LOWER SCHOOL DRAMA PROGRAMME OF STUDY Skills and content overview of the first three years of Drama education at Bolton School: “Drama is an art form, a practical activity and an intellectual discipline. A drama education, which begins naturally with learning through dramatic play, will eventually include many elements of theatre. Like the other arts, it involves imagination and feelings and helps us to make sense of the world. It does this through the creation of imagined characters and situations, and the relationships and events that they encounter. Through engagement in drama, pupils apply their imaginations and draw upon their own personal experiences. Their increasing knowledge and understanding of how the elements of drama work enables them to effectively shape, express and share their ideas, feelings and responses, making use of language, space, symbol, allegory and metaphor. Good drama teaching will result in pupils learning about dramatic form and the content it explores.” ‘Drama in Schools’ Arts Council England, 2014
Pupils devise and present scripted and improvised dramas in response to a range of stimuli, demonstrating their ability to investigate ideas, situations and events and an understanding of how theatre can communicate in innovative, challenging ways. Pupils experiment with sound, voice, silence, movement, stillness, light and darkness to enhance dramatic action and use theatre technology creatively. Pupils take part in scenes from plays by a range of dramatists and recognise the particular contributions that directors, designers and actors make to a production. LITERACY SKILLS: Development of pupils’ spoken language, reading, writing and vocabulary are fostered as an integral aspect of their relationship with the performing arts. Drama promotes language development. Its collaborative nature provides opportunities for pupils to develop key skills of communication, negotiation, compromise and self-assertion. Pupils develop confidence when speaking and their vocabulary is extended when they adopt roles and characters. Pupils also acquire a critical and subject-specific vocabulary through reflecting on and appraising their own work in drama and the work of others. Reading and writing skills are integral to the process of the realisation of a text from page to stage. In Year 9, these skills are drawn into formal academic study when pupils are asked to produce an analytical essay on a play in performance. INDEPENDENT STUDY SKILLS / MAKING THOUGHT PROCESSES EXPLICIT: information-processing skills (sequencing and comparing), reasoning skills (drawing inferences and making deductions), enquiry skills (asking relevant questions and testing conclusions), creative thinking skills (generating and extending ideas, applying imagination and looking for alternative outcomes), evaluation skills (judging the value of their own and others’ work), metacognition (reflection on own thought) E-LEARNING: Students are encouraged to produce independent and collaborative work via the learning database iTunes U; film, animation and photography feature as learning and assessment tools and are also incorporated into performance and a range of applications are employed to introduce students to lighting and sound design. Subject contact time per ten day cycle: 1 x 50 minute lesson. Drama content delivered in English sessions is shaded green.
YEAR 7 EXPLORE ARTS AWARD
YEAR 8 BRONZE SHAKESPEARE ARTS AWARD
YEAR 9 READING DRAMA
AUTUMN 1 AIMS & OBJECTIVES (3 sessions)
INTRODUCTORY PERFORMANCE SKILLS
AUTUMN 1 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES (3 sessions)
PERFORMANCE SKILLS AND ACTIVITIES (SHAKESPEARE-SPECIFIC, STAFF TO PICK PREFERRED PLAY)
ART FORM KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING EXPLORE PART A participation in a range of art forms identifying familiar and unfamiliar art forms
BRONZE PART A EXPLORE THE ARTS AS A PARTICIPANT
AUTUMN 1 AIMS & OBJECTIVES ENGLISH CT 1 READING
EXPLORE PART B creative responses to what has been experienced EXPLORE PART C development of arts skills
Still images: blocking, levels, proxemics, performing ‘in the round’, sight lines / recreating famous paintings and scenes from famous plays Physical projection skills: stance, posture, gesture / Laban’s effort movements Vocal work: articulation exercises specific to the language of Roald Dahl (Octagon session)
OCTAGON INPUT (September) 6 x 1.5 hour workshops in school over two day period. See calendar. COMMUNICATION PART A Record participation and progress through arts activities.
Pupils should keep up to date with notes and summary reflections in their logbooks.
Pupils show how they have developed their interest, knowledge and skills in a creative arts activity through active participation.
Whole text knowledge: games to establish plot overview Exploring characterisation: key questions, Proust questionnaire and archetypes Soliloquy and Duologues: ‘Hook, Probe, Deflect’ Group dynamics / exploring relationships within a scene / blocking and proxemics: ‘Point to the Pronoun’
Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text. Explain and comment on writers' uses of language, including grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level. Identify and comment on writers' purposes and viewpoints and the overall effect of the text on the reader.
READING SHAKESPEARE & ANALYTICAL ESSAY WRITING: PARALINGUISTIC FEATURES AND THE TEXT IN PERFORMANCE Visiting theatre company to carry out interactive performance of Macbeth during SPACE. See calendar.
