Whole-play study — AS & A Level Drama (9482) questions by topic
Directing or performing key relationships in The Seagull, Blood Wedding, Simon Stephens's play about Christopher and his unusual perception of the world, or Boom across two or more sections of the play makes up this whole-play-study page's 30 questions, drawn from 2023 to 2025 papers and marked at 60. Explain is the sole command word, but it demands sustained justification of directorial or performance choices tied to specific moments.
Because these are single long essays rather than short-answer items, draft a full response covering both chosen sections and submit it for instant marking to see how the scheme distinguishes a descriptive account from one that genuinely conveys character or relationship.
What examiners look for
- Examiners repeatedly note a lack of directorial focus, with many answers adopting a descriptive approach instead, and candidates selecting sections at random rather than ones that conveyed contrasting character traits.
- A recurring criticism is candidates writing about a character's 'neurodiversity' in general terms rather than specific traits such as intelligence, obsessiveness or rigid likes and dislikes, and giving too little precise stage detail for the ensemble.
- Strong answers, according to the reports, conveyed an overview of a long-standing relationship and offered inventive interpretations of specific scenes, such as manipulation through flattery followed by dismissal.
- Reports praise candidates who identified contrasting aspects of a character, such as fatherly care set against duplicitousness, and who fully embraced the ensemble by planning judicious moments for it in advance.
- Strong answers also referred to concrete details such as a character's struggle with new technology, encounters with strangers, and panic at losing a companion.
May–June 2025, Paper 11
Oedipus Rex – Sophocles. EITHER (a) As a designer, explain how you would use one or more design element(s) to create your intended effects in two separate sections of the play.
Answer this question and get it marked →The Government Inspector – Nikolai Gogol. EITHER (a) How would you perform the role of the JUDGE in two or more separate sections of the play to highlight his corrupt nature?
Answer this question and get it marked →The Cherry Orchard – Anton Chekhov. EITHER (a) How would you direct two or more sections of the play to highlight the heartache experienced by different characters due to…
Answer this question and get it marked →Blood Wedding – Federico García Lorca. EITHER (a) How would you want the audience to respond to the BRIDE in two separate sections? Explain how your performance would achieve your…
Answer this question and get it marked →Boom – Jean Tay. EITHER (a) How would you perform the role of the CORPSE in two or more separate sections of the play to achieve your intended dramatic effects?
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 12
Oedipus Rex – Sophocles. EITHER (a) How would you perform the role of OEDIPUS in two or more sections of the play to reveal different aspects of his character?
Answer this question and get it marked →The Government Inspector – Nikolai Gogol. EITHER (a) How would you direct two or more separate sections of the play to reveal the nature of the relationship between KHLESTAKOV and…
Answer this question and get it marked →The Cherry Orchard – Anton Chekhov. EITHER (a) Explain how your set design for two sections, taken from different Acts, would be appropriate to the action, style and period of the…
Answer this question and get it marked →Blood Wedding – Federico García Lorca. EITHER (a) How would you direct two separate sections where the BRIDE and LEONARDO interact to convey your interpretation of their feelings…
Answer this question and get it marked →Boom – Jean Tay. EITHER (a) How would you direct two separate sections of the play to highlight the cynicism expressed by the ESTATE AGENTS and/or the DIRECTOR towards ordinary…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 13
Oedipus Rex – Sophocles. EITHER (a) How would you perform the role of OEDIPUS in two or more sections of the play to reveal different aspects of his character?
Answer this question and get it marked →The Government Inspector – Nikolai Gogol. EITHER (a) How would you direct two or more separate sections of the play to reveal the nature of the relationship between KHLESTAKOV and…
Answer this question and get it marked →The Cherry Orchard – Anton Chekhov. EITHER (a) Explain how your set design for two sections, taken from different Acts, would be appropriate to the action, style and period of the…
Answer this question and get it marked →Blood Wedding – Federico García Lorca. EITHER (a) How would you direct two separate sections where the BRIDE and LEONARDO interact to convey your interpretation of their feelings…
Answer this question and get it marked →Boom – Jean Tay. EITHER (a) How would you direct two separate sections of the play to highlight the cynicism expressed by the ESTATE AGENTS and/or the DIRECTOR towards ordinary…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 11
Medea – Euripides. EITHER (a) Explain how you would direct the CHORUS, in two or more separate sections of the play, to convey their concern and fears for Medea. This is one of…
Answer this question and get it marked →Tartuffe – Molière. EITHER (a) Explain how your direction of two separate sections involving either MADAME PERNELLE or VALERE would contribute to the comedy of your production.…
Answer this question and get it marked →The Seagull – Anton Chekhov. EITHER (a) How would you direct two or three separate sections of interaction between NINA and TRIGORIN to convey the development of their…
Answer this question and get it marked →The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Simon Stephens. EITHER (a) How would you perform the role of CHRISTOPHER, in two or more separate sections of the play, to…
Answer this question and get it marked →Snow in Midsummer – Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig. EITHER (a) How would you direct TIANYUN and FEI FEI, in two or more sections of the play, to convey the nature of their relationship to…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 12
Medea – Euripides. EITHER (a) Explain how you would direct the CHORUS, in two or more separate sections of the play, to convey their concern and fears for Medea. This is one of…
Answer this question and get it marked →Tartuffe – Molière. EITHER (a) Explain how your direction of two separate sections involving either MADAME PERNELLE or VALERE would contribute to the comedy of your production.…
Answer this question and get it marked →The Seagull – Anton Chekhov. EITHER (a) How would you direct two or three separate sections of interaction between NINA and TRIGORIN to convey the development of their…
Answer this question and get it marked →The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Simon Stephens. EITHER (a) How would you perform the role of CHRISTOPHER, in two or more separate sections of the play, to…
Answer this question and get it marked →Snow in Midsummer – Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig. EITHER (a) How would you direct TIANYUN and FEI FEI, in two or more sections of the play, to convey the nature of their relationship to…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 13
Medea – Euripides. EITHER (a) Explain how your staging of two separate sections of the play might horrify your audience. You may refer to your direction of the actors and/or your…
Answer this question and get it marked →Tartuffe – Molière. EITHER (a) Explain how your performance of ORGON would highlight the absurdity of his character in two sections where he interacts with family members. This is…
Answer this question and get it marked →The Seagull – Anton Chekhov. EITHER (a) How would you direct ARKADINA and TRIGORIN, in two or more separate sections of the play where they appear together, to convey the nature…
Answer this question and get it marked →The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Simon Stephens. EITHER (a) How would you direct two separate sections of the play to show contrasting aspects of ED's…
Answer this question and get it marked →Snow in Midsummer – Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig. EITHER (a) How would you perform the role of MADAM WONG, in two or more separate sections, to highlight the complexity of her character?…
Answer this question and get it marked →