GCSE Drama - The Crucible by Arthur Miller UPDATED version of this presentation on the 12 mark question

1. Week commencing 23-03 Y10 Drama
Welcome
• This week we are going to focus
on the 12 mark Director
question.
• The extract from The Crucible
we are focussing on is P122-123
• There will be tasks to try to do
and then to attempt the
question under timed
conditions.
You will need:
• Your exercise book
• Pen and ruler
• A copy of the text if you have
one, otherwise you can read the
extract in the following pages of
this presentation.
• Digital Theatre Plus

2. Example 2 - Exam Question (b) (ii)
EXTRACT PAGES: 122-123
Proctor feels partly responsible
for the hangings.
As a Director, discuss how the
performer playing this role
might demonstrate his feelings
to the audience in this extract
and the complete play.
You must consider:
•Voice
•Physicality
•Stage directions and stage
space
(12 marks)
• Answering the question
• Worth 12 marks, so spend 15
minutes on this question.
• Voice- delivery of specific
lines, tone, pitch, pace and
pause
• Physicality – levels, gestures,
facial expressions, body
language, posture, subtext
• Stage directions and stage
space – consider the physical
stage space and any
restrictions, levels and
proxemics
This is an
example of a
12 mark
question.
Note that you
are answering
as a Director,
which will
change your
responses
slightly. Note
also you are
told which
character,
some
information
about their
characteristics,
and the three
main areas to
focus on.

3. Proctor’s ‘Responsibility’
• Why is Proctor partly to blame?
• What could he have done
sooner?
• Why didn’t he do this?
• Who does he ask to judge him?
• How might a performer show
inner conflict through their
performance skills?
• EXTRACT FOCUS – 122-123
• Firstly read the extract which
follows and make notes on the
questions opposite.
• You might wish to talk the last
one through with members of
your family to get more than
your own opinion.

4. Planning for the 12 mark question
• Remember this question asks about the extract and the .play as a whole.
VOCAL PHYSICAL STAGE SPACE
WHAT
HOW
WHY
Aim to complete all
areas of the table.
You know lots of vocal
and physical skills, so
it’s a case of selecting
ones which would best
fit the question. Use the
text extract for the
stage directions too
Draw out the table
to plan how to
answer this
question. We
began this in class
but were unable to
complete the task!
Pay attention to the
stage directions
Miller includes –
they can be very
helpful to
Directors.
Include some
examples about
Proctor from other
parts of the play
too.

5. Planning for the 12 mark question
• Remember this question asks about the extract and the .play as a whole.
VOCAL PHYSICAL STAGE SPACE
WHA 1. Pace of my speech
2. Intonation
HOW 1. Slower
2. questioning, pleading – ‘Giles’
wife? Has she confessed?
WHY 1. Exhaustion from being in jail,
John’s spirit is almost broken
2. He is desperate for news
especially of those he knows and
is closer to, hopeful they have
been saved.

6. Planning for the 12 mark question
• Remember this question asks about the extract and the .play as a whole.
VOCAL PHYSICAL STAGE SPACE
WHA 1. Pace of my speech
2. Intonation
Pace of my movements
Use of Gestures
Change of level
HOW 1. Slower
2. questioning, pleading – ‘Giles’
wife? Has she confessed?
WHY 1. Exhaustion from being in jail,
John’s spirit is almost broken
2. He is desperate for news
especially of those he knows and
is closer to, hopeful they have
been saved.

7. Once you have planned what to write, have a go at the question.
Use the exam timings – this 12 mark question should take you 20
minutes
EXTRACT PAGES: 122-123
Proctor feels partly responsible for the hangings.
As a Director, discuss how the performer playing this role might
demonstrate his feelings to the audience in this extract and the
complete play.
You must consider:
•Voice
•Physicality
•Stage directions and stage space
(12 marks)

9. How do I check my progress?
• This is what I am considering at the
moment as we try to manage the
situation:
• What is probably easier is that I
write a model answer and go
through it step by step in our next
lesson which I will post later this
week.
• You can then mark your own work
accordingly and know how you
have achieved.
• The alternative would mean
multiple emails coming in which
could be unmanageable and
possibly not as helpful.
• I do think that we may have to
explore that avenue in time, but
let’s try it like this for now.
• THANK YOU for bearing with this
situation, everyone at the school is
behind you and supporting you.