Properties of Drama – what constitutes a dramatic text? Staging and technical awareness The importance of genre and exploration of the terms specific to theatrical genres Elizabethan context Monologue, dialogue, soliloquy Line length and tempo of delivery The language of characterisation Scenes that create problems in terms of stage craft Plot overview Analysis of key scenes Formal essay writing skills
AUTUMN 2
SPEAKING FOR PERFORMANCE: COMPETITIVE GROUP POETRY AND FICTION RECITALS Y7-9 / FINALS HOSTED IN THE GREAT HALL
AUTUMN 2 (3 sessions)
DEVISING DRAMA PAGE TO STAGE: ADAPTATION OF FICTION EXTRACTS FOR PERFORMANCE Familiarisation with plot of assigned text Improvisation: respond to stimuli to explore situation and character Characterisation, character motivation and thought tracking Exploration of ideas: research, selection and presentation of ideas, discussion of possibilities, shortlist and begin to synthesise ideas and plan overview of desired outcomes. Scripting – split scenes between groups
CREATIVE PART A showing creative responses within arts activities identifying points of inspiration in arts activities PART B creative responses to what has been experienced PART C creative approaches to planning and making of art work development of areas of personal interest through creation of art work PART D creative presentation of exploration problem solving when planning and delivering presentation
Pupils should continue to keep up to date with notes and summary reflections in their logbooks.
AUTUMN 2 (3 sessions)
ACTIVITIES ACTORS’ METHOD
AUTUMN 2
GROUP POETRY AND PROSE RECITALS LAMDA General outline for Y7-9. See assessment materials to distinguish between year group expectations.
BRONZE PART C HEROES AND HEROINES Young people use simple research methods to find out about an artist or arts practitioner they admire and communicated what they have learnt.
Students carry out a research project on an artist or arts practitioner. As long as there is a tangible link to Shakespeare, this should be sufficient to meet the requirements of the award. For example, a pupil might research David Tennant for Bronze Part C, on the basis that he has appeared in a number of Shakespeare productions. The pupil would also be able to consider David Tennant’s wider career. Research and note-taking strategies Presentation skills Peer teaching See workbook activities.
BRONZE PART B EXPLORE THE ARTS AS AN AUDIENCE MEMBER OCTAGON VISIT See calendar. Possibly later in year. Evening performance of the Macbeth. Pre-performance talk and tour of theatre. Pupils to carry out logbook reflections.
Pupils go to at least one arts event. As an audience member they reflect on whether they enjoyed it, the quality of the event and the art form involved. They then share their views with others and evidence this. Later performances to be adapted for younger audience; Park Road / Hesketh House to provide audience.
SP & L See adjacent column. READING Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text. Explain and comment on writers' uses of language, including grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level. Identify and comment on writers' purposes and viewpoints and the overall effect of the text on the reader.
Pupils work in groups to produce a recital based on a theme, including an introduction, verse readings, reflective linking statements, prose readings and a conclusion.
Pupils aim to demonstrate ability to: make sense of the written word memorise words accurately reveal an awareness of rhythm and the shape of the text create a physical response to given written stimulus demonstrate ability to listen to each other and interact In addition: Pupils field questions on the reasons behind their choice of repertoire and theme, the meanings of individual words and phrases, the narrative and main characters of the text from which the prose selections was taken, and the mood and contrast between the variety of selections.
PART B demonstrating knowledge of artists, their work and practice demonstrating knowledge of arts organisations SPRING 1 CREATIVE PARTS A – D
OCTAGON VISIT See calendar. Evening performance of the BFG. Pre-performance talk? Pupils to carry out logbook reflections.
PREPARING FOR PERFORMANCE Page to Stage activities following the structure of lessons in the first half term: establishing scenes, introduction of movement, introduction of voice and fine tuning of character.
SPRING 1
PREPARING FOR PERFORMANCE
BRONZE PART A EXPLORE THE ARTS AS A PARTICIPANT
SPRING 1
Page to Stage Select play and revisit establishing whole text activities. Establish blocking, levels, proxemics and cues for scene changes. Work through entrances, exits and list key set and properties needed.
