Spring 2015 Volume 21.1 Volume Spring 2015

BÁS by Henry Collie

PLUS Working in the Muck to Keep Kids Safe Krabat: Four Languages and a Drama Drama through Dialogue Learning through Drama Letting your Students Co-Direct Spring 2015 Volume 21.1

Drama One Forum - Many Voices 21.1 Volume Spring 2015 Drama is the journal of professional practice of National Drama Drama enables Drama educators and practitioners nationally and internationally to share theory and practice, debate key issues, engage in critical analysis and express personal opinions BÁS by Henry Collie Drama is committed to the promotion, support and development of new writers Drama is an equal opportunities publication in line with National Drama policy PLUS Working in the Muck to Keep Kids Safe Krabat: Four Languages and a Drama Drama through Dialogue Learning through Drama Letting your Students Co-Direct

Editor for this issue Chris Lawrence Editorial Team Pamela Bowell, Amanda Kipling, Chris Lawrence and Viv Kerridge Reviews Editor Andy Kempe Design Victoria Osborne Advertising Jacqueline Bristow [email protected] Contact Details The National Drama website National Drama Publications contains news items, publications, events, 76 Kimberley Avenue opportunities and resources Nunhead Peckham You can join National Drama from there, or London SE15 3XH access pages for free, download information, Telephone: 020 7732 9336 record an audioboo, post on the ND Twitter and Email: [email protected] Facebook accounts, and link to other related ISSN 0967-4454 internet sites including Drama Magazine Front cover image: Joachim Müller The views expressed in Drama are those of the writers and do not necessarily express ND policy

© All material in Drama may be photocopied for personal, education and training purposes. Please credit Drama Printed in UK by Evonprint Ltd, 80-83 Mackley Ind Est, Henfield Road, Small Dole, West Sussex BN5 9XE Spring 2015 Editorial InsideDrama

9 irstly, I would like to congratulate Áine Lark on becoming the new Chair of National Drama and Fwish her all the best in her new role. She brings to it a wealth of experience and commitment to National Drama. I also extend the heartfelt thanks and best wishes of the membership of the association to her predecessor in that role, Patrice Baldwin. Patrice has made an enormous contribution to the life – and survival – of National Drama and her influence will be much missed. 4 Reflections from the Chair In her first Reflections from the Chair, written in the From Heathcote to Hebdo aftermath of the shootings at Charlie Hedbo, in what thereby amounts to a Áine Lark introduces herself as the baptism of fire, Áine appeals to all Drama teachers to remember: new Chair of National Drama in a We are educators and through our work we seek to promote tolerance and highly topical way understanding. We question human values. We explore tensions on both a local and global scale, encouraging positive resolutions. We nurture empathy, emotional 5 Taking Drama Teaching development and social interaction. Our work as advocates of world peace cannot Outside the Classroom be underestimated. Holly Barradell brings the latest In a fortuitously timely way two articles in this issue particularly illustrate drama news these values at work across and through very different cultures. In Krabat Andy Kempe and Anke Koster give an account of a theatre project 6 Working in the Muck to where they outline the challenges and benefits of co-operation across three Keep Kids Safe European cultures and languages: German, Polish and Czech with English as the John Coventon interviews lingua franca of them all. Challenge there certainly was: Peter O’Connor How much more possibility could there be for friction when the cultures of three different schools representing three different national cultures are brought together to 9 Krabat: Four Languages and perform a play specially created for them? a Drama But the drive for collaboration and understanding was stronger still. Andy Kempe and Anke Koster In Bás Henry Collie also describes a trilingual theatre project set in the First describe a European multi-lingual World War. We are told that Bás is a word which means ‘Shallow’ in Welsh and theatre project ‘Death’ in Irish: again, the potential for friction is evident. The story that unfolds 19 Drama Through Dialogue is of soldiers needing to communicate and collaborate in Welsh, Irish and John Dickson describes his first English to survive their life-threatening circumstances. excursion into Drama in Scotland In this way the language itself is like a second play, enabling reflection on the way society makes unnecessary rules about the way people should communicate 25 Bás linguistically. Henry Collie outlines a tri-lingual Elsewhere in this issue the values identified by Áine are in evidence in the theatre project about WWI projects that are featured. Jennifer Little, in Letting Your Students Co-direct, writes about her experiments in greater democracy in the creation of theatre, 33 Learning Through Drama both in the classroom and at graduate level, inspired by Paulo Freire’s concept Jennifer Chamberlain makes the of ‘problem-posing education’ which has ‘co-intentionality ‘ at its heart. case for Drama in the curriculum Co-intentionality is an educational environment in which both the teacher and students are learning and where ‘nurture empathy, emotional development and 37 Letting Your Students social interaction’ are at its heart. Co-direct This is a long way away – and in the opposite direction – from the views of Jennifer Little describes two the current government, as Jennifer Chamberlain argues in Learning Through experiments in ‘democracy’ in the Drama. She responds to the views of Nicky Morgan by highlighting the way that devising process drama has integrated learning in a school in Liverpool. Also in this issue John Dickson writes about his first foray into a drama based 45 Hewin’ Goals practice which sounds a lot of fun; and John Coventon interviews Professor Peter Julie Ward reviews Backscratch’s O’Connor in part one of a two part feature. play about football in the North East At this time of violence and horror, what this issue amply demonstrates is that Our work as advocates of world peace cannot be underestimated. 46 Book Reviews Chris Lawrence

