GCSE English Language 2.0 – Musicals – Paper 1
Section A – Reading
Read Text 1 below and then answer Questions 1–3.
This extract is adapted from a memoir published in 1878 by the actress Frances Ann Kemble. She describes the theatrical life of two young women in a touring theatre company in the north of England, and the pranks of the comedian Liston.
Records of a Girlhood
My aunt found employment under the kindly protection of Mr. Stephen Kemble, my father’s brother, who was the manager of the theatre at Durham. In his company she found an inseparable friend in his daughter, Fanny Kemble. I suppose that a merrier life than that of these two young women was seldom led by any girls in any walk of life. They learned and acted their parts, and devised and executed their dresses with small means and great industry. They made pies and puddings, and patched and darned in the morning, and by dint of paste and rouge became heroines in the evening. They were well-conducted, good young things, full of the spirits of their age, and turning alike their hard home work and light stage labour into fun.
Liston, the famous comedian, was at this time a member of the company. Though he began his career by reciting a serious ode, attired in a pea-green coat, top-boots and powder, he soon found his peculiar gift to lie in the direction of broad farce. He was perpetually playing tricks during the gravest performances of his fellow-actors. On one occasion he suddenly presented to Mrs. Kemble, as she stood ready to go on stage as Ophelia in her madness, a basket of carrots, turnips, onions and pot-herbs, instead of the usual flowers. This sent the poor woman on stage with a broad grin, and ill-suppressed fury and laughter. On another occasion he sent all the little choir boys on in the funeral procession in Romeo and Juliet with pieces of brown paper in their hands to wipe their tears.
Read Text 2 below and then answer Questions 4–6.
This extract is adapted from a sketch published in 1836 by Charles Dickens. He describes the backstage scene at a small London theatre where amateur performers pay for the privilege of appearing on stage.
“Private Theatres” from Sketches by Boz
All the minor theatres in London, especially the lowest, constitute the centre of a little stage-struck neighbourhood. The performers pay large sums for the permission to exhibit their ignorance on the stage. The dressing-room is crowded to suffocation on the night of a performance, and the heat and noise are almost unbearable.
The characters in the tragedy are all dressed, and their own clothes are scattered in hurried confusion over the wooden dresser which surrounds the room. That snuff-shop-looking figure in front of the glass is Banquo; and the young lady who is kindly painting his face with a hare’s foot is dressed for Fleance. The large woman who is consulting the stage directions is the Lady Macbeth of the night. She is always selected to play the part because she is tall and stout, and looks sufficiently fierce when she scowls.
See these performers at the neighbouring public-house or the theatrical coffee-shop! They are the kings of the place, supposing no real actors to be present, and roll about, hats on one side and arms a-kimbo, as if they had actually come into possession of eighteen shillings a week. If one of them does but know a real theatre worker, he is a happy fellow. The mingled air of envy and admiration with which his companions regard him as he converses with some mouldy-looking man whose partially corked eyebrows and half-rouged face testify to his having just left the stage, shows in what high admiration these public characters are held.
SECTION A – Reading
Read Text 1 and answer Questions 1–3.
Q1. Identify four things the writer tells us about the daily lives of the two young actresses. (4 marks)
Q2. In lines paragraph 2, the writer tries to show that Liston was a talented and entertaining troublemaker. Evaluate how successfully this is achieved. Give three reasons for your opinion and use examples from paragraph 2. (6 marks)
Q3. How does the writer use language to interest and inform the reader? You should include:
- the writer’s use of language
- the effect on the reader.
Use examples from the whole text and relevant subject terminology. (8 marks)
Read Text 2 and answer Questions 4–6.
Q4(a). From paragraphs 1 and 2, identify two details the writer gives about the dressing room before the performance. (2 marks)
Q4(b). Read this extract.
The large woman who is consulting the stage directions is the Lady Macbeth of the night. She is always selected to play the part because she is tall and stout, and looks sufficiently fierce when she scowls.
From the extract, identify two characteristics of the actor. (2 marks)
Q5. Read this extract.
See these performers at the neighbouring public-house or the theatrical coffee-shop! They are the kings of the place, supposing no real actors to be present, and roll about, hats on one side and arms a-kimbo, as if they had actually come into possession of eighteen shillings a week. If one of them does but know a real theatre worker, he is a happy fellow. The mingled air of envy and admiration with which his companions regard him as he converses with some mouldy-looking man whose partially corked eyebrows and half-rouged face testify to his having just left the stage, shows in what high admiration these public characters are held.
In the extract, the writer tries to show that the amateur performers admire real actors. Evaluate how successfully this is achieved. Give three reasons for your opinion and use examples from the extract. (6 marks)
Q6. For this question refer to the whole of Text 2.
‘In my view, this text shows that the theatre attracted many people who had no real talent but great enthusiasm.’
Based on your evaluation of the text, how far do you agree with this opinion? Use examples from the text to support your evaluation. (12 marks)
SECTION B – Writing
Answer ONE question. You should spend about 45 minutes on this section.
EITHER
Q7. Write a review for a website or magazine of a live performance you have attended or can imagine attending. A student has started the response.
Last weekend, I attended a performance that I had been looking forward to for weeks. From the moment the lights went down and the audience fell silent, I knew this was going to be something special. In this review, I want to share what made the evening so memorable and what could have been better.
Continue this review using your own ideas.
*Your response will be marked for the accurate and appropriate use of vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar. (40 marks)
OR
8. Write a speech for a group of your peers with the title ‘Why Live Entertainment Still Matters.’ You should include:
- reasons why attending live events is valuable
- examples of different types of live entertainment
- why live performance is different from watching a screen
*Your response will be marked for the accurate and appropriate use of vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar. (40 marks)
Sources:
Text One: Frances Ann Kemble, Records of a Girlhood (1878). Public-domain text via Project Gutenberg. (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16478)
Text Two: Charles Dickens, “Private Theatres” from Sketches by Boz (1836). Public-domain text via Project Gutenberg. (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/882)