Topic 2

The piece lasts for approximately 6 minutes.

The three texts chosen are Byron's Lines Inscribed Upon a Skull, Blanche from A Streetcar Named Desire, and a Hamlet soliloquy. None are identified in the performance by author or title, with just one of the three likely to be recognisable to most audiences without being named. The recording has some imperfections in sound and vision and is somewhat distant from the performer. These issues do not impact on marking but show the need for recording checks prior to final performance, and for a stable camera and lighting. The recording starts abruptly at a distance with the face blurred and the opening words ("Start not") are not entirely clear. The candidate's theme is 'Insanity'. Although it is not clear that all three extracts clearly relate to the theme, leaving the audience to infer relevance to the first and third texts, which are not given individual introductions. The candidate's one linking statement made between the first and second extract discusses the range of interpretations of the term, linking it to the second extract. The skull on the pedestal does not have any direct relation to any of the extracts (the Byron poem is about a cup formed from a skull, and the Hamlet soliloquy is not the one which relates to a skull) and the candidate does not include it in her performance or direct her attention towards it. Staging is not marked in this component, but there is an expectation that items chosen to enhance the presentation 'will not distract from the primary focus of the task on performance skills' (syllabus page 33). The candidate places herself centre stage and performs to the front purposefully throughout.