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 3 REFLECTIONS FROM THE CHAIR

From Heathcote to Hebdo

Áine Lark is the new Chair of National Drama; Former Secretary As a drama and theatre educator and Membership Officer of National Drama; Advanced Skills you can, and will, make a difference. Teacher of Drama; PGCE Drama (11-18); BA (Hons) Drama Campaign fervently to retain Drama and Theatre Studies within your curriculum and other settings. If you meet with resistance just ask the question, ‘What is this person afraid of?’ hilst pondering this, the first core. We leave them vulnerable to the What did Michael Gove fear when he set of my ‘Reflections from the indoctrination of systems and beliefs about removing drama from schools? W Chair’, my mind flitted between – the kind that creates inflexible and Thankfully, at National Drama, we the ground breaking work of Dorothy often unforgiving individuals. Is this aren’t afraid to play. We celebrate the Heathcote MBE and the appalling what the Education Minister for the power of the imagination and our ability situation which beset the offices of the UK wants? Surely society is better as human beings to be expressive. French satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo. served by ‘well-rounded’ individuals, As I undertake my position as As the New Year dawned, the engines the so-called, ‘good citizens’. the new Chair of National Drama, I of war, borne out of intolerance, boldly I return to the sound teachings must extend my enormous thanks announced their arrival for 2015. In the of Dorothy Heathcote who and admiration to my predecessor, aftermath of the shootings, and the acknowledged that ‘drama is a real Patrice Baldwin. Always a dynamic seeming solidarity of people around the man in a mess’. I consider again the and passionate drama teacher and a world, I was reminded of the importance situation in France. That bloody mess. mighty force to be reckoned with, Patrice and the significance of the work of the But surely the perpetrators are not ‘real continually evidenced the undeniable drama teacher. We are educators and men’. Heathcote is, of course, referring power of working in and through Drama. through our work we seek to promote to the drama in the classroom, where She continues to work with us and tolerance and understanding. We question experiential learning is fully exploited remains one of my respected mentors, a human values. We explore tensions on to enable its participants to tackle world-recognised leading practitioner of both a local and global scale, encouraging tricky problems and, more significantly, drama, and a life-long friend. positive resolutions. We nurture empathy, in my understanding, to behave in a Having been a member of National emotional development and social manner which is truly worthy of a ‘real Drama for more than ten years, interaction. Our work as advocates of man’ (or woman!). And, in so doing, undertaking Executive positions of world peace cannot be underestimated. the participants learn the skills they Secretary and Membership Officer, I feel And I say this with conviction. In our need to positively affect and influence privileged to have been elected as Chair. I classrooms, we are teaching our children the world in which they live. Drama, look forward to growing the organisation, and young people to be respectful of each therefore, is the key to change. Drama building on the legacy left by Patrice, other. Yes, we build dramatic conflicts into is who we are. both nationally and internationally. I am our work and give our participants the And so I raise the challenge to supported by an active, talented, and freedom to experience and express a range the broad membership of National forward-thinking Executive committee, of emotions including fear, anger and hate. Drama, from drama teachers to theatre all of whom share a wealth of diverse But the opportunity and the ultimate goal practitioners, playwrights to actors, experiences. We are currently busy is to consider other points of view – to students to Professors: place yourself preparing conferences and celebrations for be tolerant of difference – to celebrate somewhere between Heathcote and this year, our 25th Anniversary, and look diversity – and to be prepared to change. Hebdo. Assume the mantle of ‘Captain forward to seeing you all at our events. So what happens if we remove drama of a Ship’. Take responsibility and In your classrooms and beyond, we from the school curriculum? We remove consider how you will steer your vessel wish you every success for 2015! the freedom of speech. We deny our and the journey your passengers will children the opportunity to develop as have. Teach tolerance and self-control Áine Lark rational thinkers, with humanity at their in the face of mighty waves. Chair of National Drama

4 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Spring 2015 News Taking Drama Teaching Outside the Classroom... Focusing on events and activities for you and students this Spring term.

