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KS3 English · Year 9Chapter 4 · Reading drama: structure, staging and directing a scene
Year 9 · Chapter 4

Reading drama: structure, staging and directing a scene

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • I can name the parts of a dramatic structure and find the climax.
  • I can explain what a stage direction signals to the actor and the audience.
  • I can explain dramatic irony, and say what the audience knows.
  • I can explain an aside and a soliloquy, and tell them apart.
  • I can place a scene in the whole play and explain its tension.
  • I can write a directing note with reasons, and give two interpretations of a line.

You should already know

  • Identifying dialogue, stage directions and characters in a script (Year 8, Chapter 4 of this book)
  • Explaining the effect of tension and structure in a short text (Year 8, Chapter 4 of this book)

Where this leads

  • Writing narrative: extended, controlled and crafted (Year 9, Chapter 10 of this book)
  • Spoken language: extended speech, debate and Standard English (Year 9, Chapter 13 of this book)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 3 English, Year 9. Content: Read drama, including a scene from a play with public-domain extracts (KS3 reading, R1), Analyse dramatic structure, tension and climax across a scene and a whole play (KS3 reading, R9), Explain how stage directions, asides and soliloquies shape meaning (KS3 reading, R9), Explain dramatic irony, and evaluate how staging and interpretation change meaning (KS3 reading, R9).

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWhat is a stage direction? Write one short phrase.
2
FWrite the word for a speech a character makes to the audience, alone or aloud. Write one word.
3
FWrite one word that means the same as sudden.
4
FWrite the plural of the word child.
5
FWrite the name of the punctuation mark that shows the speech of a character in a script, such as Ruth:. Write the mark.
4.1

Dramatic structure and climax

Year 9
Analyse the structure of a scene, from exposition to climax and resolution (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Dramatic structure and climaxComing soon
Context. Ruth comes home from work to find her son Joe at the kitchen table. Something is wrong, but nothing is said at first. Read the scene and notice how the calm questions at the start build toward the moment when Ruth reads the letter.

Text 1: The coat on the hook (original one-act scene, numbered lines)

1[A kitchen, late at night. One lamp is on. JOE's school coat hangs on a hook by the door.]

2[RUTH comes in, still in her work uniform. She stops when she sees JOE at the table.]

3RUTH: You're up late.

4JOE: [Not turning round.] So are you.

5RUTH: I asked first.

6JOE: I was getting a drink.

7[RUTH looks at the empty glass on the table.]

8RUTH: Your glass is empty, love.

9JOE: I was going to fill it.

10[A pause. RUTH crosses to the coat and puts her hand in the pocket. She takes out an envelope and holds it up.]

11RUTH: Want to tell me what this is?

12JOE: [Quickly.] It's nothing. It's for the bin.

13RUTH: It says "Important: please return by Friday" on the front. Nothing important goes in the bin.

14JOE: Mum...

15[RUTH opens the envelope and reads. Her hand shakes.]

16RUTH: Three days' exclusion. For fighting.

17JOE: It wasn't a fight. He pushed me first.

18RUTH: [Quietly.] You told me you were at Ben's on Tuesday.

19JOE: I was. I went to Ben's after.

20[JOE, to the audience, aside.] I should have kept it in my bag.

21RUTH: Nan's birthday is on Sunday. I was going to ask her for money for the trainers.

22JOE: I don't want the trainers.

23RUTH: [Sitting slowly.] You always want the trainers.

24[A long pause. The lamp dims. The coat stays on its hook by the door.]

Key ideas

  • Exposition sets the scene: who is there, where, and what the situation is.
  • Rising action builds tension as the problem grows. The climax is the turning point of greatest tension.
  • Falling action and resolution show what happens after the climax, and whether the problem is solved.
Worked example 4.1.1
Which line is the climax of the scene? Write the line number.

Method. Find the moment of greatest tension and the reveal.

