MATSEC AM Theatre and Performance exam-day guide
MATSEC AM Theatre and Performance · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm your exact venue, date, and call time with your school or the MATSEC Examinations Board
Practical Theatre and Performance sessions are usually organised through your school or the examining board rather than a single national centre, so confirm the address, arrival time, and whether you must report earlier for warm-up or registration. Do not rely on second-hand information from classmates.
Read the current official syllabus and assessment criteria for your practical component
Check which practical options are being assessed in your session, how marks are split between performance, process, and written or oral reflection, and what supporting material (for example a portfolio, logbook, or programme note) is required. Confirm with the provider if any wording is unclear.
Prepare and rehearse your performance piece or practical task to a fixed running time
Time your piece with a stopwatch, including entrances and exits, and decide on a safe cut if you run long. Confirm with the provider the maximum duration and whether exceeding it incurs a penalty.
Assemble and label all props, costume, and set items
Make a written inventory, label every item with your name, and pack them the night before. Check the venue rules on what is permitted (for example open flame, live animals, aerosols, or heavy set) and confirm with the provider or venue before bringing anything unusual.
Bring your ID and examination documents
Carry the identification and candidate documents your school or the MATSEC Examinations Board requires. Confirm with the provider exactly which documents are accepted, since requirements can vary between sessions.
Prepare your music or cue files in a backup format
If your piece uses recorded sound, bring the file on two separate devices plus a printed cue sheet with timings and clear start and stop points. Confirm with the provider what playback equipment is available and whether you may operate it yourself.
Bring water, a light snack, and any personal medication
Practical sessions can involve long waiting periods. Bring water and something easy to eat, and keep any prescribed medication with you. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed in the waiting area.
Warm up before you are called
Do a physical and vocal warm-up in the designated space, not in the performance area. Arrive early enough that you are warm but not fatigued when your name is called.
Check your technical requirements with the venue in advance
Ask about lighting states, stage dimensions, wing space, and sound playback. If you need a technician cue, submit a written cue sheet and confirm with the provider how much technical time is allocated.
Plan your travel with a buffer
Work out the route and aim to arrive well before your call time, allowing for traffic and parking. Have a contact number for your school coordinator in case of delay.
Prepare a short spoken introduction if required
Some practical assessments ask candidates to introduce the piece or answer questions afterwards. Prepare a brief, honest explanation of your intentions and process. Confirm with the provider whether an introduction or viva forms part of the assessment.
Know the absence and special-consideration procedure
If illness or an emergency prevents you from attending, know whom to contact and what evidence is required. Confirm with the provider the deadline and documentation for special consideration, as this is set by the examining board and may change.
Plan the day
Move from learning to polishing. Run full rehearsals in costume with props and sound, timing each run and noting where cues slip. Fix only what can be safely changed; avoid rewriting the piece at this stage. Check your inventory against your cue sheet, confirm travel and call time, and read the syllabus criteria once more so your final rehearsals target the assessed elements.
Do one calm run-through, then stop. Pack props, costume, script or cue sheet, ID, water, and snacks, and label everything. Charge devices and test your backup audio. Eat normally, avoid late nights, and visualise the opening minute of your piece. Reconfirm your call time and the venue address.
Eat a proper meal and hydrate. Arrive early with all equipment, report to registration, and find the waiting area, toilets, and warm-up space. Do a gentle physical and vocal warm-up, review your cue sheet, and stay off your phone in the final minutes so you can focus. Listen carefully to instructions from the invigilator or assessor.
Set your props and check your space before you begin. Breathe, commit to your opening moment, and stay present rather than monitoring the assessors. If something goes wrong, keep going and recover in character where possible. After the piece, follow instructions for any questions, strike your props quietly, and leave the performance area promptly.
Rules to check
Follow all instructions from the invigilator, assessor, or venue staff. Their directions on entry, waiting areas, and striking the set take priority during the session.
Bring the identification and candidate documents required by your school or the MATSEC Examinations Board. Confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted, as this is set by the examining board.
Do not communicate with other candidates about the content of your piece while waiting to perform, and do not watch others' assessments unless the provider explicitly permits it.
Keep to the permitted duration and technical limits for your piece. Confirm with the provider the time allowance and any penalties for overrunning before the exam day.
Use only props, materials, and effects that the venue has approved. Confirm with the provider in advance about anything involving fire, water, sharp objects, or live animals.
Marks are awarded against the published assessment criteria for your practical component, typically covering performance skills, interpretation, and preparation or process evidence. Confirm with the provider the exact weighting and whether supporting written work counts.
If you are ill or cannot attend, contact your school coordinator or the examining board as soon as possible and ask about special consideration. Confirm with the provider the evidence and deadlines required.
Leave the performance area and waiting area clean and quiet, and return or remove all your own props and equipment at the end of the session.