fter the long winter term there is nothing better than looking forward to longer lighter days, the summer term, school trips and exciting learning opportunities for your students and you! If you do decide to get involved/sign up to anything A I suggest in my columns please tweet us and let us know @national_drama TEACHER RESOURCES Struggling with levels for KS3 students? Drama teachers Lee Brown and Primary Drama: Louise Wilkinson created their own Shakespeare Week 2015 version of KS3 levels to help you take a look at the documents, able to be Where: Nationwide event downloaded via dropbox here: When: 16th – 22nd March 2015 www.bit.ly/1rHLM88 Cost: Free online teaching resources, banners and passports Find out more: www.shakespeareweek.org.uk *These levels are constantly evolving. Lee and Louise would love your feedback Did you hear about the first ever Photos: Arts Council England – get in touch with them via twitter on: Shakespeare Week* in 2014? @leebrown2@loueym Well, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has unveiled plans for an even bigger national celebration of the world’s greatest playwright, for one million primary school children and Teacher Tweet Up: UKEDChat their families this March (16-22 March 2015). The charity is extending its online provision of Do you have lots to say about Drama/ free cross-curricular resources for all primary school children, including dedicated resources Drama Teaching? Then engage with the for KS1 and a new suite of KS2 resources for the 2015 school year. There will also be a new tweet ups that @ukedchat hold every family area on the Shakespeare Week website and a nationwide programme of activities for Thursday between 8pm – 9pm. On schools and families. January 8th 2015 I co-hosted a tweet up on the Spoken Language element Has your school signed up yet? of English. There will be a Performing The Trust is inviting schools to sign up early for Shakespeare Week in 2015 so that teachers Arts tweet up on May 21st. Get can start downloading resources and planning their Shakespearean adventures now and involved #ukedchat order Passports to Shakespeare for all their participating classes, so that every child can record their personal Shakespeare Week experiences. Drama Teachers CPD: London Drama Diamond Jubilee Conference *Shakespeare Week is supported using public funding by Arts Council England (ACE). The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust was awarded £150,000 from the ACE Renaissance Strategic Fund to support the first two Shakespeare Weeks in 2014 and 2015. To find out all Where: Goldsmiths University you need to know go to: www.shakespeareweek.org.uk When: Thursday 16th – Friday 17th April 2015 Keep an eye on: Early Bird Cost: £195.00 – £55.00 The Creative Industries Federation (www.creativeindustriesfederation.com) Booking: Go to www.bit.ly/1trY1AJ the new representative body of the UK’s arts, cultural and creative industries. via Eventbrite to read more and book The federation is independent of Government and represents all sectors. your place. Spanning the whole of the UK. Twitter: @creative_fed.

Holly Barradell is an Executive member of National Drama and works in Drama Development for Trinity College London. She is a qualified Drama teacher, moderator, examiner and Ofqual subject expert. Tweet: @drama_holly

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 5 Working in the Muck to Keep Kids Safe

John Coventon

In this, the first of a two part interview, Associate JC: How did your involvement in Professor Peter O’Connor, Acting Head of the School drama begin? PO’C: I saw Three Looms Waiting1. It of Critical Studies in Education, Auckland University was 1979 and I had just graduated in New Zealand, talks to John Coventon about his career Romantic Poetry and Politics; a sure in drama in education. He takes us from the dynamism route to unemployment! I was never going to be a teacher, but a mate of drama in1980s London through five years of being said come along to a recruitment the National Facilitator for Drama at the New Zealand evening and they screened Three Ministry of Education and his active reaction to the Looms Waiting and it changed my life forever. I went to teachers’ college in attack on the arts in New Zealand. It sounds New Zealand but there was nothing very familiar. like that [the power of Three Looms Waiting] so within two years I went to London and met Maureen Price2. The title ‘Working in the muck to keep kids safe’ was a [Subsequently] I enrolled on a three phrase Peter used in general conversation before the day course with Dorothy Heathcote recorded interview to describe how he saw his work. at the London Drama & Tape Centre in 1984 before joining the RSA It seemed a perfect choice as a heading for this two Drama Diploma course led by David part interview. Shepherd3. I got a job in a secure unit, in a lock-up for young kids, a regional