  1. Find the reveal. Ruth reads the letter aloud and names the punishment.
    Three days' exclusion
  2. Check the tension. After this line, the scene turns from the letter to the trainers.
    turns from the letter to the trainers
  3. Name the line. Line 16 is the climax, the turning point.
    16
  4. Write the answer.
    16

Check. The climax is found from the reveal. ✓

Worked example 4.1.2
Which stage of structure is lines 1 to 9? Choose one: exposition, climax or resolution.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. Lines 1 to 9 set the scene and the characters before the problem appears.
    exposition fits
  3. Reject the other choices. The climax is the peak of tension, and the resolution is the end of the problem; neither happens in lines 1 to 9.
    climax and resolution do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    exposition

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 4.1.3
How does the structure build tension before the climax?

Method. Look at the early lines, then at what they hide.

  1. Read the early lines. Ruth asks ordinary questions about the glass and the drink.
    Your glass is empty, love
  2. Find the hidden problem. The envelope is in the coat, and the audience has not yet seen it.
    She takes out an envelope
  3. Explain the effect. The calm questions hide the problem, so the reveal feels sharp.
    the calm questions hide what the envelope will reveal
  4. Write the answer.
    the calm questions hide what the envelope will reveal

Check. The structure is explained with two details. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: the climax is the moment of greatest tension, not the last line. Do not confuse the two.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Name the stage of structure, then give one line that shows it.

Exercise 4A  Practice: dramatic structure and climax

1
FHow many lines are in the numbered script? Write the number.
2
FIn which line does the envelope first appear? Write the number.
3
FWhich stage of structure is lines 3 to 9? Choose one: exposition, climax or resolution.
4
FWhich word names the moment of greatest tension? Choose one: climax, opening or ending.
5
FCopy the words that show the reveal of the punishment.
6
FInfer what Ruth's question "Your glass is empty, love" suggests she is doing. Quote one phrase.
7
FWhat does exclusion mean in the phrase "Three days' exclusion"? Write the meaning in your own words.
8
FWhat is the effect of the lamp dimming at the end? Choose one: it leaves the problem unresolved, it shows the scene is happy or it starts a new scene.
9
FExplain which lines form the rising action of the scene.
10
FIn which line does Joe deny that it was a fight? Write the number.
11
FWhich stage of structure is lines 21 to 23? Write the stage name.
12
RIs the ending of the scene a resolution? Give one reason.
4.2

Stage directions and what they signal

Year 9
Explain what stage directions signal about tone, movement and character (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Stage directions and what they signalComing soon
Context. A playwright writes stage directions to tell the director and actors how to move, speak and feel. Some are short, such as Quietly. Others describe a whole setting. Read each direction and ask what it asks the actor to do, and what it tells the reader.

Text 1: The coat on the hook (original one-act scene, numbered lines)

1[A kitchen, late at night. One lamp is on. JOE's school coat hangs on a hook by the door.]

2[RUTH comes in, still in her work uniform. She stops when she sees JOE at the table.]

3RUTH: You're up late.

4JOE: [Not turning round.] So are you.

5RUTH: I asked first.

6JOE: I was getting a drink.

7[RUTH looks at the empty glass on the table.]

8RUTH: Your glass is empty, love.

9JOE: I was going to fill it.

10[A pause. RUTH crosses to the coat and puts her hand in the pocket. She takes out an envelope and holds it up.]

11RUTH: Want to tell me what this is?

12JOE: [Quickly.] It's nothing. It's for the bin.

13RUTH: It says "Important: please return by Friday" on the front. Nothing important goes in the bin.

14JOE: Mum...

15[RUTH opens the envelope and reads. Her hand shakes.]

16RUTH: Three days' exclusion. For fighting.

17JOE: It wasn't a fight. He pushed me first.

18RUTH: [Quietly.] You told me you were at Ben's on Tuesday.

19JOE: I was. I went to Ben's after.

20[JOE, to the audience, aside.] I should have kept it in my bag.

21RUTH: Nan's birthday is on Sunday. I was going to ask her for money for the trainers.

22JOE: I don't want the trainers.

23RUTH: [Sitting slowly.] You always want the trainers.

24[A long pause. The lamp dims. The coat stays on its hook by the door.]