OCTAGON INPUT (January) 6 x 1.5 hour workshops in school over two days. Focus: key elements of performing Shakespearian texts. JANUARY: JOINT MIDDLE SCHOOL PRODUCTION FOR YEARS 8&9 SPRING 2 CREATIVE PARTS A – D
PREPARING FOR PERFORMANCE Page to Stage continued
SPRING 2
PREPARING FOR PERFORMANCE
BRONZE PART A EXPLORE THE ARTS AS A PARTICIPANT
Re-establish blocking / cues Physical projection / ensemble movement Vocal work Characterisation
SPRING 2
SUMMER 1 PARTS A – D
SUMMER 2
PREPARING FOR PERFORMANCE* Page to Stage continued
SUMMER 1
COMPOSITION AND RECITALS
BRONZE PART C HEROES AND HEROINES considering how chosen arts inspiration inspires own creativity creative presentation as summary SUMMER 2
SUMMER 1
Literary appreciation Composition as summary Reading for performance
REHEARSALS FOR LOWER REHEARSALS FOR LOWER SCHOOL SCHOOL DRAMA DRAMA FESTIVAL FESTIVAL* *Should you have spare lessons remaining, supplementary lesson materials follow the schemes of work. LOWER SCHOOL DRAMA FESTIVAL, MAY/JUNE: FINAL PERFORMANCES COMPRISING Y7 DEVISED, Y8 REDUCED SHAKESPEARE, Y7&8 RECITALS & EXTRA-CURRICULAR WORK INTRODUCTION TO INTRODUCTION TO RANGE Where am I? Exploring the Features of SHAKESPEARE: OF THEATRE GENRES: Shakespearean effect of theatre space on COMEDY, TRAGEDY & GREEK, COMMEDIA DELL’ Comedy – Dream, performance. From HISTORY CYCLE ARTE, MEDIEVAL MYSTERY, Twelfth Night, Much amphitheatres to television FARCE, 20TH CENTURY Ado studios. NATURALISM, 20TH Features of Bricolage – exploring elements CENTURY POLITICAL Shakespearean of play before introduction to Tragedy – R&J, genre conventions and detail Hamlet, Lear of plot The Globe Theatre. Noises Off – exploring the Limitations of theatre significant action that takes space – ‘All the place off stage in Greek drama World’s a Stage’ Archetypes – exploration of the stock characters of Greek, Commedia dell’ Arte and Mystery play stock characters. Application of types to contemporary forms of entertainment. Stan’s Game – break scenes into Stanislavskian units to explore shifts in theme and motivation.
SUMMER 2 POST-EXAM ENRICHMENT
CINELITERACY: FILM STUDIES AND MEDIA PRODUCTION
READING Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts. Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts. Identify and comment on auteurs' purposes and viewpoints and the overall effect of the text on the reader. Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts and literary traditions. WRITING
Organise and present whole texts effectively, sequencing and structuring information, ideas and events
Film Language – explain how film narratives relate themes, context and authorial intention; use film language to construct moving image narratives; identify and describe the contributions of different skills in a FVT text. Messages and Values - Use keywords to discuss and evaluate ideological messages in mainstream FVT texts; describe and account for different levels of realism in FVT texts; explain relationships between aesthetic style and social/political meaning. Understanding the author's craft – interpretations of text, author’s standpoint, rhetorical devices Study of literary texts – analyse scenes and different cultural contexts Production – page to screen. Using film knowledge and analytical reading skills, plan and produce opening to a literary adaptation using iMovie. Produce accompanying materials – press release, homepage, and poster.
LOWER SCHOOL SCHEMES OF WORK Rationale: Staff should follow the overarching skills and content indicated in the Programme of Study and refer to the Arts Awards Explore and Bronze certification information for further guidance. The following schemes of work offer lesson-by-lesson content and resources. Staff are free to use and adapt these lessons and the associated resources as they see fit, allowing pupils to benefit from teachers’ personal expertise. Staff are welcome to plan their own lessons as long as they support the skills progression and the desired outcomes of the Programme of Study.
YEAR 7 ROALD DAHL PAGE TO STAGE PROJECT
YEAR 7 SCHEME OF WORK EXPLORE ARTS AWARD: ROALD DAHL PAGE TO STAGE PROJECT Arts Award Explore is an accredited qualification at Entry Level 3 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework. Imogen Woolrich (Octagon Theatre) will act as advisor for the project. The advisor’s assessment is moderated, which includes submitting a sample of pupils’ work. A 10% sample is chosen at random by Trinity. Pupils must collate and record their work in individual arts logs for submission. OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES EXPLORE PART A - INSPIRE EXPLORE PART B - EXPLORE EXPLORE PART C - CREATE EXPLORE PART D - PRESENT
participation in a range of art forms identifying familiar and unfamiliar art forms showing creative responses within arts activities identifying points of inspiration in arts activities keeping a record of participation and progress through arts activities
creative responses to what has been experienced demonstrating knowledge of artists, their work and practice demonstrating knowledge of arts organisations
creative approaches to planning and making of art work development of areas of personal interest through creation of art work
creative presentation of exploration problem solving when planning and delivering presentation
THE ROALD DAHL SELECTION 7A will work with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The story will form the basis of class work after the first introductory half term.
7B will work with The Witches. The story will form the basis of their work after the first introductory half term.
7C will work with Matilda. The story will form the basis of their work after the first introductory half term.
7D will work with George’s Marvellous Medicine. The novel will form the basis of their work after the first introductory half term.
7E will work with James and the Giant Peach. The story will form the basis of their work after the first introductory half term.
7F will work with The Twits. The story will form the basis of their work after the first introductory half term.
AUTUMN 1: INTRODUCTORY PERFORMANCE SKILLS Lessons in the first half term are designed to encourage students’ confident and controlled use of performance space and to introduce personal and group performance techniques (movement).
LESSON / OBJECTIVE / KEY TERMS
WARM-UP /STARTER
INTRODUCTION / DEVELOPMENT
PLENARY
1/3 EXPLORING THE PERFORMANCE SPACE
CURTAIN CALL: a quick game to introduce stage directions. Students run into the zone specified by the teacher. The last into the zone is out. Additional instructions: Blocking: students race to get into pairs Blackout: all freeze Curtain call: all race to get into a single line to bow
THE MASTERPIECE – imagination, analysis
THE WORLD OF THE PAINTING – imagination, analysis, ensemble work, improvisation, characterisation
STILL IMAGES: basic stage directions, blocking, levels, proxemics, sight lines / recreating famous paintings
Approximately two thirds of the class should now be stood in the positions of characters within the painting. Use a gridded version of your painting to allocate groups. Those still seated should be divided amongst the groups as artist-directors.