6 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Interview Features

remand centre in Shepherd’s Bush, my brother said to me around that Jonothan [Neelands] at the time and teaching drama and had a ball. Loved time – ‘same shit, different bucket’. him saying ‘build up now, because it, pitched me in right on the margin, Working in prison, teaching in the the fallow times will come, and in the muck, absolutely in the muck. impoverished parts of East London, you will need to have things ready The great thing about the London the work here [in New Zealand], it’s for that. So whatever you do now, Drama & Tape Centre in the eighties all the same, it’s all about the misery make the most of this moment in was that everyone would come of human existence and what the arts the sun ‘cos the rain will come.’ through. Gavin [Bolton], David Booth do to make life bearable. And then For me it was about trying as hard came over from Canada, Jonothan I did this five years as the National as I possibly could to have drama [Neelands], Cecily [O’Neill] – they all Facilitator for Drama (1999-2004). that was infused with the same came through. Ken Taylor and Melanie excitement I got from Three Looms Peter4 were students at the same time. JC: Were you the first? Waiting. PO’C: (laughs) Yes, I was the only one! The trouble is that once it JC: It was such a good course. becomes part of the curriculum, PO’C: It covered absolutely JC: Did you create the post? it becomes like everything else. everything. We met on a Tuesday PO’C: No. I’ve always seen myself The danger is, in becoming like evening. We’d go in, create a drama in the work that I have been doing everything else, the very essence and then we’d go and teach it for a as not only in the muck but also in of what drama is can become week. And then we’d come back in the margins, so the work I was doing compromised and lost. Part of my and say, well, what you really need was around youth suicide and taking battle during my time there was to do is…. It was the best eighteen education programmes into schools to make drama the same radical months. I was absolutely blessed. or I was running drama in psychiatric pedagogy that I saw it, [with] the Patrice Baldwin came out and worked hospitals, or I was doing anti-racism same humanising potential – all out here and I watched her teach and workshops; those kind of things. I those things that attracted me to I recognised we were trained at about sort of lost connection at one level Dorothy’s work still resonate. the same time – because of that very with drama in schools, as a subject. Shifts in government policy: we slow, deliberate building of tension. And then the arts became what they have had an enormous attack on the Cecily was working on her Collected call an essential learning area, so progressive ideals of education in Writings5 at about the same time. They everybody suddenly had to do the arts the last six years of Conservative-led were days of enormous richness when and everyone had to do drama. I read government. Finnish educator, Pasi you think of the attacks on the arts the curriculum for the first time on the Sahlberg, talks about this as a Global nowadays. flight to the interview (in Wellington). Education Reform Movement – the I read this thing and I thought, ‘this GERM6 – and we’ve been infected by JC: Back in New Zealand… doesn’t sound like drama to me. ’ So the GERM here in a really bad way PO’C: …I taught for a while and then for about five years I was the National so: over-testing; national standards in I went to work at the Race Relations Facilitator for the curriculum and literacy and numeracy; the collapse of Office which investigated complaints these were wonderful times and there the broad curriculum; the arts being of racism but also had an education was money. They put money into the squeezed out; factory-like models [programme]. I immediately created professional development of teachers, being re-established in schooling, all ways of using drama as a way to both the primary and the secondary the things… explore issues around racism. We level, so that they could teach drama. developed courses on the holocaust And one of the things that I wanted JC: But what goes around, comes with the museum – again that was it to be, for me, was that it would around. We’ve just got to keep working with the ‘muck’ of racism -. be practically based. We had sixteen pushing it – quicker. Then I went off to work at the Mental advisers across the country attached PO’C: One of the things about that Health Foundation, working around to universities and my job was to co- was, the arts are still part of the the stigma of mental health and again ordinate their activities and to design curriculum – the explicit curriculum. that was a way of working through stuff. Everyone is supposed to do it, but drama and developing programmes; it doesn’t actually mean that people suicide prevention. JC: Any of them left? do. We had five years. There was a PO’C: Er, no. All gone. So there are moment in the sun. We had a Prime JC: Were you leading this, or a couple of lessons I’ve learned from Minister, Helen Clark, who was also responding to need? that that are relevant to the British Minister for the Arts, we’ve now got PO’C: (pause) I don’t know. As experience. I remember talking to a Prime Minister who is the Minister

