DEMYSTIFYING DRAMA TECHNIQUES

 

Many of the techniques used in drama sessions in schools developed out of rehearsal techniques in the theatre.  They are called forms, strategies or conventions by some practitioners.  Whilst some techniques will be more suitable than others for certain age groups, others can be used with all ages. As students progress in drama, they should make increasing use of techniques themselves as they explore and create a piece of work. 

 

Learning through Drama

These techniques include those which can be used to:

• exploring issues, situations and events found in ‘texts’ news items, photographs, objects, paintings, plays, diaries, poetry etc (freeze-frame, still image, parrot on the shoulder, conscience alley, forum theatre, mantle of the expert, essence machine etc)

• explore, develop or deepen a character or a role  (hot-seating, role on the wall, thought tapping, centering, collective role etc)

 

Learning about Theatre

Those techniques which are used for :

• performance (such as narration, split screen, flashback, flash forward, soundscape, dance drama, choral speaking , group monologue, slow motion etc)

• theatre formats (such as thrust, promenade, theatre-in–the-round, traverse, end on etc)

 

Examples of exploratory techniques that may be less familiar than others

 

Collective Role

The role of a character is played by more than one student simultaneously. For instance, each student could, express different aspects of that character’s personality. It is an exploratory technique used in improvised work and it can involve a large group.

 

Conscience Alley

This is sometimes called ‘thought tunnel’.  Students form two lines facing each other, leaving sufficient room for a character from the drama to walk through the ‘alley’.  As they walk through the alley, those either side say the thoughts or conscience that they think will be in the head of the character.  An extension of this technique is for those forming the alley to speak the thoughts this central character might have in relation to their own role.

 

Essence Machine

This is a movement sequence that distils and translates key features of the situation or events that have taken place.  Key words that are spoken, or are the inner feelings of the characters within the scene, can be used to develop it further.  Words that describe the mood or atmosphere can also be included.

 

Fly on the Wall

This is a strategy that can be used to prompt the student’s imaginations.  The students work individually and explore an imagined place as though they were a fly on the wall.  This could be a castle, a cave, a monastery, a deserted village.  The teacher helps to build their imaginations by asking them questions that relate to their senses, such as: What can you see?  What are the smells?  How does it make you feel?  Appropriate music can be played during this exercise to create atmosphere, while students work in silence. They can report back in pairs or to the whole group.

 

Forum

Takes its name from the Roman Forum where views could be exchanged and differences of opinion resolved.  It focuses a particular moment in a drama, be this a scene or a frozen moment and allows options for how to alter the drama.  The barriers between the spectacle and spectator are broken down, thus creating ‘spect-actors’ who either give suggestions to try out, or to take on a role in the drama themselves.

 

Freeze Frame

A specific moment in the drama (improvised, devised or scripted is temporarily frozen so that the action can be studies by other students or by the director or others within the scene. It can also enable the teacher to help the students recap on previous events and can retain the power of a critical moment without destroying it.   Thought tracking and voices in the head can be used alongside this strategy.

 

Hot Seating

Deepening roles and uncovering further information for the drama.  Outside the drama, a student or students are placed in the ‘hot seat’.  The class asks questions and the student responds in role.  This is unprepared and questioners have to accept the responses given by the student in role.  Skilful questioning by the group will enrich the role within a more personal profile.  The class can also ‘hot seat’ the teacher when s/he has adopted a role.  This is very useful, for instance when the teacher is in role.  This could be as someone from history, as a scientist or as another person where it is relevant to the topic or subject.

 

Image Making

The group creates an image that reflects their feelings about the response that one character feels about a situation (this is therefore different from a still image)

 

Still Image

The students are focused into devising a still and silent image to depict such things as a significant moment, a mood or symbolic idea.  It enables students to understand the real meaning of a moment and is an efficient and safe technique for getting to the heart of the matter.  Further than this, a still image develops understanding of eye contact, body language, narrative and the use of space.  It provides opportunity for the teacher to help students move beyond the naturalistic into understanding and appreciating stylised drama in which emotion and ideas can be effectively communicated. 

 

Thought Tracking    

This reinforces role and assesses belief in the drama.  During a role-play, the teacher stops the action and indicates a student.  S/he will respond in role to a question about how they feel or what s/he is thinking.  This can be developed into a group freeze with students expressing their thoughts aloud as a kind of sound track to the action.

 

Teacher in Role

The type or stance of role needs to be chosen carefully.  A high status role can serve to quickly organise or dominate and can also be used to deliberately evoke a response from a passive group.  A low status role will empower students who lack confidence and elicit their help.  An equal status role is often used to establish group cohesion, to provoke discussion and subtly organise a group.  An envoy role - a person who is not ultimately responsible but comes from a person in a position of power is a very useful and flexible role.  It allows the teacher, either to support the student's contribution or play devils advocate, according to how the drama is going and which learning outcomes offer themselves.

Many practitioners use a signifier or prop when they are playing teacher in role.

  

Examples of performance techniques that may be less familiar than others

 

Flashback

In improvised drama this is a replay of important moments or a memory that one of the characters has of the past.  It allows the group to focus on or ‘replay’ events that are linked to the actual scene being explored. 

 

Flash forward

This is when the group predicts and creates a possible event that one or more of the characters might encounter.

 

Group Monologue

A group of students take on one single role and speak as chorus or as one voice in that role.

 

Ritual

An effective measure for deepening experience, this device can tap into our sense of community in a serious manner, such as pledging loyalty before a quest or more joyously, as in a celebration or parade.

 

Soundscape

Appropriate sounds and rhythms are used to create the atmosphere or mood of the drama.  It is normally done ‘live’ for instance the sounds of a deserted village; an empty house castle or a busy office.

 

Split Screen

The action takes place in two different locations and or different times, on stage at the same time and cuts can be made between the two. The editing process needs to be managed well so as to provide good opportunities for irony, analogy and connections to be made.

 

 

Marigold Ashwell, Arts Consultant (Drama), Director of Hands On, CPDA, UK

Nick Ashwell, Lecturer, University of Reading, UK