THE GALLERY (MOULDED SCENES) creative co-operation, accepting the ideas and direction of others, visualising a scene
INDEPENDENT WORK TO CARRY OUT DURING SESSIONS / AT HOME Pupils should label the painting reproduced in their logbooks. Their labels should include details about the fine art terms related to composition and the theatrical terms related to space have learned in lesson one. Extension: Those who want to challenge themselves further can select an event from a play or a moment from history and demonstrate how it could be turned into a frieze by sketching out the possibilities in their logbooks.
Allocate groups of 5/6 and ask pupils to select one member of the group to be the ‘artist’. The chosen artist must remain standing as the rest of the group sit. Ask the pupils to imagine they are in an art gallery and give the chosen artist two minutes to create an original piece of art using only the bodies of his fellow group members. The group members should be compliant with the creative wishes of the artist.
Decide on some titles before you begin. E.g. ‘Into the Light’, ‘The Big Bang’, ‘Love and Hate’. Once the time is up, browse the finished art works as if in a gallery, stopping at each exhibit and asking the artist to explain it to you. MINI PLENARY: Consider what relevance still graphic images have to theatre. Lead discussion towards the idea that a production is a series of linked scenarios, just as a film footage is many frames or stills run together.
Examine a fine art image as a class. Work by Ford Madox Brown is the image used in the PowerPoint for this lesson. Note foreground, mid-ground and background and relate to depth of performance space. Proxemics, sightlines and upstaging: Note groupings within the image. What do the distances within and between the groups tell you? Levels: Consider the vertical texture of the image. What do the height and depth arrangements add to the picture? How do they affect the viewer’s/audience’s relationship with the scene? Recreate the image as part of the discussion process or following the process.
Discussion should elicit some of the narrative and encoded, symbolic meanings within the image.
Ask each group to spend some time looking at their portion of the picture. They should consider who these people are, what their intensions are and what has just happened / is happening. Groups should prepare to improvise the movements and some vocal interactions they can imagine. Their scenario should be no more than a minute long. Now divide the group in two – the players and the directors. Directors to film their group’s contribution to add to evidence logs. Run the whole group together with staggered start times, thirty seconds apart. Film the whole painting coming to life for the evidence log. Information from the Tate regarding the social types and class break down in Mad ox Brown’s painting: http://www.tate.org.uk/contextcomment/video/pre-raphaelites-curators-choiceford-madox-browns-work Labourers as heroes (central) Intellectuals / ‘brain workers’ at periphery Street seller Orphaned street children Dogs representing class distinctions
LESSON / OBJECTIVE / KEY TERMS
WARM-UP /STARTER
INTRODUCTION / DEVELOPMENT
2/3: EXPLORING THEATRICAL MOVEMENT
CROCODILE RIVER RAFTING – group cohesion, teamwork
BUBBLES – encourage discussion of lone movement, the power of a group, creating strength via connections, awareness of others, subjectivity, ‘fourth wall’/stage as bubble or diegesis
ENSEMBLE MOVEMENT - from Augusto Boal’s exercises to restructure muscular relations Sensing others at work, stance, ensemble movement, mirroring, responsorial movement, fourth wall, digesis
All you’ll need for this exercise is a newspaper! Divide the class into groups of four or five and distribute a sheet of newspaper to each group member, minus one. A group of five would be allocated four pieces. Now ask pupils to line up against one wall of the studio. Explain that the floor space is no longer an ordinary floor, instead it is a perilous, crocodile infested river. The only way of crossing the space is by using the newspaper sheets as a bridge.
Pupils should reflect on the types of movement carried out in the lesson in their logbooks. There are prompt questions included in the logbook to help with this.
One the exercise begins, the teams must attempt to cross the room without allowing any part of their bodies to touch the floor, and without the newspaper sheets being torn. It either of these rules are broken, the team must return to the start. The winner is the first to make it across.
Extension: Pupils can imagine another situation where people are gathered together on mass (suggestions in logbook) and apply the movement techniques learned in lesson two to the situation. The focus should be on making choreographed movement appear naturalistic.
The aim of the game is to encourage pupils to feel more comfortable in close proximity to each other and moving as a group, ahead of the ensemble movement exercises coming up.
INDEPENDENT WORK TO CARRY OUT DURING SESSIONS / AT HOME
Instruct the pupils to walk around the room, imagining they are surrounded by a bubble. They must make sure to avoid walking into others’ spheres of influence as they move around. On your instruction, without talking, changing speed or direction, pupils should drift into pairs. Continue doubling over time and then gradually reduce back down to single bubbles and standstill. If you have time try SHOAL movement – Pupils assemble as a group. They should set off together, with a common impulse, moving as one, at the same speed as one another and keeping the spacing between themselves constant. When they approach an obstacle, they should turn as one to face a new direction. Whoever finds themselves at the front of the group becomes the leader. They set the speed and direction of movement until another obstacle is reached. The aim is for the group to move as fluidly as possible, like shoal of fish.