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 7 Features Interview

for Tourism. What I learnt was, these Peter’s development of Everyday Theatre and his practical response to the are generational battles. The tide Christchurch earthquake in 2011 will be explored in the next issue of Drama. comes in and the tide goes out. When the tide is out, it’s about what you’ve References stored to keep the arts afloat. 1. Three Looms Waiting, BBC Omnibus 1971. Available on YouTube 29.3.2012 2. Maureen Price and Geoffrey Hodson were the two inspectors for Drama in the JC: The residue. ILEA in the 1970s and 1980s PO’C: The residue; that you can keep 3. David Shepherd was an advisory drama teacher within the ILEA drama the arts alive in schools. My very inspectorate overtly political work at the moment 4. Kenneth Taylor, former Principal Lecturer in Drama Education, Middlesex around opposition to Charter schools7, University; Dr. Melanie Peter, now senior lecturer in Education and Early national standards, is again fighting Childhood at Anglia Ruskin University the makers of the muck. To me it’s the 5. O’Neill, C. and Johnson, L. (eds.)(1984) Dorothy Heathcote: Collected Writings on same fight. I’ve always said education Education and Drama. London: Huthchinson is an intensely political business. 6. GERM See pasisahlberg.com/global-educational-reform-movement-is-here 7. See CHARTER SCHOOLS – things we need you to know. YouTube 30.9.2012 JC: It’s not working if it isn’t. PO’C: No, exactly. So the motivations for doing the work were political and then when you see… So after the John Coventon work with the ministry, I then went on Editor of Drama to Inspire (2011) Trentham Books. the road. I could only be a government person for so long. We’d got the Former chair of London Drama and Schools Drama Tutor, ILEA contract to do Everyday Theatre… Cockpit Theatre & Arts Workshop, 1981–1990

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8 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Under the right conditions the school play is a powerful device to empower school’s culture, but under the wrong conditions it can cause friction more quickly and more powerfully than almost any other activity. Schonmann, S. (2006: 17)

Photographs by: Joachim Müller

Four Languages and a Drama Andy Kempe and Anke Koster

he potential for friction in three countries? And when the and dates, others led workshops any performance orientated time available for rehearsing in for the students in drama, music Tproject is not surprising each venue was extremely limited? and photography. The first time given how much is at stake when This article reports on a Comenius the entire ensemble actually came there is a deadline and a very funded project which involved the together was on a Sunday afternoon public performance. How much production of a specially written play at the end of May 2013. Twelve days more possibility could there be called Krabat that was undaunted by later the cast had travelled almost for friction when the cultures of these challenges. 1000 miles. They had performed three different schools representing The project was officially to an audience of over 300 in the three different national cultures, launched when groups of students huge forum of Martin Niemöller are brought together to perform and staff from each of the three Gesamtschule, Bielefeld, Germany, a play specially created for them? countries spent three days together transferred to a compact community Or when the play was to be in November 2012. While some staff centre attached to a school in performed just once in each of the hammered out details of costings Prague where they played under the

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 9 Features Krabat: Four Languages and a Drama

imminent threat of evacuation due The Martin Niemöller to the city flooding, then moved Gesamtschule caters for students on to a beautiful baroque theatre aged 11 – 19 and has a significant in Jelenia Gora, Poland, which number of minority ethnic students. had been requisitioned by Liceum Theatre is a popular option for no. 1. The twin aims, so often students entering the 12th grade intertwined in drama projects, were and participation in Krabat was to create a piece of theatre that had open to all those who had opted artistic integrity while giving the for the theatre programme. PJZŠ Saturday 25.5.13 09.00: Polish group depart Jelenia Gora participants a chance to develop is a state elementary school in 15.30: Czech group joins bus in Prague personally, socially and emotionally. Prague for pupils aged 6 to 15 and 23.00: Arrive in Bielefeld The satisfaction of these aims is specialises in teaching foreign captured in these reflections: languages. The pupils involved Sunday 26.5.13 At first I felt really strange because in Krabat all came from the same 11.00: Meet at Gesamtschule, Introductions Rehearsal till 18.00 I thought I should be the same as the 8th grade class. Drama is not a Germans but then I started to be more formal part of the curriculum in Monday 27.5.13 like I am from my country and it was Liceum no. 1 but a number of the Tech work during school day better. Now I feel glad because I love teachers claim to use drama to 16.00–20.00: Rehearsal playing and it is a nice experience. support classwork in language and Tuesday 28.5.13 Also I am on stage with other people literature. Krabat was an extra- Tech work during school day who have the same rules as I have got. curricular project and open to any 15.00: Warm up exercises It makes me feel nice because I always students who wished to take part. 16.30–22.30: Rehearsal know that I am not alone and if I do The story of Krabat is set in the Wednesday 29.5.13 something wrong they will help me Lausitz, the low lying wet meadows Re-set forum into theatre and I can rescue them too. So I really that forms the triangle where 18.00: Warm up feel proud that I take part in Krabat. modern Germany, Poland and the 19.30: 1st performance. Kamil, a 15 year old Polish boy. Czech Republic meet and where 22.00: Strike set and pack the ancient language of Wendish, or Thursday 30.5.13 Three different nations with three Sorbian, is still used. In this district 09.00: Drive to Prague (arrived at 22.00) different languages come together. different languages are mixed And you see how people, how pupils, with speakers switching from one Friday 31.5.13 14.00: Meet at new venue come together and there’s no language to another often within the same Review technical problems problems, no border problems. They’re conversation. While it’s not all that Start rehearsal. Rehearsal to 17.00. just having fun working together on normal for German people to hear this theatre project and you feel that different languages spoken on a Saturday 1.6.13 they are enjoying themselves not so daily basis, there are a lot of Polish Visit Prague city centre (torrential rain!) much because of the story but because children in the Gesamtschule which Sunday 2.6.13 they are young people. You don’t also has a significant Turkish intake. 10.00–17.30: Rehearsal always have to listen to the words Students’ discussions there often Monday 3.6.13 because you know what it means. involve mixing languages in the 10.00–16.00: Rehearsal Rainer, an adult member of the same sort of way as in the Lausitz. 17.00: 2nd performance German audience. Conversely, while the Czech 20.00: Strike set and pack students are less used to this degree Tuesday 4.6.13 Three countries, three of integration in their daily lives, 10.00: Drive to Jelenia Gora schools, four languages! historic links with Austrian give In addition to the three native most Czech people some purchase Wednesday 5.6.13 languages of the schools, English on German while its Slavonic 10.00–18.00: Rehearsal was the most frequently used roots link it to Polish. Thus, while Thursday 6.6.13 conduit for communication German, Polish and Czech are 10.00–12.00: Rehearsal between individuals and groups. distinctly different to each other an 14.00: 3rd performance I was invited to oversee the intriguing matrix existed between Friday 7.6.13 documentation of the project and them with English, perversely, German and Czech students drive home assist the instigator and director of being the lingua franca that all of the project, Anke Koster. the pupils studied.