Key ideas

  • A stage direction is written in square brackets or italics, and is not spoken.
  • Directions signal tone (quietly, quickly), movement (crosses, sits), and the feeling behind a line.
  • Explain what the direction tells the actor, and what it tells the reader about the character.
Worked example 4.2.1
What does the direction [Quietly.] in line 18 signal?

Method. Read the direction, then say what it asks the actor to do.

  1. Read the direction. It tells Ruth to speak quietly.
    [Quietly.]
  2. Connect it to the line. She is calm while she accuses Joe.
    You told me you were at Ben's on Tuesday
  3. Explain the signal. The restraint suggests she is controlling her hurt.
    Ruth is restrained
  4. Write the answer.
    Ruth is restrained, so the reader infers she is controlling her hurt

Check. The direction is connected to the line. ✓

Worked example 4.2.2
What does the direction [Not turning round.] in line 4 signal about Joe? Choose one: he avoids his mother, he is excited or he is singing.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. Not turning round means he keeps his back to Ruth, which suggests avoidance.
    he avoids his mother fits
  3. Reject the other choices. Excitement and singing would need movement or sound, which the direction does not describe.
    he is excited and he is singing do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    he avoids his mother

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 4.2.3
Explain what the direction [Her hand shakes.] tells the audience.

Method. Read the direction, then say what the body shows.

  1. Read the direction. Her hand shakes as she reads.
    Her hand shakes
  2. Name what it shows. A shaking hand shows fear or shock.
    fear or shock
  3. Explain the effect. The audience sees her shock before she speaks.
    Ruth is shocked and upset, though she has not yet spoken
  4. Write the answer.
    Ruth is shocked and upset, though she has not yet spoken

Check. The direction shows feeling without words. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: do not treat a stage direction as spoken dialogue. Only the words after the name and colon are said aloud.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Quote the direction, say what it asks the actor to do, then say what it shows about the character.

Exercise 4B  Practice: stage directions and what they signal

1
FCopy the words that show how Ruth's hand moves as she reads.
2
FIn which line does a direction describe the coat by the door? Write the number.
3
FWhat does the direction [Quickly.] signal? Choose one: urgency and nervousness, calm and patience or boredom.
4
FInfer Joe's feeling from the direction [Not turning round.]. Quote one phrase.
5
FWhat does aside mean in the phrase "to the audience, aside"? Write the meaning in your own words.
6
FExplain what the stage direction "[A pause.]" in line 10 tells the actors to do.
7
FWhich line contains the word pocket? Write the number.
8
FWhich stage direction shows Ruth is calm while she confronts Joe? Choose one: [Quietly.], [Quickly.] or [A pause.].
9
FHow many lines begin with a character's name followed by a colon? Write the number.
10
RExplain what the aside in line 20 tells the audience that Ruth does not know.
11
RWhy might a director choose to speak the direction [Quietly.] with more force than the words suggest? Give one reason.
4.3

Dramatic irony and what the audience knows

Year 9
Explain dramatic irony and how the audience's knowledge shapes tension (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Dramatic irony and what the audience knowsComing soon
Context. In dramatic irony the audience knows something a character does not. The audience of "The Coat on the Hook" hears Joe admit the truth to them, while Ruth accepts his story about Tuesday. The gap between what the audience and Ruth know is where the tension lies.

Text 1: The coat on the hook (original one-act scene, numbered lines)

1[A kitchen, late at night. One lamp is on. JOE's school coat hangs on a hook by the door.]

2[RUTH comes in, still in her work uniform. She stops when she sees JOE at the table.]

3RUTH: You're up late.

4JOE: [Not turning round.] So are you.

5RUTH: I asked first.

6JOE: I was getting a drink.

7[RUTH looks at the empty glass on the table.]

8RUTH: Your glass is empty, love.

9JOE: I was going to fill it.

10[A pause. RUTH crosses to the coat and puts her hand in the pocket. She takes out an envelope and holds it up.]

11RUTH: Want to tell me what this is?

12JOE: [Quickly.] It's nothing. It's for the bin.