PLENARY MIRRORING Pair up the group and ask pairs to find a space. Pairs should face each other and hold up their hands as if under arrest. Pupils take it in turns to lead hand movements mirroring each other. The task should be carried out in silent concentration. Request silence and reset the activity if pupils break the silence. HANDS OF POWER (Boal’s Colombian hypnosis) Next, instruct pairs to decide on who is A and who is B. Both partners should establish a stand stance and keep their feet planted in these positions for the duration of the exercise. The stance should be such that they can rise onto the balls of their feet with ease. A should then hold out their right hand as if stopping traffic. B should now position their forehead about 2” from A’s palm – they should attempt to maintain this same distance throughout the exercise. A should lead B’s movement now as if their hand has a magnetic pull. Students should work together rather than putting each other’s movement under pressure. Swap. WOODEN SWORD OF PARIS Split the class in half; the two groups should face each other as if in army ranks. Pupils should again establish strong stances, they should remain on this spot or step back into it after each move. The separate groups should work in unison. They fight as if bearing wooden swords in their hands, each group taking alternate stokes following a leader. Rotate the leaders over the course of the activity. Each leader can use the following six strokes. The opposing group should carry out the designated response. 1) As if to chop off the head of the opposing leader // other team duck simultaneously 2) As if to chop off legs // opposing team jump 3) Striking clearly to the left // lunge clearly to the right and vice versa 4) A clear strike down the middle // lunge to right or left according to whether they are to the right or left of the opposing leader 5) Forward thrust // adversaries jump back Make the exercise more complex by working in pairs across the ranks.
LESSON / OBJECTIVE / KEY TERMS
WARM-UP /STARTER
INTRODUCTION / DEVELOPMENT
PLENARY
3/3: EXPLORING THEATRICAL MOVEMENT
AGEING POPULATION
CHARACTER CARPENTRY
THE PARTY
PHYSICAL PROJECTION SKILLS: posture, gesture / Laban’s effort movements Improvisation and characterisation: respond and create physical responses to stimuli
Instruct the group to walk around the room in all different directions. After a short while, freeze the group and explain that when they continue to move they move like a 6 month old. Increase the age of the movement at intervals until you reach 100. Pupils should explore a broad range of physical and vocal qualities.
Divide the group into pairs and ask them to elect who is ‘A’ and who is ‘B’. ‘B’ will be the craftsman and ‘A’ will be a plank of wood.
Split the class into groups of four or five.
LABAN’S EFFORT MOVEMENTS TYPE PUNCH PRESS SLASH WRING DAB GLIDE FLICK FLOAT
WEIGHT
SPACE
TIME
ENERGY
heavy
direct
sudden
bound
WALKING WITH LABAN – ask pupils to walk freely once again. light
indirect
sustained
free
Short film demonstrating different ways of engaging with one of Laban’s most simple techniques: https://vimeo.com/59788279
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2)
3)
INDEPENDENT WORK TO CARRY OUT DURING SESSIONS / AT HOME Pupils should sketch out the general positions of the party scene their logbooks. Each character at the party should be labelled with Laban effort movements and reasons, conscious or otherwise, for those movements. Details about chosen topics of conversation can be added too. Extension: Pupils to suggest effort movements to suit specified characters in given situations.
4)
5)
Change the size of the movement: Encourage pupils to make their walking movement wider, narrower, higher, lower, deeper or shallower. Change the time of the movement: Dictate the tempo for your class as they move around the room. Combine stage 1 with stage 2. Change the weight of the movement: Ask pupils to demonstrate how a movement can be light or heavy. An angry schoolteacher may walk heavily; a ballet dancer may move lightly. Combine stages 1, 2 and 3. Change the direction / focus of the movement: A movement can be direct: moving to a specific point without veering off the path, or indirect: wandering aimlessly. Combine stages 1 – 4. Change the tension of the movement: The muscles can be loose and relaxed or tense and constricted. Combine stages 1 – 5.
Record thoughts on what various combinations of these movements could relay about character.
Next, choose a volunteer to demonstrate how these ‘planks’ can be manipulated into different characters or objects. Take suggestions from the group, give a minute for the sculptors to sculpt and then take a walk around the sculpture garden discussing what is conveyed by posture and position. Repeat. CHARACTER BUS Set up seats in a bus formation and select students who will fill the ‘bus’. The remainder of the group should become the audience. Designate an interesting character type to the passengers through class discussion. Vain, angry, tired… Discuss how they might relate these traits with reference to Laban’s effort movements. Use worksheet in log to aid discussion. One at a time the pupils must enter the space, hail the bus, board it, take a seat and interact with the other passengers as they accumulate.