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Krabat: Four Languages and a Drama Features

The narrative Anke’s playscript of Krabat was based on a fantasy novel of the same name by Otfried Preussler (2001). The tale is set in the late 17th century towards the end of the Thirty Years War. A 14-year-old beggar boy, Krabat, is called in a dream to a watermill. He duly goes to the mill and begins his apprenticeship to the mysterious miller who soon inducts him into the art of black magic. At first, his magic powers seem quite harmless and he enjoys flying as a raven and being able to become invisible. However, he soon perceives that the mill is a place of dark secrets. No one ever comes there but there is never an end to the sacks of grain that need to be drudgingly shifted. On certain nights a cloaked and hooded visitor arrives. Perhaps it is Death bringing the once upon a time in a land far away how to be a good person by the way he bones of those who have perished but is quite specifically situated in grows up. In the beginning of the book in war and famine to be ground time and place, thus, in addition Krabat’s not a good person. He starts to down to dust. Krabat realises that to its roots in folk tales, Krabat has make contact with the bad but then he the Miller is bound in a pact to this links to both myth and legend. learns to love people. He starts to feel ghastly figure which involves one Preussler has stated his tale is about with other people and begins to fight of the mill boys dying each year in all young people who encounter against the bad. Maybe young people return for his rejuvenation. When power and are ensnared by its can feel with him and they too can fight Krabat falls in love with a village girl temptations but primarily concerns a against the bad. he learns that the mill boys can be boy’s journey into manhood. Lena, a 19 year old German student released from the Miller’s spell if a As a result of this there are lover challenges him. The girl goes to only a few female characters in his Integrating the languages the mill to do this and is set the task story and these are little more than on stage of picking Krabat out from the other functional figures. Anke addressed A number of challenges had to be boys while they are transformed into this imbalance in her play by faced aesthetically and logistically. ravens. She manages this because creating new female characters. This How could the rhythm and the pace she senses that while all the other satisfied the logistical need to make of the play be maintained if some boys fear for their own lives, Krabat the project more equitable and also speeches were delivered twice or fears only for hers. By rescuing offered new, contemporary, layers even three times? How would an Krabat she releases all the boys from to the narrative. For example, the audience understand and be kept the master’s magic hold who is left girl is given a number of friends to engaged if parts of the script were to die in the burning mill. mirror the young male community delivered in a language that was alien Stories such as Preussler’s in the mill, and she receives wisdom to them? The guiding aim was for Krabat direct children to discover from an enigmatic old woman who each of the three performances to their identity and suggest what counterpoints the wicked Miller and centre on the language of the country experiences are needed to develop the influence he has over Krabat. In in which the performance took their character further (Bettelheim this way, a tale which is in itself rich place. This demanded a great deal of 1976) However, unlike Sleeping in symbolism became a vehicle for a concentration and flexibility on the Beauty or The Twelve Brothers to project which was itself not short of part of the players as the staging and which Krabat is related, Preussler’s symbolic value: the rhythm of the three languages story defies the traditional folk tale I think it is a book about humanity. changed from scene to scene and frame in that it does not take place It describes how a young person learns from one performance to the other.