13RUTH: It says "Important: please return by Friday" on the front. Nothing important goes in the bin.

14JOE: Mum...

15[RUTH opens the envelope and reads. Her hand shakes.]

16RUTH: Three days' exclusion. For fighting.

17JOE: It wasn't a fight. He pushed me first.

18RUTH: [Quietly.] You told me you were at Ben's on Tuesday.

19JOE: I was. I went to Ben's after.

20[JOE, to the audience, aside.] I should have kept it in my bag.

21RUTH: Nan's birthday is on Sunday. I was going to ask her for money for the trainers.

22JOE: I don't want the trainers.

23RUTH: [Sitting slowly.] You always want the trainers.

24[A long pause. The lamp dims. The coat stays on its hook by the door.]

Key ideas

  • Dramatic irony is when the audience knows more than a character does.
  • Find the gap: what the audience knows, and what the character believes.
  • Explain the effect on tension, humour or sympathy.
Worked example 4.3.1
What does the audience know at line 20 that Ruth does not?

Method. Read the aside, then say what the audience now knows.

  1. Read the aside. Joe speaks to the audience, and says he should have kept the letter.
    I should have kept it in my bag
  2. Find what he means. The letter shows the truth about the fight.
    the letter shows the truth
  3. Name the gap. The audience knows the truth, but Ruth does not yet.
    the audience knows the truth
  4. Write the answer.
    Joe knows the letter reveals the truth about the fight

Check. The gap between audience and Ruth is named. ✓

Worked example 4.3.2
Which best describes dramatic irony in this scene? Choose one: the audience knows more than a character, the characters are all happy or a character lies to the audience only.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. Dramatic irony is the gap between what the audience knows and what a character believes.
    the audience knows more than a character fits
  3. Reject the other choices. The characters are not happy, and the scene has no lie told to the audience only.
    the characters are all happy and a character lies to the audience only do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    the audience knows more than a character

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 4.3.3
Explain one example of dramatic irony in the scene.

Method. Find the claim, then compare it with what the audience knows.

  1. Find the claim. Ruth says Joe told her he was at Ben's on Tuesday.
    You told me you were at Ben's on Tuesday
  2. Find what the audience knows. The letter shows the fight happened at school.
    Three days' exclusion
  3. Explain the irony. Ruth believes his story, but the audience knows the trouble was at school.
    the trouble was at school
  4. Write the answer.
    Ruth believes Joe was at Ben's, but the audience knows the trouble was at school

Check. The irony is shown by two lines. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: dramatic irony is not the same as a joke. It means the audience knows more than a character.

Exam tip

Exam tip. For irony, write what the character says, then what the audience knows, then the effect.

Exercise 4C  Practice: dramatic irony

1
FIn which line does Joe say the envelope is "nothing"? Write the number.
2
FWhat does the audience know that Ruth does not at line 18? Choose one: that Joe was excluded for fighting, that Ruth is tired or that the trainers cost money.
3
FInfer what the aside in line 20 tells the audience. Quote one phrase.
4
FExplain the dramatic irony in Ruth's line "Nothing important goes in the bin."
5
FCopy the words Ruth uses to say what Joe told her about Tuesday.
6
FWhat does trainers mean in the phrase "money for the trainers"? Write the meaning in your own words.
7
FWhich line is the strongest example of dramatic irony? Choose one: Your glass is empty, love., You told me you were at Ben's on Tuesday. or I don't want the trainers..
8
FWhich character speaks the aside in line 20? Write the name.
9
RExplain how dramatic irony makes the audience feel more tense.
10
FWhat is the effect of Ruth asking about the trainers? Choose one: it shows her ordinary plans are unconnected to the crisis, which the audience feels as a gap, it shows she is cheerful or it shows the play is a comedy.
11
FInfer what Joe thinks about the trainers. Quote one phrase.
12
RExplain how the audience's knowledge changes the way they hear Ruth's last line.
4.4

Asides and soliloquies

Year 9
Explain asides and soliloquies, and how each reveals a character's thoughts (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Asides and soliloquiesComing soon
Context. An aside is a brief remark to the audience that the other characters cannot hear. A soliloquy is a longer speech, given when a character is alone or seems to be, and it shows the character's thoughts. Shakespeare's Macbeth asks whether a dagger is real. The line is public domain.