Ask them to demarcate a space in the studio with their mind’s eye. They will be improvising attending a part in this space. They may also have the use of two chairs. Planning: ask pupils to select a host from within their group and to give each character a couple of particular traits. Pupils should plan some effort movements to help to relate their character through gesture, as well as planning a couple of suitable topics of conversation. The host should welcome the guests into the space one by one, giving each character chance to converse with the host. The guests should begin to talk to each other to as more people accumulate in the space. Golden rules: 1) Pupils must remain in character for the duration of the exercise. 2) Pupils must focus on the new person entering the room so that each character can establish themselves. 3) Pupils should avoid substantially talking over each other. Audience should work on identifying effort movements and use them to guess the character traits each group have tried to portray.
AUTUMN 2: ROALD DAHL PAGE TO STAGE PROJECT Lessons in the second half term are designed to introduce Y7 students to devising techniques, focussing on imaginative transferral of information from page to stage.
LESSON / OBJECTIVE / KEY TERMS
WARM-UP /STARTER
INTRODUCTION / DEVELOPMENT
PLENARY
1/3: PLOT – KNOWLEDGE OF WHOLE TEXT
NAME GAME – using visual and physical memory to help to establish and recall sequences of information. Students and staff stand in a circle and throw a tennis ball from person to person.
PLOT SEQUENCING – provide pupils with plot cards for the form’s allocated text. Hand out the cards to pupils in the order they established in the starter exercise.
DIVIDING THE TEXT AND DIRECTORIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Familiarisation with plot of assigned text, memory, sequencing skills, plot units, scenes, acts, theme LITERACY / READING FOR MEANING SKILLS: use of drama activities to promote identification and commentary on the structure and organisation of whole texts and the overall effect of the text on the reader/audience. INDEPENDENT WORK TO CARRY OUT DURING SESSIONS / AT HOME Pupils should carry out some general research about Roald Dahl’s writing career, other texts he wrote and information about the illustrator Quentin Blake. Extension: Students might like to sketch out some of Blake’s illustrations or try illustrating a scene from one of Dahl’s books in their own style.
Alternative: Students can walk/run the pathways instead of throwing a tennis ball. Task 1: Recall the path of the tennis ball. Students must make eye-contact with the student they are throwing the ball to and say their name as they throw the ball. Task 2: Run the sequence in reverse. Task 3: Repeat the task adding in a second ball to see if students can manage two pathways at the same time.
Pupils should attempt to memorise the card or an approximation of the plot information on it. They should now carry out the Name Game again, replacing names with plot points. This will obviously slow the activity down somewhat; encourage pupils to recall as much detail as possible. Repeat activity, asking pupils to identify the function of their plot segment:
Establishing setting Establishing character Background information / context Motivational factor / catalyst Linking information Key event Resolving factor Key thematic element Conclusion
Divide the class into groups of 4/5. In these groups, pupils should record the plot information in their logbooks for the section of the novel they we asked to remember and recall in the sequencing game. They should also fill in the summary information, regarding character and event, in their logbooks too.
LESSON / OBJECTIVE / KEY TERMS
WARM-UP /STARTER
INTRODUCTION / DEVELOPMENT
PLENARY
2/3: EXPLORATION OF CHARACTER, SETTING AND ATMOSPHERE
SPEED HATE
IMAGINARY JOURNEY – releasing actors’ imaginations, belief in a created world
SOUND SCALE / CHARACTER PAIRS Ask the group to stand in a circle.
Ask pupils to open their logbooks to the relevant page, making sure pens are at the ready to record ideas as soon as the activity is over.
For the final exercise, first establish three vocal levels with the group. Simply, quiet, mid-range and loud.
Characterisation, character motivation and thought tracking Exploration of ideas: research, selection and presentation of ideas, discussion of possibilities, shortlist and begin to synthesise ideas and plan overview of desired outcomes
Hand out character cards summarising characters from the assigned text. Allow pupils time to read as they will be assuming the role of that character in the activity. There will be multiples of each character, this will not affect the outcome. Ask the pupils to stand in one long row with a table and two chairs in the playing area. Explain that they are all about to go on a date… Love is unlikely to blossom in these scenarios due to the range of character types, hence the name of the game!
INDEPENDENT WORK TO CARRY OUT DURING SESSIONS / AT HOME
Ask pupils to complete character profiles in their logbooks. They should distinguish between information they have retrieved from the text or teaching resources and their own imaginative responses. Also, print, stick-in and label photos taken in plenary activity. Extension: Pupils can choose to draw a character map explaining the relationships between the full range of characters in the novel.
Starting from one end of the row, each pair of participants enters the playing area with a 20 second window to woo their speed date partner. The louder, stranger, bigger, angrier and bizarre the better! You could choose to put two rows of chairs opposite each other and run simultaneous discussions if you prefer. Discuss memorable moments aa a group.
Ask pupils to find a space, lie on their backs, close their eyes and relax. They are about to be taken on an imaginary journey through a section of their assigned Dahl text. As you read the section of text, diverge from it to, for example, suggest pupils consider what can be seen in the distance of a scene; explore what is inside buildings, through doorways or in containers. What sound can they hear? What temperature is it? How are they compelled to respond to the circumstance? What is unusual or intriguing about mentioned items? Ask pupils to recall and record their thoughts.
