Examiner’s say the Indicative content for a performer focused question could include [remember you wouldn’t be expected to cover it all!!]

• physical appearance, age, height, build, colouring, facial features
• vocal qualities, pitch, pace, tone, accent
• delivery of specific lines: interaction with others, eye contact, spatial relationships, physical contact
• use of space
• Their relationship with other KEY characters
• movement, gesture, gait, posture, energy, demeanour and facial expressions
• style/use of costume/make-up; of props and accessories
• specific performance ideas clearly calculated to reveal the specified interpretation in key scenes.

SAMPLE PERFORMER QUESTIONS

Acting style questions:

Activity #1 Read and discuss what the difference between these types of question are?

1. As a performer, discuss how you would perform the role of XXXX in two sections of the play in order to convey your interpretation of the character to the audience. You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of So2M in your answer.
2. As a performer, discuss the comic effects you would wish to create through your presentation of XXXX. How would you perform the role in at least two sections in order to achieve your aims? You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of So2M in your answer.

Activity #2 [With you allocated character]

THINK – PAIR – SHARE

What stock character(s) do they fall into?

How would you play him? (age, appearance, costume, prop)

Where’s your character from?

Your interpretation – using Social and Historic CONTXT to JUSTIFY

How would they MOVE and SPEAK? (overview – most of the time.)

Activity #3

Write an introduction paragraph that would go AFTER the GENERIC ONE.

What other Pearls of Wisdom (Historic, Social, Cultural) can you think of to work into your answer?

Characters to cover: Brighella, Smeraldina, Beatrice/Federigo, Florindo,

Activity #4

Make a plan of the 2-3 ‘GO TO’ scenes that would give COMPLETE answer.

Activity #5

Write 2 para graphs (samples)

One from EACH section you have chosen.

You can do this either

1. Individually
2. As a small group with ONE scribe but everyone contributing ideas and sentences.

This will be written up in an ICT Room and made available to EVERYONE on the STUDENT SHARED AREA. {so make it your best effort – logical structure, quotes, occasional Pearls of Wisdom and LOTS of acting terminology}

Activity # 6

You present your Introduction to the class as a lecture.

Someone speaking / reading and the other(s) acting out

SERVANT TO 2 MASTERS – Sample questions A level

[Answer 1 from 2 ]*If you’re lucky you’ll get a choice of performer and a director

YOU WOULD NEVER DO A DESIGN QUESTION

Acting style questions:

• As a performer, discuss how you would perform the role of XXXX in two sections of the play in order to convey your interpretation of the character to the audience. You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of So2M in your answer.

• As a performer, discuss the effects you would wish to create through your presentation of XXXX. How would you perform the role in at least two sections in order to achieve your aims? You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of So2M in your answer.

• As a performer, discuss how you would want your audience to respond to the role of XXXX in the course of the play. How would you perform the role in at least two sections of the play in order to achieve your aims? You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of So2M in your answer.

These questions MAY seem the same but there are subtle differences? What are they? [TIP: Extract the key words that are different – and discuss in pairs.]

Directing style questions:

• As a director discuss the production or performance methods you would employ in at least two sections of the play in order to create the sense of farce required by the play. You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of So2M in your answer.

• As a director, discuss the production and/or performance methods you would employ in order to create your preferred effects in at least two sections of the play. You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of So2M in your answer.

• As a director, discuss the production methods you would employ in order to create comedy in at least two sections of the play. You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of So2M in your answer.

* Use the indicative content sections of the Mark Scheme to guide students.

Students must demonstrate an understanding of:

1. a directorial or performance perspective
2. a clear focus on the creation of preferred effects
3. directorial or performance ideas calculated to create the effects in at least two sections of the play
4. reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of the play.

Additionally, in common with all questions in this section the question demands:

• a creative overview
• appropriate selection of textual illustrations.

The following questions should test your basic understanding of how the final Act (3) of ‘A Servant of 2 Masters’ wraps up all the plot strands from the earlier parts of the play.