Text 1: The coat on the hook (original one-act scene, numbered lines)

1[A kitchen, late at night. One lamp is on. JOE's school coat hangs on a hook by the door.]

2[RUTH comes in, still in her work uniform. She stops when she sees JOE at the table.]

3RUTH: You're up late.

4JOE: [Not turning round.] So are you.

5RUTH: I asked first.

6JOE: I was getting a drink.

7[RUTH looks at the empty glass on the table.]

8RUTH: Your glass is empty, love.

9JOE: I was going to fill it.

10[A pause. RUTH crosses to the coat and puts her hand in the pocket. She takes out an envelope and holds it up.]

11RUTH: Want to tell me what this is?

12JOE: [Quickly.] It's nothing. It's for the bin.

13RUTH: It says "Important: please return by Friday" on the front. Nothing important goes in the bin.

14JOE: Mum...

15[RUTH opens the envelope and reads. Her hand shakes.]

16RUTH: Three days' exclusion. For fighting.

17JOE: It wasn't a fight. He pushed me first.

18RUTH: [Quietly.] You told me you were at Ben's on Tuesday.

19JOE: I was. I went to Ben's after.

20[JOE, to the audience, aside.] I should have kept it in my bag.

21RUTH: Nan's birthday is on Sunday. I was going to ask her for money for the trainers.

22JOE: I don't want the trainers.

23RUTH: [Sitting slowly.] You always want the trainers.

24[A long pause. The lamp dims. The coat stays on its hook by the door.]

Text 2: Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 1 (public domain, Shakespeare, quoted briefly)

Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.

Key ideas

  • An aside is a short remark to the audience, not heard by the other characters.
  • A soliloquy is a longer speech by a character alone, which shows their inner thoughts.
  • Both reveal what a character thinks, but a soliloquy reveals more of the inner mind.
Worked example 4.4.1
What is an aside, and where is one in the scene?

Method. Find the stage direction that names the aside, then explain it.

  1. Find the direction. Line 20 says JOE, to the audience, aside.
    JOE, to the audience, aside.
  2. Read the remark. Joe says he should have kept the letter in his bag.
    I should have kept it in my bag
  3. Explain. An aside is a brief remark to the audience that others do not hear.
    a brief remark to the audience
  4. Write the answer.
    a brief remark to the audience, in line 20

Check. The aside is found and explained. ✓

Worked example 4.4.2
Which is a soliloquy? Choose one: a character alone speaking their thoughts, two characters arguing or a stage direction.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. A soliloquy is a speech given while a character is alone, showing their inner thoughts.
    a character alone speaking their thoughts fits
  3. Reject the other choices. Arguing is a dialogue, and a stage direction is an instruction, not a speech.
    two characters arguing and a stage direction do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    a character alone speaking their thoughts

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 4.4.3
Is "Is this a dagger which I see before me" a soliloquy? Explain.

Method. Decide whether the character is alone, then say what the speech reveals.

  1. Check the setting. Macbeth speaks while he is alone, questioning what he sees.
    Is this a dagger
  2. Find the thoughts. He asks whether the dagger is real, which shows his uncertainty.
    let me clutch thee
  3. Decide. It is a soliloquy, because he speaks his inner thoughts while alone.
    yes, because Macbeth is alone and speaks his thoughts aloud
  4. Write the answer.
    yes, because Macbeth is alone and speaks his thoughts aloud

Check. The soliloquy is supported by the setting and the thoughts. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: an aside is spoken to the audience, but a soliloquy is spoken alone. Do not mix them up.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Name the device, quote the words, and say what they reveal about the speaker's thoughts.

