MATSEC IM Theatre and Performance study guide
MATSEC IM Theatre and Performance · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The MATSEC Intermediate Level award in Theatre and Performance is a Maltese post-secondary qualification for students who want a formal credential in theatre alongside other Intermediate subjects. It suits candidates considering further training in drama, performance or technical theatre, as well as those who want a structured, assessed grounding in the discipline. The MATSEC IM Theatre and Performance study guide has 8 sections and about 2,421 words.
01Theatre History and Contexts
The Theatre History and Contexts domain tests whether you can place plays, buildings, companies and performance conventions in time and explain why they took that shape. Dates alone earn little; marks come from linking form to patronage, religion, politics, technology and audience.
309 words, about 2 min02Textual Analysis and Dramaturgy
Textual Analysis and Dramaturgy tests close reading of playtexts as blueprints for performance. You need to identify structure, genre, given circumstances, objectives, beats and subtext, and explain how punctuation, stage directions and imagery shape audience response.
318 words, about 2 min03Acting and Performance Skills
Acting and Performance Skills tests whether you can turn text into truthful, repeatable stage behaviour. Examiners look for playable objectives, active listening, vocal clarity, physical precision and an ensemble ethic - not “feeling sad” on cue.
290 words, about 1 min04Devising and Ensemble Practice
Devising and Ensemble Practice tests collaborative creation from a stimulus to a performable shape. The exam rewards evidence of process: research, improvisation, selection, editing, composition and documentation - not “we made it up in the room”.
288 words, about 1 min05Design and Technical Theatre
Design and Technical Theatre tests whether you can make a performance visible, audible, safe and affordable. You need to move from text to concept to practical specification: scale drawings, materials, cues, budgets, risk assessments and crew plans.
308 words, about 2 min06Directing and Production Process
Directing and Production Process tests your ability to shape a production from page to opening night while collaborating with actors, designers, stage management and technicians. The examiner looks for a clear interpretative through-line, a workable rehearsal plan and evidence of collaboration.
313 words, about 2 min07Critical Reflection and Evaluation
Critical Reflection and Evaluation tests whether you can describe, analyse and judge theatre with evidence. It covers your own process and productions you have seen.
283 words, about 1 min08Theatre in Maltese and Global Contexts
Theatre in Maltese and Global Contexts tests your knowledge of how theatre is made, funded, taught and received in Malta, and how global forms travel. You need specific examples and an awareness of language, policy and cultural power.
312 words, about 2 min