wall, and hugging my knees to my chest. This

would show just how far Proctor has fallen from grace and how small he now seems. To show the fear I would have real moments of hesitation. The stage direction says that he looks at her ‘incredulously’ and I would use this moment to convey the shock and horror upon finding out that Giles is dead. I would stare at Elizabeth with my mouth open and my eyes wide, my arms hanging limply by my sides. This would be a key moment for me in interpreting the character because I would choose to reveal the fear that he now knows for sure that he will die to unless he confesses.

Near the end of the extract, John suggests to Elizabeth that he could confess to clear his name. This would be a huge moral issue for him, and throughout the play I would have communicated Proctor as a deeply moral character who believes in honesty and truth and justice (apart from the issue with Abigail). In this moment I would want to communicate my frustration and despair that Elizabeth will not satisfy me with an answer, and that I am looking to her to save my fate. On the lines ‘What say you? If I give them that?’ I would bang the floor of the jail cell with my fists, although in a weak way because I am tired and frail. I would beat the floor to try and get Elizabeth to react but also to show just how desperate and frantic I am to change the situation.

In the scene – where she serves him his dinner – I would show that he is a strong man and a calm man, but that he loses his temper with Elizabeth. When he says ‘You forget nothin’ and forgive nothin’! Learn charity, woman!’ I would shout this with a raised voice. I would stand up from my seat at the table and kick my chair over backwards as I did so to show my strength and physical presence. I would walk over to Elizabeth as I said this line, and make it an accusation, shouting it at her and pointing at her too. This side of Proctor would be a total contrast to how he is with Elizabeth in the jail cell in the extract. Proctor does love his wife, even though the dinner scene shows that they have something of a cold marriage at this stage of their lives, when he says ‘I mean to please you, Elizabeth.’ I would also contrast this with how I interpret Proctor as he is when he is alone with Abigail. In the first part of the play – act one – he is alone with her and behaves very differently to how he does with his wife. Abigail still flirts with him, and he responds back when he says ‘What’s this mischief here?’ As he says this line, I would have him saying it with a sly smile, and him acknowledging what he has done with her even in the past. I would show Proctor as being firm and direct with her, but choosing not to have any physical contact with her. This is the main challenge in portraying Proctor, to show and interpret his strength and weakness at the same time. In the moment with Abigail he can show that he is trying not to respond to her flirting, but that she somehow manages to get the better of him.

Writing Frame for AnsweringSection C

Question 11

Answer one question in section C – The PERFORMANCE ONE!

You must state the title of the live/digital theatre production they saw and answer the question with reference to this production.

You must answer on a different play to the play they answered on in Section B.

Question 11 asks you to describe how one or more actors in a particular scene or section used their vocal and physical acting skills to create convincing characters. (12 marks)Analyse and evaluate how successful they were in communicating their character to the audience. (20 marks)

Paragraph OneStep 1

o Note the name of the play, playwright, theatre company, venue and date of performance

Step 2 o Briefly explain the overview of the plot and the themes/issues

Step 3o Note which character(s) you will be focusing on and the name of the

actor(s) playing themParagraph TwoStep 4

o Explain what the character(s) purpose, motivation and/or attitude was.

Step 5o Describe how he/she uses their physical/vocal/space skills to

demonstrate this.

Step 6

o Give a specific example from the play when he/she does so. Explain how he/she uses physical/vocals/space

REMEMBER THIS CAN BE A LINE OF DIALOGUE OR STAGE DIRECTION OR A MOMENT OF ACTION

Step 7o Explain why is he/she doing this? What is their intended effect and

what was their actual effect?Step 8

o Explain what impact it had on you – how did you feel?

Step 9o Give another example of her/is same skill (physical, vocal, space)

from the same specific moment.Step 10

o Explain why is he/she doing this. What is their intended effect and what was their actual effect

Step 11o What impact did it have you – how did you feel?

Paragraph ThreeStep 12

o Repeat steps 4 to 11 for a second specific moment Paragraph Four Step 13

o Repeat step 4 to 11 for a different skill (physical, vocal, space) at a different specific moment.

ORo If the question demands you talk about a second character wright

paragraph 2 and 3 about one character (two skills) then repeat step 4 to 11 about a different character.