1. What is a lazzi and what would you call the lazzi that Truffaldino does at the start of Act 3?
2. What story does Truffaldino spin to cover up the mix up with the portrait and notebook.
3. Thinking the other is dead what do Florindo and Beatrice/Ferderigo do?
4. Who saves them?
5. What is Florindo and Beatrice’s plan to get back to Turin (where Florindo killed Ferderigo in a dual)?
6. Who does Truffaldino blame to avoid getting punished by his 2 masters?
7. What help does Truffaldino want from Florindo? What’s Florindo’s reaction?
8. Does Clarice take Silvio back quickly? How does she react with Silvio. Give 1-2 examples.
9. What is the confusion surrounding Truffaldino and Smeraldina in the last scene? Explain the way the Masters deal with it.
10. Who get the last word and what is it about?

Comprehension of Act 3 – Answers:

1. What is a lazzi and what would you call the lazzo that Truffaldino does at the start of Act 3? [2]

A lazzi is a piece of comic business left up to the actor to create [1]. The lazzo in Act 3 Sc 1 involves Truffaldino unpacking both Beatrice and Florindo’s trucks and getting all the clothes mixed up. The lazzo of the 2 chests / mixing up of the Master’s clothes.[1]

• What story does Truffaldino spin to cover up the mix up with the portrait and notebook. [2]

The portrait was given to Truff in a will (inherited it upon the death of his master – Beatrice/Federigo.) [1]The notebook was left to Truff. when his master Florindo drowned in a canal. [1]

• Thinking the other is dead what do Florindo and Beatrice/Ferderigo do? [1]

They plan to hang themselves

• Who saves them? [1]

Brighella – who jokes that there’s a charge for committing suicide in his inn.

• What is Florindo and Beatrice’s plan to get back to Turin (where Florindo killed Ferderigo in a dual)? [1]

Beatrice has gathered enough money from business dealings with Pantaloon, to be able to pay any fine that may be imposed on Florindo in Turin for killing Federigo in a duel.

• Who does Truffaldino blame to avoid getting punished by his 2 masters? What’s Florindo’s reaction? [2]

Truffaldino blames the mix up on Pasqual. [1] He says he will be beaten for Pasqual’s mistakes, which impresses Florindo [1]

• What help does Truffaldino want from Florindo? [1]

Truff. want Florindo to speak for him in asking Pantaloon/ Clarice for Smeraldina’s hand in marriage (servants weren’t allowed to do this on their own if the woman was a servant to a Master)

• Does Clarice take Silvio back quickly? How does she react with Silvio 1-2 examples [2]

Clarice does not take back Silvio immediately. [1} She makes Silvio grovel [1] and she insults him to make him feel all the more guilty – then she accepts him back. [1]

• What is the confusion surrounding Truffaldino and Smeraldina in the last scene? Explain the way the Masters deal with it. [2]

Supposedly there are 2 servants (Truff and Pasqual) who want to marry Smeraldina.[1] To solve the problem neither is given permission which makes Truff. come clean that Pasqaul was just a made up servant. [1]

• Who get the last word [1] and what’s it about? [2]

Truffaldino get a sonnet (verse) [1] In it he asks forgiveness of his Masters and pleads (for the sake of LOVE) for them to give him a happy ending – ‘he’ll now serve Smeraldina [2]

Total     ? / 18

As a performer, discuss how you would want your audience to respond to the role of Brighella in the course of the play. How would you perform the role in at least two sections of the play in order to achieve your aims? You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of So2M in your answer.

For this question – develop an essay plan.

• Work out what you would say in the Introduction
• Know what 3-4 aims /points you wish to get across
• Work out which your 2 ‘sections’ will be.

Introductions – TIPS

• A good place to drop in historic and social ‘pearls of wisdom. (E.g. what stock type is your character, their origins, how has Goldoni changed the character,
• Mention your ‘interpretation’ and your actor’s ‘intention/aims’. [how old are they, how would they be dressed, what traits are you going to focus on revealing.
• No need to list the scenes you will use [you can do that at the start of each paragraph] or state general plot. Plot detail needs to be relevant to your character.

