In simple terms
A friendly intro before the formal notes — no formulas yet.
The Theatre-Maker's Toolkit
The Research Presentation is not a history report. It's your chance to act as a theatre detective, uncovering the 'how' and 'why' of a global performance tradition, and then explaining how you would use those discoveries to create exciting new work.
Think of it like being a chef. You're not just listing the ingredients of a complex recipe from another culture (the conventions). You must understand why those ingredients are used, how they combine (the context), and then explain how you, as a modern chef (a theatre-maker), would use those techniques to create your own innovative dish (your own performance).
- 1
Select & Research: Choose a world theatre tradition you have not previously studied and find credible academic sources on its conventions and cultural context.
- 2
Analyse & Contextualise: Go beyond description. Analyse how a convention functions and why it developed within its specific social, historical, or religious context.
- 3
Apply & Embody: Articulate a specific, practical way you would apply a convention as a performer, director, or designer, explaining the intended impact on an audience.
- 4
Integrate & Present: Craft a clear, engaging 15-minute presentation that seamlessly links your research (Criterion A) with your personal application (Criterion B).
Explore the concept
Use the live diagram and synced steps — play it or tap a step card to walk through.
Full topic notes
Formal explanation with the rigour you need for the exam.
1. Selecting a Tradition and Sharpening Your Focus
Your first step is choosing a tradition. The IB requires this to be a tradition you have not previously studied. This is an opportunity to broaden your horizons. Think beyond the Western canon. Consider traditions like Bunraku puppet theatre from Japan, Wayang Kulit shadow puppetry from Indonesia, Commedia dell'arte from Italy, or the storytelling traditions of Indigenous Australia. The key is to choose a tradition that is both interesting to you and has accessible, credible academic resources.
Depth over Breadth: Do not try to cover an entire tradition. Instead, narrow your focus to 1-2 specific and significant conventions within that tradition. For example, instead of 'Kabuki Theatre', focus on 'The role of the onnagata and the mie pose in Kabuki'.
Check for Sources: Before committing, do a preliminary search for scholarly articles, books, and reputable documentaries. Can you find detailed information about the tradition's context and conventions?
Define Your Terms: Your presentation must clearly define the tradition and the specific conventions you are investigating for an audience who may be unfamiliar with them.
2. Mastering Criterion A: Contextualised Research
Criterion A assesses your research. A top-band response demonstrates 'in-depth' and 'contextualised' knowledge. This means you must connect the 'what' (the convention) with the 'why' (the cultural context). Why did this way of performing develop? What social, religious, or political factors shaped it? How did it serve its original audience? Your analysis should show a sophisticated understanding of the convention as a product of its time and place.
Go Beyond Description: Don't just say 'Noh actors wear masks'. Explain how the mask's neutral expression and the actor's subtle tilting creates a range of emotions (terasu/kumorasu) and why this reflects the Zen Buddhist aesthetic of restraint and suggestion.
Use Specific Terminology: Use the language of the tradition itself (e.g., 'mudras' in Kathakali, 'griot' in West African traditions, 'mie' in Kabuki). This demonstrates authentic engagement.
Cite Your Sources: While you don't need a formal bibliography in the presentation itself, you must be able to discuss your sources and attribute ideas. Mentioning a key scholar or text adds academic weight.
3. Excelling in Criterion B: The Student as Theatre-Maker
This is where you transform from a researcher into a creative practitioner. Criterion B requires you to make 'clear, specific and imaginative connections' between the researched tradition and your own potential work. Vague statements like 'I would be inspired by the energy of Kabuki' will not score well. You must propose a 'specific and practical' application from the perspective of a chosen theatre-maker role (performer, director, designer).
Choose a Role: State your role clearly. 'As a director...', 'From a performer's perspective...', 'As a lighting designer...'.
Propose a Concrete Task: Describe exactly what you would do. Not 'I'd use masks', but 'As a director of a modern adaptation of Antigone, I would have the Chorus wear neutral half-masks, inspired by the Greek tradition, and train them to speak in unison to create a sense of a single, judgmental entity representing the state.'
Explain the Intended Impact: Why are you making this choice? What effect do you want to have on the audience? 'The intention is to depersonalise the Chorus and heighten the isolation of Antigone, forcing the audience to confront the power of collective ideology.'
4. Structuring for Success: Criterion C
Criterion C assesses the overall quality of your presentation. It's not just about what you say, but how you say it. A well-structured, clearly communicated, and engaging presentation is essential. You have a maximum of 15 minutes, so timing is critical. Rehearse extensively to ensure you can deliver your material confidently and within the time limit.
