In simple terms
A friendly intro before the formal notes — no formulas yet.
From Spark to Stage: Mastering Devising
Devising is the process of creating an original piece of theatre collaboratively, without a pre-existing script. Your group starts with a 'stimulus'—an idea, image, or text—and builds a performance from scratch through exploration and experimentation.
Think of devising like being given a single, unusual Lego brick (the stimulus) and a team of builders. You have no instruction manual. Together, you must experiment with how the brick connects to other pieces you create, decide what you want to build (your intention), and construct an entire, unique model (the performance). The Process Portfolio is your team's design journal, documenting every idea, experiment, and decision along the way.
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Step 1: Unpack the Stimulus. Analyse your chosen starting point from multiple perspectives to generate initial ideas and establish a shared understanding and intention.
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Step 2: Explore and Generate. Use practical workshop techniques like improvisation, physical theatre, and writing exercises to create raw performance material.
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Step 3: Structure and Develop. Select the most effective material and arrange it into a coherent structure. Define key 'moments of theatre' and refine them to enhance audience impact.
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Step 4: Document Your Process. Consistently record your explorations, decisions, and personal contributions in your Process Portfolio, using specific theatre vocabulary and linking your choices to your intentions.
Explore the concept
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Full topic notes
Formal explanation with the rigour you need for the exam.
Phase 1: Interrogating the Stimulus (Criterion A)
Everything begins with your stimulus. Your group must select a stimulus that is rich with theatrical potential. A top-band response in your portfolio (Criterion A) will demonstrate a 'discerning and insightful' exploration of this starting point. It is not enough to simply state your stimulus; you must pull it apart, question it, and explore its potential from multiple angles.
Choose a stimulus with 'layers'—something that can be interpreted in different ways.
Brainstorming techniques: Use mind maps, word association, or 'Four Perspectives' (e.g., What is its social, historical, personal, and symbolic meaning?).
Practical exploration: Don't just talk. Create still images (tableaux), short improvisations, or soundscapes inspired by the stimulus. This is tangible evidence of exploration.
Document everything: Photograph your mind maps, film your improvisations, and write down key discoveries. Your portfolio needs to show this 'messy' but crucial initial phase.
Phase 2: Generating and Structuring Material (Criterion B)
Once you have a core intention, the next phase involves creating the building blocks of your performance and arranging them into a coherent structure. This is assessed under Criterion B. Examiners want to see a clear rationale for your structural choices. Why is Scene A followed by Scene B? How did you decide which ideas to keep and which to discard? Your portfolio must articulate this 'shaping' process with clarity.
Generate more material than you need. Use techniques from practitioners like Frantic Assembly (physical theatre) or Augusto Boal (Forum Theatre) to create scenes.
Identify potential 'moments of theatre'. These are the peaks of your performance. Focus your energy on making them as effective as possible.
Experiment with structure. Don't default to a linear narrative. Could your piece be cyclical? Episodic? Could it be structured around a central image or sound?
Justify your choices. In your portfolio, explain why you chose a specific structure. For example, 'We chose a cyclical structure to reinforce the theme of inescapable memory, bringing the audience back to the initial image of the empty chair at the end.'
For Criterion B, avoid simply describing what you did. Instead, focus on the 'how' and 'why'. For example, instead of 'We decided to add a monologue', write 'To deepen the audience's connection with the protagonist's inner conflict, we developed a monologue. We deliberately placed it after a high-energy physical sequence to create a stark contrast in pace, forcing the audience to shift their focus from the external chaos to the character's internal turmoil.'
Phase 3: Embodying a Creator Role (Criterion C)
Criterion C assesses your individual contribution as a creator. You must identify your specific role(s) and provide evidence of your influence on the performance. This is your chance to showcase your skills and understanding of a particular theatrical discipline. Whether you are a performer, director, or designer, your choices must be informed, deliberate, and aimed at achieving a specific intention.
Be specific about your role. Don't just say 'performer'. Say 'As the performer embodying the character of 'The Watcher', I focused on...'
Link your actions to theory. Reference a practitioner, a theatrical style, or a specific convention to justify your choices. 'Drawing on Grotowski's concept of the 'poor theatre', my costume design used only simple, raw fabrics...'
