Multi-roling, Narrators, and Gestus
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AQA Focus: Brechtian Technique & Physical Theatre
In the AQA Cooke version, the ensemble plays dozens of roles (teachers, police, reporters, Nought terrorists). You must explain how to use your acting skills to instantly switch characters in front of the audience.
Change your accent and pitch instantly. Play a Cross police officer with a booming, Received Pronunciation (RP) accent, then spin around and play a Nought rebel with a fast, hushed, regional dialect.
Change your Gestus. Walk with a heavy, stomping tread for a Cross, and a light, scurrying walk for a Nought. Add a single costume item (like putting on a cap) in full view of the audience to signify the change.
Status: Low (Nought) | Journey: Innocence to Radicalisation
Callum’s physical journey demonstrates how systemic oppression destroys innocence. He transforms from an eager student into an emotionless member of the Liberation Militia.
Act 1: Fast pace, higher pitch, and enthusiastic tone.
Act 2: Monotone, slow pace, and heavy use of pause to show his emotional detachment.
Gestus: Initially uses a defensive folding of the arms and a downward gaze with Cross figures. By the end, this shifts to a rigid, military stance.
Status: High (Cross) | Journey: Naivety to Defiance
Sephy begins with massive social privilege but absolute naivety. Her physical journey is about shedding her sheltered posture and learning to use her Cross status to fight the system.
Act 1: Light, airy tone with rising intonation.
Act 2: Sharp, definitive articulation and increased volume when confronting her father.
Proxemics: Initially moves fluidly, unaware of segregation "rules". Later, she learns to use spatial dominance (standing upstage-center) to wield her Cross authority.
AQA Focus: Breaking the Fourth Wall
In Story Theatre, characters frequently step out of the scene to speak directly to the audience. You must explain how an actor physically transitions between being "in the scene" and being "the narrator".
When playing the character, maintain natural eye contact with the other actors. When shifting to Narrator, snap your head downstage and use direct, prolonged eye contact with the audience.
This Brechtian technique prevents the audience from passively watching. By speaking directly to them, the actor forces the audience to actively judge the systemic racism taking place on stage.
Status: Maximum (Cross)
Kamal is the physical embodiment of the oppressive state. He should be played with immense, unbending authority.
Slow, measured pace. Pristine RP accent. He never needs to shout because he expects to be obeyed instantly.
Upright, expansive posture. He takes up space effortlessly and often forces other actors to move around him, dictating the proxemics of the stage.
Status: Low (Nought)
Jude is a bundle of violent, kinetic energy. He lacks Callum's early empathy and is entirely consumed by his rage against the Crosses.
Harsh, plosive articulation. Fast pace, often stumbling over his words out of anger. High volume.
Hunched, aggressive posture. He paces constantly like a caged animal. Uses sharp, unpredictable gestures to intimidate those around him.
Use these pre-structured sentences in your AQA exam to guarantee you are hitting the correct Brechtian acting terminology.
| Acting Choice (What) | Impact Justification (Why) | Key Terminology |
|---|---|---|
| When the actor transitions into their "Narrator" role, I would direct them to break the fourth wall and use direct, prolonged eye contact with the audience. | This Brechtian technique forces the audience to stop passively watching the story and actively judge the systemic racism being discussed in the monologue. | Narrator Fourth Wall Direct Address Brechtian |