Sorytelling Acting Test - Content and Criteria
Storytelling Acting Test - Content and Criteria
This document is intended to provide a clear and concise framework for the expectations and requirements involved in passing the Storytelling Acting Test.
REQUIREMENTS
In this guide, we will lead you through the necessary steps required to take and succeed in your Storytelling Acting Test (SAT), and to prepare you for taking a bigger part in story telling within the Society!
THIS TEST IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE CRAFT - STORYTELLER TEST!
This test is for actors who have already passed their Basic Acting Test and wish to take on a role of Storyteller in and around the camp at shows and events. This will be a mostly individual performance, and may take the form of a small “arena” in which the storyteller plays to a crowd; a small, more intimate performance told from the front of a tent or sat on a cloak to a captivated audience; or even a sort of “barker”, greeting members of the public entering the camp and setting the scene of the whole event, explaining the who/why/when of the show.
We will break this down into Pre-Test, Testing, and Post-Test sections.
PRE-TEST ACTIONS
Training
Prior to taking your SAT, we will require you to have gone through suitable training, to ensure that you are well prepared for it. At the most basic level, this will consist of attending training sessions provided by your Group Acting Officer (or Group Leader if you don’t have an officer), or by a Recognised Acting Thegn (RAT). These will cover the basics of how to speak, project, use available space, and interact with other cast members and the audience. These sessions will ideally take place during regular group training, or at specific training events. Of course, this is a more advanced test, and we will require you to have already passed your Basic Acting Test to take this one. As such, please contact any RAT or member of the Acting Department for materials and/or guides to help you prepare for this test.
Another useful pre-test activity would be to attend Acting Workshops at either the STW or at additional training events as organised by the Acting Department. These workshops are aimed at everyone, whether they wish to take their SAT or not, if they already have it and want to develop their skills, or are just curious. However, attending some of these workshops will greatly aid you in taking your test.
Register interest for your test
As with any other test, such as BSA and specialised combat tests, the relevant group officer will need to put your name forward in advance of an event/STW for consideration for the test. In this case your Group Acting Officer (or equivalent) will need to contact the Acting Department to confirm that you are ready to be put forward. This is especially important as this is an advanced test and we need to ensure that we can call on our team to provide a qualified Assessor. Also, as this is a performance-based test, we need to arrange a suitable slot in the schedule with the group in charge of the show (to avoid any potential clashes).
If you turn up to do the test without advance warning, we will not be able to take you through, preparations MUST be made beforehand.
Due to the nature of this test, an audience will be required. This means that the overwhelming majority of tests will be run at events, in front of a live public audience. In exceptional cases, it may be possible to run a test at a Society/Group training weekend, but this will require pre-approval from the department.
TESTING
Structure of the Basic Storytelling Test
After a short safety briefing, the test will be judged on three criteria:
- the performance itself (use of space, projection, emotion, body language etc.)
- the chosen story, its appropriateness to the show/event, how well the story was delivered (as well as accuracy to life in the case of well-known stories)
- feedback and reasoning/self-analysis for the performance, including a brief description of audience and/or fellow reenactor participation, use of techniques, highlights and potential improvements.
As part of this test, we will require the Candidate to perform on two separate occasions, which may be at the same event/show. It is advisable that these two performances are of different stories/situations, but this is not strictly required (it will impress us though!).
The Performance
This section is for the performance part of the test. This will be quite similar in content to other acting tests, including the Basic and Advanced Acting Tests. Use of space will be essential here, as there is a much higher likelihood of the “stage” being smaller, and the audience being much more “up-close and personal”, compared to larger scenes.
The Candidate must engage the whole audience, making sure that they can be seen and heard by everyone. As the story itself is the major draw in this situation, as opposed to more physical acting, a clear, confident and engaging voice is essential. The story must be heard to be enjoyed! Using appropriate tones and inflections to match the content of the story is also required, as this amplifies the mood of the story, and makes the audience more invested.
Use of props and other actors is also judged under this criterion. While not essential, these can be used to great effect during a performance. Use of props should be complimentary to the performance, and shouldn’t become a crutch, but used well can be very effective. Should other actors be used during the performance, it falls on the Candidate to manage and direct them and provide clear instructions as to their role and expectations.
For the purposes of this test, the individual performance of these actors won’t affect the Candidate's scoring, but if they appear to be poorly managed, that will count negatively.
The Candidate’s Chosen Story
The Candidate’s Chosen Story is a section regarding the choice of story, the appropriateness of such story to the show/event, and also how well the story itself was delivered (in the case of a performance of a well-known story, how accurately the story is told, and the tone of the delivery).
The Candidate will know, without prompt or over-long pause, their chosen story and will be able to deliver it in a way which is engaging, cohesive, and which concludes clearly.
If desired by the Candidate, you will be allowed to perform an original story/scenario, instead of a well-known piece, although it will need to be historically, socially and culturally appropriate, and the Candidate will be required to provide a written outline for their piece.
Stories should be of an appropriate length for demonstration during public shows (typically 5-10 minutes).
Candidate Feedback and Reasoning
At the end of the Chosen Story, the Candidate will describe to the Assessor examples of practical, deliberate and effective audience and/or reenactor participation. This is to be seen as a kind of “self-assessment and justification” of the performance, to prove that the Candidate is aware of what is required of them in their role, and to showcase knowledge of technique.
There will also be questions from the Assessors at this time, relating to the performance, as well as questions such as “how would (storyteller) react if an unexpected situation happened during a performance”.
FEEDBACK FROM ASSESSORS
Once these sections are completed, the Candidate will be provided with feedback, following deliberation by the Assessors, and if successful, will be passed! If unsuccessful, there may be an opportunity to make another attempt at the same event, time and team availability depending, although this may not always be practical. Where feedback for improvement is given verbally, both for successful and unsuccessful Candidates, this will be provided in written form within two weeks following the outcome of the test being made. Where additional training is recommended, the Acting Department will try to provide guidance and opportunity to assist.