In this unit students study the birth of drama in the Western world. We look at the conventions of Greek Theatre (masks, chorus, music, etc) and explore these practically using stimuli taken from various myths. Connections are made between how we see theatre today and how our understanding of the arts has been shaped by this hugely influential and important civilization and theatre tradition.
This unit explores the genre of radio dramas and asks students to focus more explicitly on their vocal articulation and use of sound effects in storytelling. Students will create original radio plays and use software to record and edit them.
This unit explores another hugely influential theatre tradition whose legacy can be seen in many forms of theatre still today. Students will learn the key stock characters and how to bring these alive through body and voice. We will study various key conventions (master & servant dynamic, lazzi) and create original scenarios. Performances will use exaggeration and masks to emphasise the comedy.
Students work on further developing their physical skills, especially facial expression, gesture and movement, and explore how they can use these to communicate effectively. Working as a whole class, in groups and in pairs, students work on developing basic miming skills. They improvise various scenarios and learn how to respond to 'hooks' given in order develop ideas further. The unit also works on moving focus between a group of performers to help an audience follow work successfully.
In this unit, students build on their earlier storytelling work to create their own original myths or legends. In groups, students revise the 5 parts to a story and create a script using dialogue, adverbs, stage directions, etc. All students create at least one puppet and groups are invited to make appropriate set and props for their performances. We also use recorded sound effects and incorporate these, when appropriate, into practical work to communicate setting, key moments and atmosphere.