Assessment Standards:
- The learner should be able to dramatise social, cultural or environmental issues though the use of different drama techniques.
- The time structure for this module should be ± two weeks.
- All the Drama modules will be structured accordingly:
- Activities (exercises exploring the learning outcomes)
- Helpful hints for the educator
- Assessment grids
C. THE ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 1
TO DRAMATISE SOCIAL, CULTURAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: AFTER THE INTERSCHOOLS
[LO 4.2]
In order for you to guide the learners through this module, please read the following information.
The Setting (your “stage”)
- the sports or athletic field
The Characters (the roles)
- athletes
- cleaners
- educators
- principal
- sports captain
The Time (time frame of exercise)
- after a sports meeting has taken place, i.e. Interschools
The Situation (the story)
- The ‘characters’ return to the sports field after the Interschools have taken place.
- The sports field has been left in total disarray – litter has been strewn all over the field.
- The cleaning equipment has been stolen – there are no brooms, black bags, bins, etc.
The issue
- The sports field has to be cleaned for the next sports event which is to take place within an hour
Exercise 1: Exploring
- Take all the learners to the sports field and have them imagine the situation in the setting.
- Have them visualise the littering and damage done to the setting.
- The sports field is the stage they will be performing on.
- Have the learners discuss the situation and the setting as perceived by them.
- Have the learners give ideas what the stage will look like for their performance.
Exercise 2: Characterisation
- Present the different characters to the learners.
- Have the learners volunteer characters they would like to play.
- Have the learners discuss the different characteristics of the characters they have chosen.
- Put the learners on the stage in character and have them explore the scene.
- Discuss costumes and props for each character.
Exercise 3: Improvisation
- Discuss the issue at hand and how each character will solve the problem.
- Have the learners put forth ideas and solutions.
- Have the learners select actions and dialogue for their characters in order to solve the problem at hand.
- Have the learners improvise a short scene in the setting.
- Choose aspects from the improvisation and put it together to devise scenes for the ‘play’.
- Have the learners rehearse the scenes.
- Have the learners perform the play.
- The duration of the play should not exceed 10 minutes.
The following hints will help you guide your learners with their characterisation.
Hints for Characterisation
The Devices:
- Imagination and creative fantasy
- Experience
- Your physical body and muscle control
- Emotion
- The senses: - sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste
- Your personal space
- The external space
- Speech
- Attention and focus
In order for you to approach even one of these prerequisites you have to free yourself from the strain of your
body, face and voice .
The elements of characterisation:
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Action: What am I doing?
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Volition : Why am I doing it?
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Adjustment : How am I doing it?
The external attributes of characterisation:
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The body (Is the character young, old, fat, cripple, …?)
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The voice (shrill, deep, sexy, old, childlike, …)
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The face (narrow eyes, nervous twitch, evil, good…)
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The attitude (self confident, nervous, insecure, in charge…)
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The props (glasses, tiara, walking stick, cigarettes…)
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The costume (evening gown, tuxedo, rags, track suit….)
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The make-up (beard, fantasy, aging…)
The creation of a character:
- You cannot seek the character somewhere outside yourself; you must make it up out of the material that you yourself possess.
- You must have faith in the character.
- You have to perceive the rhythm of a character as a means to understand the role.
- The role is ready when the actor has made the dialogue his own.
- Make the thoughts of the character your own thoughts.
Hints for Dialogue
- An actor should speak for the eye of the partner, and not the ear.
- Visualise the words and ideas spoken.
- See and evaluate in order to convey convincingly.
- The audience has to be drawn into the rhythm of one’s experience.
- The right sound colouring, the right intonation, the precise intervals in questions, affirmations and exclamations all have direct bearing upon the correct and organic nature of the execution of a simple physical action.
Helpful hints:
Involve all the learners in the class.
Make sure the learners use the whole area for their play.
Disciplinary structure : because of the number of learners in the class, the excitement of the activity and the extent of the “stage”, it is necessary to install a disciplinary structure to the class as energy levels can rise and the class can become unruly. Blow a whistle every time you deem it necessary and have the learners ‘freeze’ into a position for a few seconds. Blow the whistle again for them to continue with the activity.
Try to keep your instructions brief and clear.
Encourage creativity.
Walk among the learners and help where you can.
Always be positive and encouraging with your comments.
Drama should be fun.
The educator’s purpose is to show how and the learner has to use the skill to make it his/her own.
Remember that you are the creator of audiences of the future.
Encourage movement and action.
Be lavish with praise, encouragement and love.