Show, don't just tell. Include sketches of your costume designs, a lighting plot, a marked-up script with your directorial notes, or a video of you developing a character's physicality.
Focus on development. Explain how your initial idea evolved through rehearsal and feedback. 'Initially, I played the character with overt anger, but through directorial feedback, I discovered that a quiet, simmering resentment was more unsettling for the audience.'
Documenting the Journey: The Process Portfolio
The Process Portfolio is not a diary or a simple logbook. It is a formal, academic reflection that demonstrates your understanding and application of theatre-making processes. Each entry should be concise, analytical, and use subject-specific vocabulary. Remember, the examiner only knows what you tell them. Your portfolio must construct a clear and compelling narrative of your creative journey, highlighting your individual contributions and your ensemble's collaborative development.
Quality over quantity. A few well-chosen, detailed entries are better than many superficial ones.
Integrate visual evidence. Use photos, sketches, and short video clips with annotations to support your written analysis.
Use the language of the markbands. Words like 'informed', 'effective', 'discerning', 'skilful', and 'insightful' should be goals for your own work and reflection.
Proofread carefully. Your portfolio is a formal assessment. Clarity of communication is vital.
Worked examples
See the formulas applied — reveal one step at a time, like the exam.
Model Process Portfolio Entry (Criterion A): Exploring a Stimulus. Stimulus: A photograph of a single, empty chair in a derelict room.
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Our ensemble began by interrogating the stimulus photograph. My initial personal response was one of loneliness and abandonment. However, to move beyond this first impression, I proposed we explore the chair from four perspectives. Socially, we questioned who might have sat there and what their status was. Was it a throne or a humble seat? Historically, we researched the style of the chair and the architecture, which led to discussions about post-industrial decay in the 1980s. Personally, another group member saw it not as empty, but as waiting—a symbol of hope and future potential. This contrast became a core tension we wanted to explore. To make this practical, I led an improvisation where we each physically embodied the 'spirit' of the chair, which produced contrasting movements—one slow and heavy, another light and anticipatory. This physical exploration was crucial; it demonstrated that our piece could be built on the central dynamic of 'memory versus hope', moving our intention beyond a simple depiction of sadness. This initial, multi-faceted exploration was fundamental in shaping our decision to create a non-linear piece that juxtaposes these two conflicting energies.
Model Process Portfolio Entry (Criterion C): Contribution as a Sound Designer.
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As the sound designer, my primary intention was to create an auditory landscape that mirrored the piece's central tension between memory and hope. For the 'memory' sequences, I drew inspiration from the principles of musique concrète, manipulating found sounds. I recorded the sound of a ticking clock and digitally slowed it down, lowering the pitch to create a distorted, oppressive drone that played underneath scenes of reflection. This was intended to make the audience feel the psychological weight of the past. In contrast, for the 'hope' moments, my intention was to create a sense of space and possibility. I designed a sparse soundscape using a single, high-frequency sine wave that slowly panned across the stereo field. This choice was deliberate; I wanted to avoid melodic music, which might feel overly sentimental. The purity of the sine wave was intended to represent a blank slate, creating an impact of quiet optimism. The effective transition between these two contrasting sound worlds was a key contribution I made to structuring the emotional journey of the audience.
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.
Devising
The process of creating an original piece of theatre collaboratively from a starting point (stimulus) rather than from a pre-existing script.
Key takeaways
Review these before you close the topic — retrieval beats re-reading.
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Choose a stimulus with 'layers'—something that can be interpreted in different ways.
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Brainstorming techniques: Use mind maps, word association, or 'Four Perspectives' (e.g., What is its social, historical, personal, and symbolic meaning?).
- ✓
Practical exploration: Don't just talk. Create still images (tableaux), short improvisations, or soundscapes inspired by the stimulus. This is tangible evidence of exploration.
- ✓
Document everything: Photograph your mind maps, film your improvisations, and write down key discoveries. Your portfolio needs to show this 'messy' but crucial initial phase.
Practice — then mark it
The whole point: a real Cambridge question, marked mark-by-mark.
Test your understanding of the devising process with practice questions.
Test your understanding of the devising process with practice questions.
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 understanding of the devising process with practice questions. on paper, snap a photo, and get examiner-style feedback on exactly where you win and lose marks.