For the VCE Drama solo examination, students are required to submit a written statement that identifies the intentions of their solo performance. This document is read by the examiner before the performance. It shapes the lens through which the performance is assessed. Writing an effective statement of intentions is itself a significant skill.
A statement of intentions is a clear, concise written explanation of:
- What the performance is about (its themes, ideas and emotional concerns).
- How the student has interpreted the prescribed structure.
- What the performance intends to communicate to the audience.
- How the key elements (character, conventions, style, production areas) serve those intentions.
It is not:
- A script or detailed description of what happens.
- A narrative of the devising process (that belongs in the analytical folio).
- A list of elements used.
A strong statement typically addresses the following (not necessarily in this order):
1. Core intention
The central idea, theme or question the performance explores. This should be specific and dramatic:
- Weak: “The performance is about memory and loss.”
- Strong: “The performance interrogates how the act of remembering can itself become an act of rewriting — and whether the character’s grief is a form of fidelity or self-destruction.”
2. Interpretation of the prescribed structure
How has the student interpreted the prescribed character and performance focus statement? What is the specific angle, reading or dramatic emphasis they have brought?
3. Performance style and conventions
Which performance style(s) inform the work? Which specific conventions are applied, and what is the intention behind each key convention?
4. Character
Who is the character? What are their central contradiction, desire and dramatic journey? How is transformation of character applied?
5. Transformation and symbol
What transformations (character, time, place) occur, and what do they communicate? What is the central symbol, and what does it signify?
6. Actor–audience relationship
What relationship does the performance establish with the audience? What effect is intended?
7. Production areas
What production elements are used? What is the intention behind each?
The statement of intentions should:
- Use precise drama terminology correctly.
- Be written in confident, clear prose.
- Be specific rather than general — specific intentions are far more useful to the examiner and more impressive as evidence of artistic thinking.
- Be concise — the examiner is reading before watching; a very long statement creates a barrier rather than a frame.
EXAM TIP: The statement of intentions is worth investing significant time in. Examiners who have read a clear, specific, thoughtful statement will watch the performance with more precisely attuned attention — which benefits the student. The statement primes the examiner’s reading of every choice made in the performance. A vague statement leaves the examiner guessing; a precise statement guides them to see the performance as you intend it to be seen.
Studying examples of strong statements of intentions (if available from past VCE publications) reveals common patterns:
- Opening with a clear statement of the central theme or question (not a summary of the plot).
- Moving through character, style/conventions, and production areas in a logical order.
- Using specific, concrete language rather than vague or general language.
- Ending with a clear statement of the intended audience impact.
Writing a statement of intentions is an act of artistic commitment: you are stating what you intend to achieve. This commitment has value beyond the examination — it clarifies your own thinking, focuses your rehearsal process, and gives you a benchmark against which to evaluate the outcome.
Some practitioners write multiple versions of their statement of intentions during the development process — an early statement that reflects the work’s initial direction, and a later statement that reflects what the work has become. Comparing the two is itself a valuable reflective exercise.
The statement of intentions is a formal document submitted to VCAA. It should be:
- Written in careful, clear prose (not bullet points, unless VCAA specifies otherwise).
- Free of spelling and grammatical errors.
- Appropriately formatted according to VCAA requirements.
- Within the word count or length specification.
A statement that demonstrates sophisticated artistic thinking but is poorly presented sends a mixed signal. Invest in proofreading.
KEY TAKEAWAY: The statement of intentions is your opportunity to demonstrate that your performance is the result of genuine artistic thinking, not just technical execution. Write it with the same intention and care that you bring to the performance itself.
