Commentary Samples
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what exactly is the Commentary?
examiner's comments on the commentary (GREAT ADVICE!!!)
...time and time again, one little niggling section adversely affects the possible marks for our students and this is the HL Section 3 – the commentary/report. The Subject guide (SG) page 29 simply describes Section 3 as ” a commentary on any of the aspects of the proposed performance” and lists “Philosphical rational, Socio-historical influences, Traditional/cultural influences and Possible impacts and resonances”. This description in itself does little to tell us what is required, giving only the minimal detail. To gain sharper focus of how marks can be obtained in this section, one must unpick the final element of the actual marking criteria. This asks for evidence of rising degrees of “understanding of practical effects of philosophical rational, socio-historical influences, traditional/cultural influences or possible impacts and resonances of the proposed performance” (SG p37/38) I have highlighted a word and a critical phrase both of which begin to give us a clearer indication of required content in Section 3. Let me deal with these selected components individually. The criteria asks firstly for evidence of understanding. There are, at least, two aspects to this understanding to consider. One is knowledge of and the other could be termed integration. The first, knowledge of, refers to evidence of an understanding of the selected area of research/theory. Often a student will talk of using Epic theatre’s verfremsdungseffekt without touching on Brecht’s holistic intent in the use of the convention and so conveying no real understanding of the convention in the context of the philopsophy of Epic theatre. The resulting description of a single convention then becomes an empty device where an onstage action is loosely linked to research/theory without conveying real knowledge of the reason for the device.
The second aspect of understanding, integration, refers to an indication of why that particular aspect of theory/research is appropriate for the proposed performance. In other words the student should articulate why that convention from that philosophy is suitable for her piece of theatre with its philosophy i.e. she should articulate a reasoning for the merging or integration of premises. In the case of Epic theatre this may be as simple as stating that the piece is didactic theatre with this particular intended message and so the use of alienation techniques serves this specific purpose as Brecht postulated.
The second component which is the most often overlooked is that of practical effects. A key axiom of the IB Theatre programme is that research becomes of value to the theatre practitioner when it is applied. The commentary, therefore, is the opportunity for the student to show how theoretical ideas have been put into practice with real examples from their proposed performance. A frequent occurrence in the commentaries is evidence of clear understanding of research/theory followed by vague, generalised comments describing the proposed performance and no concrete examples of “practical effects”. So if, for example, Butoh is chosen as the research/theory area, as well as an understanding of Butoh principles and an integration of why Butoh convention is appropriate for the proposed piece, then clearly described practicable examples in the proposed performance of Butoh conventions would also be expected to show “practical effects”.
The second aspect of understanding, integration, refers to an indication of why that particular aspect of theory/research is appropriate for the proposed performance. In other words the student should articulate why that convention from that philosophy is suitable for her piece of theatre with its philosophy i.e. she should articulate a reasoning for the merging or integration of premises. In the case of Epic theatre this may be as simple as stating that the piece is didactic theatre with this particular intended message and so the use of alienation techniques serves this specific purpose as Brecht postulated.
The second component which is the most often overlooked is that of practical effects. A key axiom of the IB Theatre programme is that research becomes of value to the theatre practitioner when it is applied. The commentary, therefore, is the opportunity for the student to show how theoretical ideas have been put into practice with real examples from their proposed performance. A frequent occurrence in the commentaries is evidence of clear understanding of research/theory followed by vague, generalised comments describing the proposed performance and no concrete examples of “practical effects”. So if, for example, Butoh is chosen as the research/theory area, as well as an understanding of Butoh principles and an integration of why Butoh convention is appropriate for the proposed piece, then clearly described practicable examples in the proposed performance of Butoh conventions would also be expected to show “practical effects”.