Download Techniques of the Theatre

PERFORMING ARTS
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS UNIT ?
When you are ready to begin devising your play, you will
need to use different theatrical techniques.
Use them to create and develop plays and characters
that will be of interest to the audience.
Over the coming weeks, you will experiment and learn
more about these techniques by means of your practical
work.
You will be required to keep a note of the various
strategies used as evidence and proof of your
understanding of their use in the theatre.
NAME OF
TECHNIQUE
DESCRIPTION OF
TECHNIQUE
USE WITHIN THE
THEATRE
The Techniques
The Hot Seat
Monologue
Mind Tracking
Have you heardof
these before?
Task 1
Class Discussion
What are the problems that young people face while
they are growing up?
Family
Drugs
In the following
lessons, we will look
atconflict within the family –
between children and
their parents!
Task 2
Group work
In groups of 2 or 3, create an IMPROVISEDscene from
the following scenario.
A child of around your age wants to go to a Saturday
night partyata friend’s house. However, there will be no
adults present. The child’s parent/parents are unwilling
for him/her to go. The conflict begins!
REMEMBER
Beginning, middle and ending to your scene
Use a clear voice and suitable movements
Audience location (don’t turn your back on them)
NAME OF
TECHNIQUE
DESCRIPTION OF
TECHNIQUE
USE WITHIN THE
THEATRE
Improvisation
In what way can
dramatists and
actors use
Describe in your
own words what is IMPROVISATION?
meant by
IMPROVISATION.
Task 3
Once you have performed your scene in front of the
class, perform it again - but this time, the audience will
be allowed toclapand ask you to freeze (a maximum of
three times)
After freezing, each character in turn will tell the
audience exactly what they are thinking of at that
particular time. You can discuss your character’s
feelings towards another character or react to what is
happening on stage.
This technique is called ‘MIND TRACKING’.
Who does she think she
is? Telling me what to
do!
I’m beginning to
lose it! He just
doesn't listen to
me!
Mind Tracking
What is Mind
Tracking?
When the action of the play is frozen and the character
reveals his/her feelings and thoughts out loud to the
audience.
The other characters cannot hear him/her.
This may happen at any time within the play.
NAME OF
TECHNIQUE
DESCRIPTION OF
TECHNIQUE
USE WITHIN THE
THEATRE
Mind
Tracking
Describe in your
own words what
is meant by
MIND
TRACKING
In what way can
dramatists and
actors use
MIND
TRACKING?
Task 4
The character does not know what to do!
Does he/she go to the party without the
consent of his/her parents or does he/she
stay at home?
He/she needs to consider his/her options.
1) Use your class members to form two lines facing each
other.
2) Members of one line will attempt to persuade the
character to attend the party, while members of the
opposite line attempt to persuade him/her to stay at
home.
3) The character walks between the lines and everyone
will need to argue their point in turn.
4) On reaching the end of the line, the character will
need to come to his/her decision.
PATH OF CONSCIENCE
Negative
arguments
All your
friends are
going !!
The character walks
down the centre
and listens to the
arguments
Your
parents will
punish you
for months
!
Positive
Arguments
NAME OF
TECHNIQUE
DESCRIPTION OF
TECHNIQUE
USE WITHIN THE
THEATRE
Path of
Conscience
Describe in your
own words what
is meant by PATH
OF CONSCIENCE.
In what way can
dramatists and
actors use
The
PATH OF
CONSCIENCE?
Task 5
Solo work
Everyone now assumes the role of a young person
who sits in his/her bedroom reflecting on what his/her
parents said. Write a MONOLOGUE for your
character.
In the monologue, your character should explore some
of the arguments used in the Path of Conscience
exercise.
At the end of your monologue, your character should
decide that he/she will attend the party !!
What is a
MONOLOGUE?
A Monologue is when a character opens up and recites
his inner thoughts directly to the audience.
In a monologue, the character should discuss
his/her feelings and the most important things in
his/her life.
NAME OF
TECHNIQUE
DESCRIPTION OF
TECHNIQUE
USE WITHIN THE
THEATRE
Monologue
Describe in your
own words what
is meant by a
MONOLOGUE.
In what way can
dramatists and
actors use
A
MONOLOGUE?
Task 6
Your character has gone to the party without his/her parents
consent. However, there is trouble at the party – there is fighting
and the misuse of alcohol.
Your local newspaper has managed to locate a snapshot of the
proceedings and there is a front page spread (including the
snapshot) in the paper.
Group work (5/6 pupils)
1) Form a FREEZE FRAME based on the problems at the
party (using the snapshot in the front page of the
newspaper)
2) Compose your own HEADLINE to illustrate the
picture. Make use of creative language in your
performance of the freeze frame.
What is a FREEZE
FRAME?
The actors group themselves together and use their
bodies to create an image of the situation. They freeze
as if in a snapshot.
To create an effective freeze frame REMEMBER to use :
Depth of staging
Posture anddefinitegestures
NAME OF
TECHNIQUE
DESCRIPTION OF
TECHNIQUE
USE WITHIN THE
THEATRE
Freeze
Frame
Describe in your
own words what
is meant by a
FREEZE FRAME.
In what way can
dramatists and
actors use
The
FREEZE FRAME?
Task 7
HOT SEAT
The Exercise
You are seated (in character) in the hot seat. The
audience will pose you some questions and you
are required to answer these questions IN CHARACTER
The Hot Seat will help you understand more
about your character
Focus
Thinking swiftly
SKILLS
Imagination
Information
gained
previously
NAME OF
TECHNIQUE
DESCRIPTION OF
TECHNIQUE
USE WITHIN THE
THEATRE
Describe in your
own words what
is meant
by THE HOT
SEAT
In what way can
dramatists and
actors use
THE HOT SEAT?
The Hot Seat
THE NEXT STAGE??
By now you have learned about the various techniques
that can be used when dealing with a character and
creating your own play.
The next stage is to put these techniques into practise as
you create your own play and its characters.