Exercise 4D  Practice: asides and soliloquies

1
FWhat does aside mean in the phrase "to the audience, aside"? Write the meaning in your own words.
2
FWhich character delivers the aside? Write the name.
3
FWhat is the difference between an aside and a soliloquy? Choose one: an aside is brief and to the audience, and a soliloquy is a longer speech when alone, an aside is longer or there is no difference.
4
FCopy the words Macbeth uses to ask whether the dagger is real.
5
FInfer Macbeth's state of mind from "let me clutch thee". Quote one phrase.
6
FIs "Is this a dagger which I see before me" a soliloquy? Choose one: yes, no or it is a stage direction.
7
FExplain what the soliloquy reveals about Macbeth's state of mind.
8
FWhat does clutch mean in the phrase "let me clutch thee"? Write the meaning in your own words.
9
FWhat is the effect of the aside in line 20 on the scene's tension? Choose one: it adds tension, because the audience sees Joe's guilt, it reduces tension or it introduces a new character.
10
FWrite one difference between Joe's aside and Macbeth's soliloquy in how each reveals thought.
11
FSummarise the thought Macbeth expresses in one sentence.
12
RJudge which device reveals more about the character: Joe's aside or Macbeth's speech. Give one reason.
4.5

Place in the whole play: tension and the climax of the play

Year 9
Explain how a scene fits into a whole play, and where tension peaks (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Place in the whole play: tension and the climax of the playComing soon
Context. "The Coat on the Hook" is one scene from a three-act play. The synopsis below gives the context. A scene does not stand alone: its tension depends on what has happened before, and on what the audience will learn later.

Synopsis: the family play (original)

Act 1: Joe is quiet at school, and money is short at home. Act 2: Ruth finds the exclusion letter in Joe's coat, and the family's trust is tested. Act 3: Joe and Ruth tell the truth to Nan, and the family decides together what happens next.

Key ideas

  • A scene must be read in its place in the whole play: what came before, and what comes after.
  • Tension peaks at the climax of the play, which may be in a different scene from the climax of one scene.
  • Moving a scene changes its effect, because the audience knows different things at different times.
Worked example 4.5.1
In which act does the scene fall, and why does that matter?

Method. Use the synopsis to find the act, then say what the act does.

  1. Find the act. Act 2: Ruth finds the exclusion letter.
    Act 2: Ruth finds the exclusion letter
  2. Check the act. Act 1 is the calm before the problem, and Act 3 is the resolution.
    the calm before the problem
  3. Explain the importance. The problem starts in the middle, so tension builds toward the third act.
    tension builds toward the third act
  4. Write the answer.
    Act 2, because the letter starts the family crisis in the middle of the play

Check. The act is found and its place explained. ✓

Worked example 4.5.2
In which act does the play's central tension peak, according to the synopsis? Choose one: Act 1, Act 2 or Act 3.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. Act 2 is where Ruth finds the letter, which is the turning point.
    Act 2 fits
  3. Reject the other choices. Act 1 is calm, and Act 3 is when the family decides, which is after the central tension.
    Act 1 and Act 3 do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    Act 2

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 4.5.3
What would happen to the tension if this scene were moved to Act 1?

Method. Think about what the audience knows at the start.

  1. Think about Act 1. Act 1 is when the family is quiet and money is short.
    money is short at home
  2. Think about the scene. The letter has not yet been found, so the reveal would have no build-up.
    no build-up
  3. Explain the effect. The tension would be weaker, because the audience would not know the problem.
    the audience would not yet understand the family problem
  4. Write the answer.
    the audience would not yet understand the family problem

Check. The effect of moving the scene is explained. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: do not say a scene is the climax of a play just because it has a dramatic reveal. Check the synopsis first.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Say where the scene sits (act), what came before, and what it sets up.