Clear Structure: Use a clear 'roadmap'. For example: Introduction -> Context of Tradition -> Convention 1 Analysis (A) -> Convention 1 Application (B) -> Convention 2 Analysis (A) -> Convention 2 Application (B) -> Conclusion.
Engaging Delivery: Vary your vocal tone, make eye contact (even if virtual), and show your passion for the subject. Avoid reading directly from a script or slides.
Effective Visuals: Use images and short video clips to illustrate the conventions you are discussing. Your slides should be visual aids, not teleprompters. Use high-quality images and keep text to a minimum.
Time Management: Practice, practice, practice. Time your presentation to ensure it fits comfortably within the 15-minute maximum. It is better to be slightly under than to be cut off.
Worked examples
See the formulas applied — reveal one step at a time, like the exam.
Present a brief analysis of the convention of the all-male cast (onnagata) in Kabuki theatre, connecting it to its cultural context, as you would for Criterion A of the Research Presentation.
- 1
The onnagata, or male actor who specialises in female roles, is a defining convention of Kabuki theatre. This practice was not initially an artistic choice, but a legal imposition. In 1629, the Tokugawa shogunate banned women from the stage, citing concerns over public morality and prostitution. Theatres were forced to adapt, and the onnagata was born. However, what began as a restriction evolved into a highly refined theatrical aesthetic. The onnagata does not aim for a realistic imitation of a woman, but rather a stylised, idealised essence of femininity, expressed through a codified vocabulary of gesture, voice, and movement. This focus on symbolic representation over realism is deeply rooted in Japanese aesthetics, valuing transformation and artistry. Therefore, the onnagata is a powerful example of a convention shaped by both socio-political constraint and a distinct cultural aesthetic, demonstrating how Kabuki turned a limitation into a unique and celebrated art form.
Articulate a specific and practical application of the 'Grotowskian poor theatre' convention for your own theatre-making practice, as you would for Criterion B of the Research Presentation.
- 1
From the perspective of a director, I would apply the principles of Grotowski's 'poor theatre' to a production of a contemporary text like Simon Stephens' 'Sea Wall'. My research into Grotowski highlights his rejection of theatrical excess in favour of the essential actor-audience relationship. Therefore, my practical application would be to stage the monologue in a bare studio, with no set, minimal lighting, and no sound design. The actor would wear simple, everyday clothes. The focus would be entirely on the actor's physical and vocal craft, using Grotowski-inspired exercises in our rehearsal process to unlock a raw, psychophysical expression of the character's grief. The intended impact on the audience is to create an intense, unmediated encounter with the performer and the text, removing the 'rich' theatrical distractions and forcing a deeper, more personal connection to the story's emotional core.
How it all connects
The big idea sits in the middle — tap a linked idea to explore the link.
Tap a linked idea to see how it connects back to the main topic — that connection is what examiners reward.
Glossary
Try to recall each definition before you reveal it.
Quick check
Answer in your head first — then tap to check. No pressure.
Revision flashcards
Flip the card. Test yourself before the exam.
Theatre Convention
An established practice, technique, or rule in theatre that is understood and accepted by both the performers and the audience. Examples include breaking the fourth wall, using masks, or a specific movement vocabulary.
Key takeaways
Review these before you close the topic — retrieval beats re-reading.
- ✓
Depth over Breadth: Do not try to cover an entire tradition. Instead, narrow your focus to 1-2 specific and significant conventions within that tradition. For example, instead of 'Kabuki Theatre', focus on 'The role of the onnagata and the mie pose in Kabuki'.
- ✓
Check for Sources: Before committing, do a preliminary search for scholarly articles, books, and reputable documentaries. Can you find detailed information about the tradition's context and conventions?
- ✓
Define Your Terms: Your presentation must clearly define the tradition and the specific conventions you are investigating for an audience who may be unfamiliar with them.
Practice — then mark it
The whole point: a real Cambridge question, marked mark-by-mark.
Test your knowledge on World Theatre Traditions
Test your knowledge on World Theatre Traditions
Extra simulations & links
PhET, GeoGebra and other curated tools — open in a new tab.
Frequently asked
Checkpoint
One marked question is worth ten re-reads — close the loop before you move on.
Reading it isn’t knowing it — prove it.
Before you move on: do Test your knowledge on World Theatre Traditions on paper, snap a photo, and get examiner-style feedback on exactly where you win and lose marks.