AS PAST PAPERS - Theme 3: Heroes & Villains
AS Sample Paper
(1) “Life is not simple, and people can’t be boxed into being either heroes or villains.” Discuss
how an actor could use vocal and facial expressions in their interactions with others to characterise
the complex personality traits of a hero. Justify your ideas with examples from at least 3 scenes from
the performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
(2) Explain how an actor could use body language to emphasise the social status of a villain in the
opening scenes of the performance. Justify your ideas with examples from the opening scenes of the
performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
AS June 2017
(1) “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of
overwhelming obstacles.” Discuss how the use of costume design could communicate a
character’s heroism. Justify your ideas with examples from at least 3 scenes from the performance
text you have chosen for this question. [20]
(2) Discuss how an actor(director) could use both vocal control and variations in vocal usage to
emphasise the motivations and decisions behind a villain’s actions. Justify your ideas with examples
from the opening scenes of the performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
AS June 2018
(1) “Heroes and villains are stereotypes from fairytales.”
Choose a leading character from the performance text you have studied. As a director, what advice
would you give the actor playing this role to make the character more than just a stereotype? Give
examples from at least 3 scenes from the performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
(2) In the performance text you have studied, how should the presentation of suffering contribute to
the overall stage effect of the Drama? Explain how this can be achieved with examples from at least 3
critical situations in the performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
AS June 2019
(1) “There is no such thing as a pure hero – they all have a touch of villainy about them.”
Choose a leading character from the performance text you have studied. As an actor playing the role,
what qualities would you wish to communicate that might be both heroic and villainous, and how
would you do this? Justify ideas with examples from at least 3 scenes from the performance text you
have chosen for this question. [20]
(2) As a set designer, explain how your set would reflect the social context of the performance text
you have studied within an overall design concept for the play. Justify your ideas with examples from
the opening scenes from the performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
AS June 2022
(1) Select a character with villainous qualities from a performance text you have studied. Explain how,
in the opening scenes, an actor could play this role to reveal inner selfishness to the audience. [20]
(2) Explain how actors could be directed to communicate empathy in a performance text you have
studied. Refer to at least 3 scenes in your answer. [20]
AS June 2023
(1) As a director, how would you show a conflict of wills in the opening scenes of a performance text
you have studied? [20]
(2) How could an actor play a character hiding villainous intentions in at least three scenes in a
performance text you have studied? [20]
© 2024 Grades Express
AS Sample Paper
(1) “Life is not simple, and people can’t be boxed into being either heroes or villains.” Discuss
how an actor could use vocal and facial expressions in their interactions with others to characterise
the complex personality traits of a hero. Justify your ideas with examples from at least 3 scenes from
the performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
(2) Explain how an actor could use body language to emphasise the social status of a villain in the
opening scenes of the performance. Justify your ideas with examples from the opening scenes of the
performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
AS June 2017
(1) “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of
overwhelming obstacles.” Discuss how the use of costume design could communicate a
character’s heroism. Justify your ideas with examples from at least 3 scenes from the performance
text you have chosen for this question. [20]
(2) Discuss how an actor(director) could use both vocal control and variations in vocal usage to
emphasise the motivations and decisions behind a villain’s actions. Justify your ideas with examples
from the opening scenes of the performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
AS June 2018
(1) “Heroes and villains are stereotypes from fairytales.”
Choose a leading character from the performance text you have studied. As a director, what advice
would you give the actor playing this role to make the character more than just a stereotype? Give
examples from at least 3 scenes from the performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
(2) In the performance text you have studied, how should the presentation of suffering contribute to
the overall stage effect of the Drama? Explain how this can be achieved with examples from at least 3
critical situations in the performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
AS June 2019
(1) “There is no such thing as a pure hero – they all have a touch of villainy about them.”
Choose a leading character from the performance text you have studied. As an actor playing the role,
what qualities would you wish to communicate that might be both heroic and villainous, and how
would you do this? Justify ideas with examples from at least 3 scenes from the performance text you
have chosen for this question. [20]
(2) As a set designer, explain how your set would reflect the social context of the performance text
you have studied within an overall design concept for the play. Justify your ideas with examples from
the opening scenes from the performance text you have chosen for this question. [20]
AS June 2022
(1) Select a character with villainous qualities from a performance text you have studied. Explain how,
in the opening scenes, an actor could play this role to reveal inner selfishness to the audience. [20]
(2) Explain how actors could be directed to communicate empathy in a performance text you have
studied. Refer to at least 3 scenes in your answer. [20]
AS June 2023
(1) As a director, how would you show a conflict of wills in the opening scenes of a performance text
you have studied? [20]
(2) How could an actor play a character hiding villainous intentions in at least three scenes in a
performance text you have studied? [20]
© 2024 Grades Express
