Rehearsal and Performance

Year 9 Power of Speech • Oral Interpretation • Performance

Rehearsal is where interpretation becomes reliable. The aim is not to repeat a performance exactly, but to make the choices so familiar that you can respond to the audience on the day. This page sets out a rehearsal sequence and a practical performance routine.

Six rehearsal stages

Stage	Focus	Output
1. Read	Understand the text and its shape.	Annotated script.
2. Mark	Decide breath, stress, pause and pace.	Marked script.
3. Block	Set stance, movement and eyeline.	Floor plan.
4. Polish	Work small sections for clarity.	Section notes.
5. Run	Perform the whole piece without stopping.	Timed run.
6. Refine	Make one or two changes and run again.	Final choices.

Work in sections

Do not rehearse only by running the whole piece. Small sections improve faster. Work a paragraph or a stanza until the phrasing is clear, then place it back in the whole.

Section length	Use	Avoid
One line	Stress and articulation.	Losing the surrounding meaning.
One sentence	Breath and phrasing.	Over-polishing at the expense of flow.
One paragraph	Tone and pace.	Forgetting the transitions.
One section	Shape and build.	Losing the whole.
Whole piece	Stamina and timing.	Repeating without change.

Rehearsal log

A short log keeps rehearsal purposeful. After each session, record what you changed and what happened.

Date	Focus	Change	Effect	Next

Rehearse with a listener

A listener hears what you cannot. Ask them to describe rather than judge.

“What did you think the text was about?”
“Where did you lose the thread?”
“Which line stayed with you?”
“Could you hear the turn?”
“Did the ending land?”
“What did my body do that helped or distracted?”

Timing

Time the piece at performance pace, including pauses and transitions. A piece that runs long in rehearsal will run longer on stage. Cut before you perform, not during.

Timing	Response
Under time	Slow down; let pauses land; do not add material.
On time	Keep the shape; check the opening and close.
Over time	Cut a section; do not simply speed up.
Far over time	Return to the text selection; the piece may be wrong for the occasion.

Nerves

Nerves are normal. They sharpen attention and prepare the body. The aim is not to remove them but to keep them from taking over.

Sign	Response
Fast heart rate	Breathe out slowly for longer than you breathe in.
Shaking hands	Hold a script or press your feet into the floor.
Dry mouth	Sip water before you begin.
Racing thoughts	Return to the first line and the first mark.
Blank mind	Pause; look at your script; restate the last sentence.
Rush	Over-enunciate the first sentence; the pace will settle.

Voice care on the day

Warm up gently; do not shout.
Drink water at room temperature.
Avoid clearing your throat repeatedly.
Rest the voice before performance.
Do not force volume over a noisy room; use a microphone.
If your voice is unwell, reduce the range and speak more slowly.

Technical checks

Check	Question
Space	Can the audience see and hear you?
Microphone	Is it on, at the right height and free of feedback?
Script	Is it printed, ordered and easy to hold?
Music	Is the cue set and the volume agreed?
Lighting	Is your face lit rather than silhouetted?
Water	Is it within reach?
Timing	Does someone have a visible signal?

The performance

Walk to your mark at a calm pace.
Look at the audience and wait for quiet.
Breathe before the first line.
Speak the first sentence slightly slower than feels natural.
Trust the marks; do not add new choices under pressure.
Hold the final moment before you leave.

After the performance

Write a short reflection while the experience is fresh:

What did the audience hear that you intended?
Where did the performance change from rehearsal?
Which choice worked best?
What would you change next time?
What did you learn about the text?

Rehearse the beginning and the ending most. They are the moments you will remember least clearly under pressure.

Common errors

Only full runs. Mistakes become habits.
No timing. The piece overruns.
Last-minute changes. They unsettle the performance.
Rehearsing in silence. The space changes everything.
Ignoring the body. Stance and breath affect the voice.
No reflection. The same problems return.

Next, study responding to performance to give and receive useful feedback. The access and adaptation page makes the performance available to everyone.