Exercise 4E  Practice: place in the whole play

1
FHow many acts does the synopsis describe? Write the number.
2
FIn which act does this scene fall? Choose one: Act 1, Act 2 or Act 3.
3
FCopy the words that describe Act 2 in the synopsis.
4
FIn which act are Joe and Ruth most likely to tell the truth to Nan? Choose one: Act 1, Act 2 or Act 3.
5
FSummarise Act 1 of the synopsis in one sentence.
6
FWhat does exclusion mean in the phrase "the exclusion letter"? Write the meaning in your own words.
7
RExplain why the audience would want to know what Joe did at school.
8
FWhat is the likely effect of moving this scene to the very opening of the play? Choose one: the family problem would be unknown, so the tension would be weaker, the audience would know everything at once or the scene would become a comedy.
9
FIn which act is the money problem mentioned in the synopsis? Write the act.
10
FWrite one sentence explaining how this scene connects Act 1 and Act 3.
11
RJudge where the tension peaks in the whole play. Give one reason.
4.6

Staging, design and directing a scene

Year 9
Evaluate staging and interpretation choices, and justify a directing plan (KS3 reading, R9)
Video lesson: Staging, design and directing a sceneComing soon
Context. A director decides how a scene looks, sounds and moves. The director may read the same line in different ways, and must justify each choice. A good directing note names the choice, the line it applies to, and the effect on the audience.

Text 1: The coat on the hook (original one-act scene, numbered lines)

1[A kitchen, late at night. One lamp is on. JOE's school coat hangs on a hook by the door.]

2[RUTH comes in, still in her work uniform. She stops when she sees JOE at the table.]

3RUTH: You're up late.

4JOE: [Not turning round.] So are you.

5RUTH: I asked first.

6JOE: I was getting a drink.

7[RUTH looks at the empty glass on the table.]

8RUTH: Your glass is empty, love.

9JOE: I was going to fill it.

10[A pause. RUTH crosses to the coat and puts her hand in the pocket. She takes out an envelope and holds it up.]

11RUTH: Want to tell me what this is?

12JOE: [Quickly.] It's nothing. It's for the bin.

13RUTH: It says "Important: please return by Friday" on the front. Nothing important goes in the bin.

14JOE: Mum...

15[RUTH opens the envelope and reads. Her hand shakes.]

16RUTH: Three days' exclusion. For fighting.

17JOE: It wasn't a fight. He pushed me first.

18RUTH: [Quietly.] You told me you were at Ben's on Tuesday.

19JOE: I was. I went to Ben's after.

20[JOE, to the audience, aside.] I should have kept it in my bag.

21RUTH: Nan's birthday is on Sunday. I was going to ask her for money for the trainers.

22JOE: I don't want the trainers.

23RUTH: [Sitting slowly.] You always want the trainers.

24[A long pause. The lamp dims. The coat stays on its hook by the door.]

Key ideas

  • Staging is the physical arrangement: lights, sound, position and movement.
  • Interpretation is the meaning a director gives to a line, which can be read in more than one way.
  • A directing note gives a choice, the line, and a reason.
Worked example 4.6.1
Give one staging choice for line 16 and its effect.

Method. Think about how the reveal can be shown to the audience.

  1. Find the reveal. Line 16 gives the punishment.
    Three days' exclusion
  2. Choose the staging. A spotlight on the envelope draws the eye.
    a spotlight on the envelope
  3. Explain the effect. The audience focuses on the reveal, which sharpens the tension.
    so the audience focuses on the reveal
  4. Write the answer.
    a spotlight on the envelope, so the audience focuses on the reveal

Check. The choice and its effect are given. ✓

Worked example 4.6.2
Which interpretation of Ruth's "You always want the trainers" is most sympathetic? Choose one: she is wearily affectionate, she is cruel or she is amused.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. Wearily affectionate suggests she loves Joe and is tired, which makes her sympathetic.
    she is wearily affectionate fits
  3. Reject the other choices. Cruel and amused do not match the tired, loving words the script gives her.
    she is cruel and she is amused do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    she is wearily affectionate

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 4.6.3
Why might a director have Ruth sit slowly at line 23?

Method. Think about what the movement shows about her feelings.

  1. Find the movement. Ruth sits slowly.
    Sitting slowly
  2. Read the feeling. A slow movement suggests tiredness and sadness.
    tiredness and sadness
  3. Explain the reason. It shows the moment when her anger gives way to defeat.
    to show defeat and exhaustion
  4. Write the answer.
    to show defeat and exhaustion

Check. The movement is linked to the feeling. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: an interpretation is a choice, not a fact. Give a reason from the script, and do not claim one reading is the only one.