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 13 Features Krabat: Four Languages and a Drama

3. The village girls were all double and sometimes triple cast. In some scenes use was made of tableaux in order to help the audience focus on the main speakers: only the actresses who spoke moved. All of the girls wore similar costumes - black skirt, white blouse, coloured waistcoat - as befitted the rural and historical setting. Every sentence was repeated in the three languages. Obviously, this effect could only be used sparingly or the play would become far too long.

4. One village girl had the job of warning the boys about the approach of an army Polish and Czech have a number screen so only her shadow recruiting party. This part was of similarities but German is quite was seen. In Poland, the Polish triple cast and in this scene different not only in terms of actress was foregrounded the three actresses screamed vocabulary and grammar but also with her German counterpart their warnings at the top of in cadence. Simply switching from gesturing behind her but also their voices in order to create one language to another without speaking some lines in German. an excited collage of different sensitivity to this would be an languages. The staging uncomfortable experience for an 2. The three actors playing Krabat intended the girls to arrive on audience. The answer to this thorny were physically very different. stage one after the other and problem was to employ a number of It was thus necessary to denote start speaking the same text in different strategies: them visually somehow. They their respective languages but had to stand out from the overlapping each other rather 1. A Polish and a German other mill boys though in some than working in chorus. This actress were cast as the scenes two of them would be was challenging for the young old woman who knows the required to stay silent while a performers who found it hard secret of the miller’s spell Krabat with another language speak their own lines while and they played together in was acting. As this lead might hearing their co-characters all three performances. As be changed after each scene the speaking at the same time and they rehearsed together they actors were given a red scarf much practice was required became increasingly able to wear; a simple but effective in order for them to realize to mirror each other’s slow trick which the audience that the overall vocal tone was movements and vocal tones. understood immediately. more important than the actual In Germany the character’s In most scenes Krabat was meaning of the sentences. monologues were only spoken engaged in a dialogue. The trick by the German actress while here was to have whoever he 5. The mill was inhabited by her Polish counterpart stood was speaking to played by an three cats who could speak behind her and mirrored actor with another language. with each other and also to the her gestures. In Prague, the The effect was thus akin to audience as a kind of chorus. actresses performed together listening to one side of a The girls cast as the cats by standing opposite each other telephone conversation and so quickly found a way of working to give the effect of a mirror achieving understanding partly together very effectively. while the text was spoken by a by hearing familiar words and Their communication with Czech teacher wearing a cape partly by inferring what the each other was clear and and standing behind a gauze other was saying. their performances vivid and

14 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Krabat: Four Languages and a Drama Features

engaging. They found a way of Snapshot reflections meeting people from different countries always performing together, In order to get a snapshot of what and cultures. mirroring each other’s lines the cast thought of the project, three Different places; different people; in their movements and packs of post-it notes were placed different views of the theatre; different integrating the languages by below boards and three notes were countries; different ideas about acting; speaking one after the other but stuck onto the frames. They read: different languages; different stages. often shortening the text in its In response to the question, second and third language. • What worked well in the ‘What might have been better?’ project? comments were fewer in number 6. The miller scenes made special and more brief than the other two • What might have been better? use of the echo effect. When categories but one third of these the German miller spoke in a • What does this project mean to mentioned the weather! Given language appropriate for the you? How do you feel about it? that by the time the students wrote people he was speaking to, the these comments it had been raining Polish miller then repeated the Almost immediately, the students constantly (and heavily) for five days text in a manner that revealed began to write their own post-its this is unsurprising. The group were his true underlying emotion. and stick them onto the boards. The in Prague at the time of writing. The audience didn’t need texts of these notes were transcribed Fortunately they were staying and to understand the words of and pasted into Wordle in order to working above the centre of the the echoed delivery as they generate a visual image reflecting the city which was rapidly flooding. could see and hear how he frequency of the words used. While ‘Difference’ was prominent here was thinking and feeling. In Wordle cannot interpret meaning also though not in a negative way Poland these two positions were or relevance it is a handy device for but more as a plea, for example exchanged. illustrating what are, potentially, the ‘More time for rehearsals on different most important issues arising from stages’. A few comments indicated 7. Asking the actors to speak such an exercise. For example, the a wish that all of the groups had in a language which was not Wordle which imaged the question undertaken more preliminary their mother tongue was rare. ‘What worked well?’ clearly threw up rehearsals in their respective There was one scene in which three key words: ‘people’, ‘meeting’ countries and that the actors were the German cat could not be and ‘different’. A close look at the of a more similar age. Both of on stage as she was changing comments revealed that these these concerns probably reflected costume in order to play another three words were often used in the frustration that some of the character. While she left the combination with each other: older, more experienced and better stage the Polish cat took her Meeting different people; meeting prepared German students felt when part and spoke first German new people; meeting nice people; the rehearsals were moving slowly. then Polish. As there was only a Polish and a German miller, the Polish boy spoke parts of his text in Czech in the performance in Prague. All of the girls learned a Czech song which they sang to accompany a dance.