[GENERIC OPENING] ‘A Servant to 2 masters’ (1745) is a fast moving comedy written by Carlo Goldoni towards the end of the 200 year period when Commedia dell’Arte was the most popular theatre form in Europe. It features instantly recognisable stock characters who are “an exaggerated mirror of Italian society” [Didi Hopkins]

As a director for Dr Lombardi and Pantaloon, discuss how you would create comedy in TWO sections of the play where they appear together. You must make specific reference to the social/historic and/or cultural context of ‘The Servant of 2 Masters’ in your answer.

Your answer needs to contain an Introduction (both a quick generic one for the play in general and a specific one explaining your directorial concept/aims. ]

Then a Body of 4-6 paragraphs that ‘zoom in’ on the ‘go-to moments’. This is the bit where you have to use the terminology of acting and directing. A short conclusion if time allows.

You must have quotes.

You must work in your historic/ social knowledge into your writing – NOT just bolt it on to your Introduction.

SAMPLE WRITING:

[Generic opening] ‘The Servant of Two Masters’ is a fast-paced comedy written by Carlo Goldoni in 1746 and strongly influenced by the style of Commedia dell’Arte.  The play is populated with exaggerated stock characters like masters, lovers and servants, who were “an exaggerated mirror of Italian society” – Didi Hopkins. 

[Specific Introduction] As the director of the Old Men (Il Vecchi), I would aim to show the disintegration of an old friendship. I would use the traditional qualities of Dr Lombardi and Pantaloon to create outrageous parodies, use physical comic violence and props and create moments of uncharacteristic behaviour to create comedy.

(Body) Paragraph structure – Point – Example – Explain (what, how, why)

In Act 2 Scene 1, Pantaloon attempts to tell the Dr. that the engagement between Silvio and Clarice is off, but  he cannot get a word in edgeways.  I will direct Dr L. to use a raised hand to silence Pantaloon and increase the volume of the first word of his next line drawing out the word to add greater importance to it – e.g: “S T O P!, I know exactly what…” This is intended to silence Pantaloon  and drown him out. Pantaloon will get increasingly exasperated, rolls his eyes and huff and sigh. It will be funny as the Dr is unaware of Pantaloon’s behaviour as I will position him downstage. As the scene progresses and Pantaloon cannot finish his sentences: “Well actually…” and ” If you’ll allow me to speak…” I’d direct Pantaloon to show his increasing exasperation by making some gestures: looking at his watch attached to his waistcoat and using his hands to mimic the Dr’s mouth and endless talking. In this up stage position I can direct Pantaloon to upstage the Dr. The Comedy will be generated by the impudence of the ridiculing as well as the exaggerated ‘pompous and verbose’ qualities of Dr Lombardi.

When the Dr breaks into Latin, (a common trait which reveals him as an academic who has had a University education) I will direct him to stride around the front of the stage as if giving a lecture using a posh R.P accent, focusing on the audience and drawing out his vowels in order to sound impressive. This parody of a ‘know-it-all’ presents his pompous and pedantic traits. I would seek to create comedy from his exaggerated mannerisms, his physicality and his lack of understanding regarding the feelings of others – “He knows everything about everything, but understands nothing” – Ninian Kinnar-Wilson.   His lack of awareness of what Pantaloon is doing behind him, should make the audience laugh at him.

To finish the scene I will direct Pantaloon to act like a child involved in playground bickering. He will illustrate the line, “The wart on the end of my arse is worth more than the entire house of Lombardi.” As he does so he’ll wiggle his bum in the direction of a shocked Dr L. He’ll stress the word ‘arse’ and generally deliver the final speech in a heightened state of agitation. All this will be comic as we do not expect this type of behaviour and language coming from a 70 year old ‘honest tradesman of my nation.’ (Goldoni)