Writing About the Text as a Playscript
English Lit: Edexcel IGCSE The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, topic 2.1.1
Writing About the Text as a Playscript
The most effective way to address Assessment Objective 2 (AO2) (commenting upon form, structure and language) is to consider the text as a play, a text intended to be performed in theatres.
Innovative dramatic techniques
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is famed for its innovative use of dramatic techniques which are intended to create an immersive experience for audiences.
- Lighting, music, video projections, sound effects, dance and other devices are all used to create a theatrical experience that tries to create a world as seen from the viewpoint of a teenager with Asperger Syndrome.
Example -
- The most recent National Theatre production warned its audience that the production contained “strobe lighting, smoke effects, high-intensity video and light effects and loud sound effects” which may not be suitable for all audience members.
Use the stage directions
- When writing about the text, try to refer to these dramatic elements of the play wherever relevant.
- Stephens’ stage directions describe how some of these dramatic devices are used in the play.
- His stage directions are a particularly useful starting point for helping you comment upon the writer’s methods.
Test yourself on Writing About the Text as a Playscript
What's the best way to consider the text in order to address Assessment Objective 2 (AO2)?
What's a good starting point for commenting on the dramatic devices used in the play?