Exam tip

Exam tip. For a directing note, write: the choice, the line, the reason, and the effect on the audience.

Exercise 4F  Practice: staging, design and directing

1
FWhich line contains the word Friday? Write the number.
2
FCopy the words that describe where the coat stays at the end.
3
FWhat does dims mean in the phrase "The lamp dims"? Write the meaning in your own words.
4
FWhich design choice would best show Joe's guilt? Choose one: a light on the coat, bright colours on the set or a loud sound.
5
FWhich line should the director pause for the longest? Write the number.
6
PSGive two interpretations of Ruth's line "You always want the trainers."
7
FWhich interpretation best fits the stage direction [Sitting slowly.]? Choose one: Ruth is worn out and has lost her anger, Ruth is about to leave or Ruth is dancing.
8
RWrite a directing note for Joe's line "Mum..." in one sentence.
9
RExplain how a director could use silence to show the tension between Ruth and Joe.
10
FExplain what the pause at line 10 suggests about Ruth's feelings.
11
RGive one staging choice for the lamp in line 24, and a reason.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
StructureName the stage (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution) and give one line
Stage directionsQuote the direction, say what it asks the actor to do, then what it shows
Dramatic ironyName what the character believes and what the audience knows, then the effect
Aside and soliloquyAn aside is brief and to the audience; a soliloquy is longer and given alone
Place in the playName the act, what came before, and what the scene sets up
DirectingGive the choice, the line, the reason and the effect on the audience

Can you…?

  • I can name each stage of a dramatic structure and find the climax
  • I can explain what a stage direction signals
  • I can explain dramatic irony and what the audience knows
  • I can tell an aside from a soliloquy
  • I can place a scene in the whole play
  • I can write a directing note with a reason and two interpretations

Key terms

climax
the moment of greatest tension in a play
exposition
the start of a play, which sets the scene and characters
stage direction
an instruction to the actors about how to move, speak or act
dramatic irony
when the audience knows more than a character does
aside
a brief remark spoken to the audience, not heard by other characters
soliloquy
a longer speech given by a character who is alone on stage
staging
the physical arrangement of a performance, including lights and movement
interpretation
a reading of what a line or scene means

Exercise 4Z  Check-up

1
Which stage of structure is the reveal in line 16? Choose one: climax, exposition or resolution.
2
In which line does Ruth first mention Nan's birthday? Write the number.
3
What does exclusion mean in the phrase "Three days' exclusion"? Write the meaning in your own words.
4
Infer Joe's attitude to the trainers. Quote one phrase.
5
What does the direction [Quickly.] in line 12 signal? Choose one: urgency, calm or humour.
6
What is the name of the speech that Macbeth gives alone on stage? Write one word.
7
Which act is the letter found in? Choose one: Act 1, Act 2 or Act 3.
8
Copy the words that describe the lamp at the end.
9
Summarise the scene in one sentence.
10
Give one reason a director might use the direction [A long pause.] at the end.

Total 22 marks. Allow about 22 minutes.

Exercise 4X  Practice test questions

1
FCopy the line that gives the punishment Joe has been given, exactly as written.[1 mark]
2
FWrite the number of the line that is the climax of the scene.[1 mark]
3
RExplain what the direction [Quietly.] in line 18 tells the actor and the audience about Ruth. Write one sentence.[2 marks]
4
RExplain one example of dramatic irony in the scene. Use a quotation.[3 marks]
5
RExplain the difference between the aside in line 20 and the soliloquy from Macbeth. One sentence.[2 marks]
6
RExplain which act the scene falls in, and why that matters to the play's tension.[3 marks]
7
PSGive one staging choice for the lamp in line 24, and explain its effect on the audience.[3 marks]
8
PSGive two different interpretations of Ruth's line "You always want the trainers."[3 marks]
9
FSummarise the synopsis of Act 1 in one sentence.[2 marks]
10
RExplain how a director could use silence to show the tension in the scene. One sentence.[2 marks]
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