Now, explain that they are going to create even more exaggerated versions of the weird and wonderful characters they encountered and developed earlier. Pupils should turn to the person on their left, and begin to quietly vocalise their given character with accompanying gesture. After a given lag time, the opposite pupil should mimic the voice and gestures of their partner as closely as possible and tease out conversation. Stop. Pause. Instigate the same activity but at mid-volume and with the request for scaled up gesture and more pronounced posturing. Repeat at top level with wildly exaggerated gestures and posture. Ask pupils to photograph at least four posture/gesture combinations and four lines in role (two of each from each partner).
LESSON / OBJECTIVE / KEY TERMS
WARM-UP /STARTER
INTRODUCTION / DEVELOPMENT
PLENARY
3/3: SCRIPTING Establish key components of scene, key events, key utterances – quotation and original text
SEVEN WORD STORY Pupils to get into established groups.
SNOWBALL – stage directions / structure of a scene / quickly generate elements of a scene by passing writing responsibility from one to another around the group.
GOBBLEFUNK
Collaborative writing, devising, devised process, scene units
Ask pupils to refresh their memories about the content of the section of plot they are responsible for.
Each student should turn to the relevant page in their logbook and have a pen at the ready.
Demonstrate how to break down a section of plot into scenes and then Stanislavskian units. Pupils then break their section down into similar scenes, select one scene to develop and then break that scene into units of seven or more.
Give them thirty seconds to write down the first action that they think should take place in the scene they are responsible for as a group. E.g. George enters the kitchen lugging a heavy sack behind him.
INDEPENDENT WORK TO CARRY OUT DURING SESSIONS / AT HOME
Demonstrate how to apply single word questions, statements and exclamations to the units. Pupils apply to their units.
Pass the book on to the next person in the group. They should read the previous entry, bear it in mind and then write the direction for the next unit (as established in the starter exercise). Repeat until the 7 units (or more) have all been accounted for.
Complete task of adding lines of dialogue to each of the planned units in pupils’ own versions of the group’s scene. This should result in a complete scene.
MINI PLENARY: Discuss the effects of this reduction – truth and focus in performance, clarity or delivery and audience understanding.
Extension: Write up a glossary of the words created and words borrowed from Dahl.
The exercise should result in 4/5 different versions of the same set of units.
Ask pupils to begin adding several lines of dialogue to each unit of their scene. These lines can be original, direct or reworked quotation. Pupils should refer to work from the Octagon Theatre session and draw Dahlesque style vocabulary into their work. The Shakespeare Insults Generator may also be effective in the activity. Examples and construction support for this exercise can be found in the logbook.
SPRING 1: ROALD DAHL PAGE TO STAGE PROJECT Lessons in the Spring Term are designed to wrap up scripting exercises to make the realisation of scenes a critical and analytical process. LESSON / OBJECTIVE / KEY TERMS WARM-UP /STARTER INTRODUCTION / DEVELOPMENT PLENARY 1/2: SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT – Using sound to encourage emotional range in scripting and vocal modulation in personal performance Emotional states, shift in atmosphere, character motivation, vocal modulation
SFX MIMES – encourages vocal attack and modulation in performance and transition between emotional states in both scripting and performance Prepare event slips related to the assigned text in advance. E.g. 1) The witches transform into mice and the hotel guests respond. 2) George’s grandma drinks the medicine and begins to expand. 3) The muggle-wumps glue furniture to the ceiling.
INDEPENDENT WORK TO CARRY OUT DURING SESSIONS / AT HOME
Write up the scene and associated planning formally, following the instructions given in the logbook. Extension: create a tension graph to explore the effects scripting decisions might have upon the audience.
Assign three scenarios to each group of 4/5. Each group should divide themselves into ‘mime artists’ and ‘sound creators’. Mime artists act out the scenarios. Sound creators can add SFX from off stage or invent a way of being part of the scene.
MOTIVATION MAPS
ACTING ATTACK
Ask pupils to discuss their work from the last session; they should reach a decision regarding the action that takes place within the scene. Pupils can elect to combine factors from each of their compositions or just settle on one composition which they may tweak and change.
Ask pupils to relate each unit of their scene to different vocal dynamics. E.g. hysterical laughter, desperate crying, blood-curdling screams, whispering or silence.
Ask pupils to map out character movements within scenes as a group. They must provide definite reasons for moving from one area of the stage to another. Pupils should recall unit clarity from the previous lesson and invoke environmental factors, as in the development activity, to help them. Pupils should annotate their maps making the links between action, emotion, motivation and environment clear.
Once the planning is complete, ask pupils to walk through their planning, encouraging them to let go and fully commit to the vocal modulations they have planned.
LESSON / OBJECTIVE / KEY TERMS
WARM-UP /STARTER
INTRODUCTION / DEVELOPMENT
PLENARY
2/2: REHEARSAL TECHNIQUES
THREE SPEED WALK-THROUGH
STATUE OF LIBERTY
TAKE STOCK: attempt to combine physical and vocal aspects.
