Class 9 · ArtsNCERT 2026 Revised Syllabus
Chapter 5: From Vision to Performance: Direction and Acting (0907AR05)
Madhurima
Explains styles of direction, the nine stage divisions, global schools of acting, and the departments that come together for a theatre production.
Chapter code: 0907ar05 · Book: Madhurima · Class 9 Arts
Find complete NCERT solutions for Class 9 Arts, Madhurima Chapter 5. Every question has a clear, step-by-step answer for chapter code 0907AR05.
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Exercises(6 questions)
1
What are the different styles of direction? If you were to direct a play, what would be your style and why?
Ans.
• Realistic – stage looks and feels like real life.
• Abstract or symbolic – story told through ideas and images, not literal action.
• Devised theatre – play created collectively by the group, not from a fixed script.
• Script-based direction – play begins with, and stays faithful to, a written text.
• Collaborative direction – combines creative inputs of multiple experts, such as two directors or a choreographer with a director.I would choose script-based direction, because it lets me deeply interpret a written text while still using blocking, tone, and design choices to bring the playwright's vision to life.
2
What are the nine stage divisions? If you were to plan the following scene, where would the characters be positioned on stage, based on the nine stage divisions? Scene: We are in Chhatrapati Śhivājī Mahārāja's court, and a famous poet of a neighbouring state is visiting him. Give positions on stage for — Chhatrapati Śhivājī Mahārāja, the famous poet, the in-house poets of Chhatrapati Śhivājī Mahārāja, and the royal guards escorting the poet. You can make a drawing to indicate stage positions.
Ans.
The nine stage divisions are: Upstage Right, Upstage Centre, Upstage Left, Stage Right, Centre Stage, Stage Left, Downstage Right, Downstage Centre, and Downstage Left.Scene: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja's court, with a visiting poet.• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja – Centre Stage/Downstage Centre, the most prominent position, as he is the focal figure holding court.
• The famous visiting poet – Downstage Right, facing the King, since this position carries strength and honours the important guest.
• In-house poets – Stage Left/Upstage Left, placed as supporting figures around the King.
• Royal guards escorting the poet – Upstage Right and Upstage Left, flanking the entrances/wings, showing their protective, background role.
3
Which are the global schools of acting you have learnt about? Which one appeals to you the most and why?
Ans.
• The System and Method Acting (Konstantin Stanislavsky and Lee Strasberg) – emotional truth, the magic 'if', inner monologue, and commitment to character.
• Epic Theatre – Alienation Theory (Bertolt Brecht) – actors keep emotional distance so the audience thinks rather than feels.
• Poor Theatre (Jerzy Grotowsky) – eliminates elaborate sets/costumes; the actor's body is the main medium of expression.
• Stella Adler's Technique – builds character through imagination rather than personal experience.Method Acting appeals to me the most, because deriving emotions from real personal experience makes a performance feel authentic and deeply relatable to the audience.
4
Improvise and perform the following scene with: (a) just two people on stage; (b) at least 5–6 people on stage. Scene: You are going to a shop to buy a notebook. You meet a friend from your childhood you haven't spoken to for many years. Note down the differences you felt in the scene as an actor and as an audience.
Ans.
As an actor, the two-person version demands sustained personal energy and intimacy, while the group version requires listening, timing, and shared focus so no one is upstaged. As audience, the two-person scene feels more intimate and focused, while the group scene feels lively but needs clear stage balance so attention is not scattered.Note: This question is a live improvisation activity performed in class; the answer above is a model reflection framework. Students should replace it with their own actual observations after performing the scene.
5
Which are the various departments in theatre that come together for a performance? As a director, and in what order would you like to work with these departments, starting with the script?
Ans.
• Script/Direction
• Acting (casting and actor preparation)
• Set design
• Costume and props (Āhārya)
• Lighting design
• Sound designAs a director, I would begin with script work to build the vision, move to blocking and acting with the cast, then bring in set, costumes/props, lighting, and sound so every department aligns with the script before final run-throughs.
6
Match the following.Indian Name — Description i. Āṅgika — a. Performance in Manipur ii. Bhūta-kola — b. Costume, jewellery, set, and props iii. Gaura-līlā — c. Body language iv. Āhārya — d. A divine folk tradition of Karnataka
Ans.
The correct matches are given below.• Āngika — c. Body language
• Bhūta-kola — d. A divine folk tradition of Karnataka
• Gaura-līlā — a. Performance in Manipur
• Āhārya — b. Costume, jewellery, set, and propsNote: Activity 5.1 ('The director in you') and Activity 5.2 ('The living painting') are group performance activities to be enacted physically in class, as instructed in the textbook; they do not carry a single written answer.
Activities — How to Do(6 questions)
1
Activity 5.1 (the director in you): pick a performed scene and redesign it in groups — emphasise angika, then vachika, rework positions on the nine stage parts, and try it emotionless. What should you compare at the end?
Ans.
Redesign the same scene four ways: angika-heavy (movement), vachika-heavy (voice), re-blocked on nine stage parts, and emotionless. Enact all, then discuss how differently each lands — that contrast is the lesson in direction.
2
Activity 5.2 (the living painting): bring a famous artwork alive in 1 minute — imagine before/after, plan positions and entries, then play it angika-only, vachika-only, and with music. How should you build it?
Ans.
Choose the artwork; invent its before and after story. Plan positions by importance and entries/exits. Perform three passes: angika-only (no speech), vachika-only (no movement), then with music/rhythm — and feel how each channel carries meaning.
3
Activity 5.3 (solo to ensemble): one student performs a silent action; then 5–6 perform the same situation together; then one actor disrupts tempo/emotion and the group adjusts silently. What should observers watch?
Ans.
Solo: what made the action readable (posture, energy, clarity)? Group: who leads unintentionally, how energy spreads, how spacing holds? Disruption: how the group rebalances without speaking — listening with eyes and bodies.
4
Discussion circle: what is the difference in impact between the angika and vachika versions?
Ans.
Angika hits through visible energy — posture, gesture, rhythm felt at once. Vachika works through words and tone — ideas and emotion unfold line by line. Discuss which carried the story further and where each fell short.
5
Discussion circle: how did acting solo feel different from acting in a group?
Ans.
Solo: total control but total exposure — every choice is yours and visible. Group: safety and shared energy, but you must listen, adjust spacing and rhythm constantly. Reflect which felt freer and which felt richer.
6
Project Work (basic workshop): plan and conduct a 3-hour theatre workshop for Grades 3–5 in pairs — warm-up hour, core-activity hour, creation-sharing hour — then reflect. What must planning cover?
Ans.
Pick a theme (storytelling, emotions, animals, folk tales…); divide roles; design for young children (simple, playful); ready materials; rehearse as facilitators with backup games. Afterward hold the children’s discussion circle, then your own what-worked/what-didn’t review.