Lesson T1.2.2

T1.2.2 Performing and staging plays Quiz: KS3 English, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T1.2.2, Performing and staging plays: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 English (National Curriculum), Unit 1: Reading, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is 'blocking' in a stage production?

    • Stopping the audience from leaving the theatre during a performance by closing the doors
    • Writing the stage directions in a script so that actors learn them in advance of rehearsal
    • Covering the set with a painted backdrop to hide the stage machinery from the audience
    • Planning where actors stand and move on the stage at key moments in a scene

  2. What is the purpose of 'proxemics' in staging a scene?

    • Measuring the size of the stage in metres so that the set fits the theatre building
    • Using the distance between characters to show their relationships, tension or status
    • Timing the length of each scene so that the performance finishes within a set hour
    • Choosing the colour of the costumes so that each actor stands out clearly from the others

  3. In a performance, why might an actor use a 'pause' or 'silence'?

    • To build tension or emphasise an emotion, so the audience notices what the character feels
    • To give the lighting technician time to change the colour of the stage backdrop
    • To allow the audience time to buy an interval drink without missing any lines of dialogue
    • To show that the actor has forgotten their lines and needs a moment to remember them

  4. What does 'tone of voice' contribute to an actor's performance?

    • It shows which actor is the star of the production, because stars always speak loudest
    • It determines how loud the audience can be during the performance without being removed
    • It sets the length of the play, since slow voices make the performance take much longer
    • It conveys the character's attitude and emotions, such as anger, sadness or irony

  5. A director wants an audience to feel that a character is trapped. Which staging choice is most effective?

    • Using a loud, celebratory song as the character walks slowly across the stage
    • Placing the character at the centre of a wide, open stage with bright lighting from above
    • Placing the character in a small, enclosed corner of the stage with low, tight lighting
    • Asking the character to dance around the stage in a cheerful and carefree way

  6. What is a 'freeze-frame' in drama?

    • A still image in which actors hold a pose to show a key moment or feeling in the scene
    • A lighting effect that makes the stage appear frozen by using blue colours on the set
    • A film technique in which the camera stops recording for a few seconds before the next scene
    • A way of ending a play by having all actors remain still until the audience leaves the room

  7. What does 'hot-seating' involve in drama?

    • Actors in role answer questions from the group about their character's thoughts and motives
    • Actors take turns sitting in a single chair while the director marks their performance on a list
    • Actors sit on hot chairs placed near the stage lights so that their performance feels warmer
    • Audience members are asked to sit in the front row and comment on the costume of each actor

  8. Which feature of a performance is most affected by lighting choices?

    • The price of the tickets sold to audiences in the theatre on each night of the run
    • The mood and atmosphere of a scene, such as whether it feels warm, tense or mysterious
    • The exact length of the play, which is set by the time shown on the box office clock
    • The number of lines each actor must learn in advance of the first rehearsal in the studio

  9. What is the main purpose of a 'rehearsal' in theatre?

    • To practise and refine the performance, including movement, voice and timing, before an audience
    • To test whether the audience will enjoy the play, which is decided by a vote on the night
    • To print the programme and ticket for the show, so that audiences know where to sit
    • To check that the theatre is clean and that the seats are not broken before the first show

  10. A group wants to show the tension between two characters in a scene. Which staging choice is most effective?

    • Having the characters stand far apart with their bodies turned away from each other
    • Having both characters dance together in a circle while singing an upbeat song
    • Having both characters sit side by side on a sofa, facing the audience and smiling warmly
    • Having both characters stand in the same spot, with the lighting turned fully to bright

  11. What is 'improvisation' in drama?

    • Making up dialogue and action spontaneously in role, rather than using a prepared script
    • Copying the performance of a famous actor exactly, word for word, in a school play
    • Reading a script aloud in a classroom without any movement or acting by the performers
    • Changing the set design after the first night of a production in response to audience reviews

  12. Why might a performer use a 'low' status position on stage?

    • To allow the performer to rest between lines while the others carry on with the scene
    • To show that the character is a wise and powerful leader who never needs to move
    • To show that a character has less power or authority than the others in a scene
    • To make it easier for the audience to see the actor's face without any shadow from the light

  13. Which staging technique helps an audience focus on the most important character at a particular moment?

    • Using a spotlight and moving the character to the centre of the stage
    • Asking every character to speak at the same time so that all voices are heard equally
    • Asking the most important character to remain silent for the whole of the scene
    • Dimming the lights entirely so that the audience cannot see the actors on the stage

  14. What does the term 'upstage' mean in theatre?

    • The area of the stage furthest from the audience
    • The area of the stage closest to the audience's seats in the front rows
    • The raised platform on which the lighting engineer sits during a performance
    • The part of the stage hidden behind the curtain until the start of the performance

  15. A performer wants to show a character's nervousness. Which vocal choice is most effective?

    • Shouting each line as loudly as possible so that the audience can hear every word
    • Reading the lines in a flat monotone with no change in pitch or pace at all
    • Speaking at a faster pace, with breaks in the voice and a few stumbling words
    • Speaking at a slow, steady pace with every word perfectly clear and calm

  16. What is a 'gesture' in acting?

    • A movement of the hands, face or body that expresses meaning or emotion
    • A written note in the margin of a script that tells actors where to stand
    • A sound effect created by a stage technician to signal the end of a scene
    • A costume item worn on the hand to show a character's rank in the royal court

  17. Which staging element can help show the passing of time in a play?

    • Keeping the set exactly the same throughout, so that no time seems to pass at all
    • Asking the actors to repeat the same line several times in every single scene
    • Printing the year on the programme so that the audience can check it during the show
    • A change in lighting and music that signals a new time of day or a new scene

  18. Why do actors often make eye contact with other characters on stage?

    • To show their relationship and reactions, which helps the audience follow the emotional exchange
    • To check that the audience is still awake in the theatre before the next speech
    • To remind the lighting technicians which spotlight to turn on at the next cue
    • To show that they have memorised the script, since looking at others means they know the lines

  19. Which is a key purpose of a 'prop' on stage?

    • A person who helps the director with auditions and the choice of actors for each role
    • A piece of the building's structure that holds up the roof above the stage area
    • A printed note giving the audience information about the play's history and its author
    • An object used by actors that helps tell the story or show something about a character

  20. What is 'staging' in drama?

    • The arrangement of the set, actors and lighting to present a play to an audience
    • The final bow at the end of a performance, when all actors return to the stage together
    • The sale of tickets and programmes in the foyer before a performance begins each evening
    • The process of writing the stage directions for an entire published play script

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