Paragraph Five – Only if the question demands you discuss two charactersStep 14

o Repeat step 4 to 11 for your second character with your second skills example

Paragraph Six – Conclusion Step 15

o In conclusion summaries how good you thought the actor(s) were playing the roles

Step 16 o Summaries what effect their physical and vocal skills had on the

style/genre (e.g. created comedy)

Band 4 Answer

I saw a production of The Nap by Richard Bean at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. This was a brilliant play about a young man Dylan (Jack O’Connell) being set up by crooked gangsters to ‘throw’ a frame of snooker which he is playing. The play was absolutely hilarious and the acting in the play really did go a long way to achieving this. Ralf Little played Tony Danlino, Dylan’s manager. The character is really sleazy and tries to be charming but isn’t. Whenever he walked into the scene, Little would use deliberately over the top body language and gestures to make it look like Tony was best friends with all the other characters. For example, he greeted Dylan’s Dad with wide open arms and tried to go in for a hug, even though he knows Dylan’s Dad hates him. Because he did this every single time he entered, it helped create comedy for the audience, and was also very funny. Little also did a lot of winking and pointing when he was trying to give Dylan confidence in his snooker game. He would use these cheesy gestures with emphasis at the end of lines, like when he said, ‘You’re gonna be a winner, kid, I’m telling you’. Because the other characters also rolled their eyes at what Tony did, this created comedy for us. Little got better and better as the show went on, and this was because he consistently presented Tony in this way – a total loser who thinks that he is one of life’s big winners. Little also used a really cocky voice and strolled around the space like he owned it. He was deliberately over-confident in his walk. So he would strut and puff his chest out and hold his mobile phone like it was a weapon, thrusting it in the faces of other characters. In the scene where he was trying to get rid of the two investigating officers, he changed his body language and the way he used the space completely. Suddenly he became very still and nervous looking with shifty eyes and nervous mannerisms. He started putting his hands in and out of his pockets with nervous energy and kept shifting from foot to foot. This was a total contrast to how Little had played Tony in all the other scenes, and created even more comedy for the audience. Little was completely successful in his portrayal of the role of Tony. He played the role with a real swagger, like he was a local

smooth character who desperately wanted to be a big time ‘player’ but failed. It was really funny and a highlight of the show.

In the same play, Louise Gold played the character of Waxy Chuff, who was a local transgendered gangster who was in charge of the crime organisation. Rather than being scary or threatening, Gold chose to play the role as someone who was useless and kept getting things wrong, which made the part absolutely hilarious. To start with, it was the way she walked. Louise Gold is a female actress but playing the part as a deliberately ‘butch woman’ because she was transgendered. Gold walked in a stereotypical masculine way – even though she was wearing high heeled boots and a mini skirt – and with a limp, which gave the effect that she had been in dangerous places and around a long time. It also reminded the audience constantly that she was born as a man. Gold used a reasonably deep voice and always spoke in a monotone for comic effect. So she would be giving out orders (‘Put the bag over his head and shoot him’) which should sound scary, but came out as funny because of the monotone voice used. One of the best things about Waxy was that she kept using ‘malapropisms’ and getting words wrong, which were always funny. When Dylan asked her if she had any illnesses she replied that she ‘had a peanut analogy’, which was hilarious. This was because Gold played the line absolutely straight-faced. The character doesn’t know they are getting the words wrong, but the effect for the audience is that it is hilarious. Waxy also had one bionic arm – made of metal – from when she was in a fight with Triads. In another play this might have been really scary, but Gold used this as part of the physicality of her character in really funny ways. When she was trying to intimidate Dylan, she used the metal arm to stroke his hair. This was funnier than if she has used her real hand instead, and created comedy. In fact, whenever Gold could use the metal hand instead of the real one, she did so. This emphasised the fact that she had a criminal background, but it was also very funny. At one point, she struggled to put the rolls of stolen money into a carrier bag using the metal hand. She could have easily done this with her real hand, but it took much longer and was much funnier by using the metal one instead. Gold was absolutely superb in the role, and – like Little – got more laughs by playing the situation as though it was dangerous and for real.

In conclusion, I think both Ralf Little and Louise Gold were superb in their roles. In different ways they used their physical and vocal skills to create moments of comedy. Of course the script itself has very funny lines, but it was the choices that these actors made that made them even funnier, and also added things that were not in the script itself.