10. Welcome to Lesson 2
• Now that you have done your
preparation in the form of the
table in the previous lesson, we
shall look firstly at a model
answer and where the marks are
given.
• Then you will do your own, using
the timings recommended by
the exam board.
• You can email me your work as a
word file. This means I can mark
it and email it back to you with
my comments and marks. I
actually prefer this to marking
books!
• I will update my records with
your marks so that your progress
is still kept up to date.
• How to email?

11. Emailing staff
• If you don’t already know, this is
really easy.
• You MUST use your student
email.
• This is the year which you
started, which for Y10 was
2016,and then your name and
then
@students.stratfordschool.co.uk
• Example Joe Bloggs is in Y10 and
his email address is
• 16jbloggs@students.stratfordschool.co.uk
• A couple of students have been in
touch already using their student
email, so it definitely works!
• On with the worked example…

12. The 12 mark Director Question
• There are 12 marks available, so
you are looking to create 2
examples for each of the areas
mentioned –
voice/physicality/stage space
• As a starter, you could create
revision cards on these topics. On
one side write the key word e.g.
VOCAL SKILLS and on the reverse
write as many ways in which a
performer can use their voice to
create meaning.
Proctor feels partly responsible for
the hangings.
As a Director, discuss how the
performer playing this role might
demonstrate his feelings to the
audience in this extract and the
complete play.
You must consider:
•Voice
•Physicality
•Stage directions and stage space
(12 marks)

13. Worked example –
I need to ensure that my ideas are consistent with the way in which the question has indicated Proctor
to feel at this point – ‘responsible for the hangings’ Also – refer to points in the extract AND write like
the Director.
Voice Firstly, to demonstrate Proctor’s sense of responsibility I would ask the performer to use the pace
of their vocal delivery. This should for the most part be slower than in previous scenes, reflecting
his weariness and the weight of his guilty feelings.
Voice They should also make use of emphasis. On the line ‘ What would you have me do’ they should
place emphasis on the word ‘you’ to show that Proctor wants more than anything is Elizabeth’s
approval.
Physical Proctor should use his eye contact, which would be aimed downward mostly, to show his
emotions of regret. Previously in the play he would be much more direct with his eye contact as
he challenges authority. Now he feels he could have acted sooner to prevent many deaths.
Physical In addition his gestures – trying to grasp at what is unreachable, would reflect him trying to come
to terms with the scale of the crisis the community are faced with. These too would be slower
and less aggressive than in pervious Acts.
Space When Elizabeth informs him of Giles death, Proctor should use proxemics by moving closer to
her. Giles was a close friend and this would be a great loss to him.
space Because of this he could also sink slowly to his knees, using this change of level to signify the
shock of hearing this news, which has happened since he has been in jail.

14. Worked example further explained.
Using What/How/Why – where are the marks achieved?
Voice Firstly, to demonstrate Proctor’s sense of responsibility I would ask the performer to use the pace of their
vocal delivery. This should for the most part be slower than in previous scenes, reflecting his weariness
and the weight of his guilty feelings.
Voice They should also make use of emphasis. On the line ‘ What would you have me do’ they should place
emphasis on the word ‘you’ to show that Proctor wants more than anything is Elizabeth’s approval.
Physical Proctor should use his eye contact, which would be aimed downward mostly, to show his emotions of
regret. Previously in the play he would be much more direct with his eye contact as he challenges
authority. Now he feels he could have acted sooner to prevent many deaths.
Physical In addition his gestures – trying to grasp at what is unreachable, would reflect him trying to come to
terms with the scale of the crisis the community are faced with. These too would be slower and less
aggressive than in pervious Acts.
Space When Elizabeth informs him of Giles death, Proctor should use proxemics by moving closer to her. Giles
was a close friend and this would be a great loss to him.
space Because of this he could also sink slowly to his knees, using this change of level to signify the shock of
hearing this news, which has happened since he has been in jail.

15. Now your turn
• Your task now therefore is to complete your own
answer to this question, based on the extract given
in this presentation.
• Try to avoid using the model answer – but in truth
I would rather you practiced copying that out than
do nothing at all.
• Remember refer to the extract AND other points in
the play.
• At this time it is better that 95% of you do 50% of
the work, than 50% of you do 95% of the work.
Deadline information
• All submissions must be made via email by
Monday 30th March.
• I will then return them to you ASAP by email using
your student email.
• Do not use personal email addresses when
contacting staff.
• Further information can be found via the school
website.
• Please continue to engage with the blog and use
the comments if anything is unclear, or email me.
• Looking forward to reading your responses – well
done to the student who has already done it and
scored 12/12! Very impressive.