Walk through, prompt, cue, cheat / open out, notes, on book / off book, recap stage directions.
Ask pupils to walk through the motivation map they established in the previous lesson. Once they know their marks, ask them to walk through it at speed and finally, to job through the action of the scene.
An activity for when the script is written but before the actors have learnt it. Pupils should
INDEPENDENT WORK TO CARRY OUT DURING SESSIONS / AT HOME Learn lines and gather props. Extension: make own props if appropriate.
ACT WITHOUT WORDS: slow down the action. Walk through adding elements of levels, proxemics, posture and gesture. Film this for records.
Designate each actor a ‘reader’ who isn’t in the scene. It may be that groups are paired and one group acts as ‘readers’ for the other and then swap roles and repeat.
Readers become advisors. Attend to sound range and scale of gesture. Note any props and key items of set required.
Readers can stand directly behind the actors or off stage. The readers must quietly whisper to the actor each of his lines, without any interpretation or emotion, as neutrally as possible, enjoying the liberty of working without a script in hand. It is important that readers feed lines of a length that can be easily repeated; they should break up long passages, otherwise actors will concentrate on remembering the phrase rather than engaging with the feelings.
Use the remaining lessons four lessons to catch up and rehearse. Supplementary lessons have been provided in case you find yourself with extra time. REHEARSE – pair groups to advise each other or run each group’s scene with remainder of class as audience. Pupils should record feedback and detail of how they acted upon that feedback in their logbooks.
SUPPLEMENTARY LESSONS LESSON / OBJECTIVE / KEY TERMS
WARM-UP /STARTER
INTRODUCTION / DEVELOPMENT
PLENARY
A high energy combination of activities designed to challenge the creative abilities of the group.
YES LET’S! The class should seat themselves as an audience. Player ‘A’ moves to stand in the playing area. Explain that everyone will enter the space in turn and make a suggestion for an activity.
HOLD HANDS, HIGH FIVE, HUG AND HIT Ask pupils to form groups of three or four and explain that they are going to prepare a scene that has four distinct types of physical contact (as specified by the title).
FREE IMPROVISATION Ask the class to sit in a large circle. Place three chairs in a row to represent a bench at a bus stop.
Instruct the pupils to produce a scene that will creatively and truthfully connect the four types of physical contact into one coherent piece of theatre.
Anyone can enter the playing circle at any time. To begin with players will bring random characters, encourage pupils to try to establish connections and create relationships.
‘B’ joins ‘A’ in the playing area and makes an activity suggestion, e.g. ‘let’s build a wall’, ‘let’s go surfing’ or ‘let’s jump on a trampoline’. ‘A’ responds, ‘Yes Let’s!’ They carry out the mime. ‘C’ enters the playing area, ‘A’ and ‘B’ respond… Etc.
Pupils should recall previous work on blocking, levels, proxemics, posture and gesture. Once the scene is established without words, the group may choose to add in some vocals. This could simply be an addition of a single word to each action.
Be hands on, ‘What does the scene need?’ Select pupils to enter and remove pupils from the scene too. Change the circumstance: staff room, airport lounge, doctors’ waiting room…
LESSON / OBJECTIVE / KEY TERMS
WARM-UP /STARTER
INTRODUCTION / DEVELOPMENT
PLENARY
A combination of activities all about teamwork. Pupils must work together for the best results.
CROCODILE RIVER RAFTING See Autumn 1, lesson 2
PACE PLAY
Perform the results.
Put players into performance groups of four or five and instruct them to prepare a short piece that includes three distinct types of pace. 1) 2) 3)
Fast-paced dialogue Slow-paced dialogue No dialogue (silence)
Ask the group to think of a theatrical scenario/situation that would give rise to fast paced dialogue (e.g. argument). Now ask for a linked decision that may require/suit slow-placed dialogue (delivering difficult news or during a sensitive negotiation). And finally ask them to explore what justifies silence on stage (reacting to a shocking discovery or some incredible news). Explain that the silence must be particularly focussed and considered for it to have power on stage. Pupils should give their piece a title and work to a time limit set by you.
If time, try this: LIE DOWN, SIT AND STAND Ask the class to form an audience. Place a table and a chair in the playing area. Select three volunteers from the audience and once selected, invite one to stand in the space, one to lie on the table and one to sit on the chair. The audience should volunteer scenarios that suit, e.g. ‘you are visiting a friend in hospital’, ‘you are sleeping over in a haunted house’ or ‘you are decorating a kitchen’. The players may stay static in these positions or rotate. At any given point, there must be someone standing, sitting and lying down however.
Some useful links: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/books/charlieandthechocolatefactory.htm http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/books/thetwits.htm http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/books/georgesmarvellousmedicine.htm http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/books/thewitches.htm http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/books/matilda.htm http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/books/jamesandthegiantpeach.htm
http://www.listsofnote.com/2012/02/gobblefunk.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/hay-festival/10076341/Hay-Festival-2013-Quentin-Blakes-illustration-lecture.html