Introduction
In the IB Theatre Solo Theatre Piece (HL only), you are assessed not only on your ability to apply a theatre theorist’s principles but also on how effectively your performance communicates meaning to an audience. Examiners want to see evidence that you have reflected on audience impact—how your choices shaped their engagement, interpretation, and emotional response.
This guide explains how to analyze audience impact in your Solo Theatre Piece to strengthen both your performance and your written reflection.
Quick Start Checklist
- Define your intended impact on the audience.
- Use rehearsal feedback to refine performance choices.
- Reflect on how your chosen theorist’s principles guide audience response.
- Collect feedback from peers or teachers after run-throughs.
- Evaluate whether your performance met its goals.
Why Audience Impact Matters
The Solo Piece counts for 35% of the HL grade, and analyzing audience impact shows that you:
- Considered the role of the audience in your creative process.
- Applied your theorist’s principles intentionally to shape response.
- Reflected critically on whether your performance achieved its goals.
- Understood theatre as a two-way exchange between performer and audience.
How to Analyze Audience Impact
1. Define Your Goals
Ask yourself: What do I want the audience to think, feel, or question?
- Brecht: Distance and critical awareness.
- Artaud: Shock and sensory disruption.
- Stanislavski: Emotional truth and empathy.