This variety of strategies to integrate the languages in each performance required concentration, discipline and good will and led to great respect and diplomacy among the students. The challenge was exacerbated by the fact that the size of the stage was always different and entrances and exits and placing of set and props on and backstage was completely different in each venue.

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 15 Features Krabat: Four Languages and a Drama

For them, the chance to extend their doing this, what were we getting out and trust. The mediator was the story experience of playing theatre was of of it, and whether it was all worth it? of Krabat and the work for a common paramount importance: This is not to say however that the performance. I am learning about the ways students were not asking themselves Thanks to the students from Prague, actors play their characters. It’s such questions and the Wordle in Jelenia Gora and Bielefeld who have interesting to play a character with response to the question of what the been friendly, engaged and disciplined another person at the same time. project meant to them indicated this. although they had to work hard from I’ve learnt something from her about Here, there were a greater number morning till night! I’ll never forget these the voice and I think she has learnt of words that seemed to share weeks with you and I think all together something from me about how to move importance, among them ‘new’, ‘feel’ we had an amazing lesson on what in character. and ‘proud’ with ‘really’ commonly European reciprocity could be for us all! Lena, 19 year old German student thrown in as a superlative adverb: It is justifiable to look back on a I like this project very much • It brings new emotions project such as Krabat and focus on because I like drama and to act and • I’m really proud to take part in this the positive outcomes. However, so on. In this case it’s interesting that project in order to really learn from the there are different imaginations of the • It is something new, special experience it is also necessary, even theatre and how to work with each • I like to get such new experiences if a little painful, to acknowledge other on stage. • Meeting new people…trying that problems were encountered and Linus, 19 year old German student something new not all were overcome. The truth is • Being part of something new that the concept of the production With regard to the age-spread of • I really feel proud was stronger than its realisation. the company though some of the The reasons for this are easily teachers involved had a different Looking back identifiable. Firstly, the German agenda to the older students and Anke’s final posting on the project’s students were more experienced and regarded the project as a good website and blog read: older than their Polish and Czech opportunity for younger pupils to 48 hours back since we arrived counterparts. They were used to learn from their older counterparts. safely in Bielefeld again. We were working in a well-equipped space I think that especially for the having a great and important time with teachers who were experts in all young Czech pupils who are not very together. Our drama performance aspects of theatre. Their preparations self-confident they will become more showed a new generation which is for the final stages of rehearsal confident through this project and learn free from memories on aggression, exceeded those of the other groups. much from the older pupils and learn war and suffering under the historical As a result of this, progress in the how to exist in a community with them. circumstances during the last 300 Years. final rehearsals was much slower Jana, Czech teacher As we have been focusing on a beautiful than anticipated. While many of the story of our common culture we have younger members of the ensemble The Comenius project gives an pointed out special aspects of mutuality learnt quickly and tried hard to opportunity for self-development and harmony. I hope that our audience assimilate advice and direction, a through working in the theatre. Of understood the purpose of our work and few others were unfortunately more course they will get to know other honoured it. concerned with their self-image and people from the different countries and Although we had to talk in four having fun off the stage. Many of the the language barrier will break down. different languages (because we had to less experienced performers lacked Asia, Polish teacher add English that everybody was able to an understanding of contemporary understand) we had the feeling to talk theatre practice which allows a new Perhaps the main casualty of the same language when we discussed scene to start before the actors from the time constraint was the lack of the same project: our next rehearsal, our the previous one have completely any structured group discussions next performance. It has been a great left the stage. This made scene about the underlying purpose of adventure to play on three different changes laborious and seriously the project. With the focus being on stages putting always a new language slowed the pace which put greater getting the play performed to the in front of the two to help the audience pressure on Anke as the director. highest standard possible given all understand the story. What had started At times, her frustration became all the challenges that involved, there in three groups of students who shyly too apparent! Greater involvement simply wasn’t time to stand back and mistrustingly looked at each other, from all of the teachers present may and share ideas about why we were ended in Jelenia Gora in friendship have helped assuage some of these

16 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Krabat: Four Languages and a Drama Features

problems. However, there was a ‘chicken and egg’ situation here in that the more Anke and her co- directors took charge, the more the other teachers tended to back away. This is a conundrum that many will recognise but perhaps in Krabat there was another underlying socio- historical reason for this tension which is captured in this recorded dialogue between two of the non- German teachers:

1: In the first performance I couldn’t help thinking of the Second World War and comparing that idea to what I was seeing on stage. 2: Yes, I thought the same thing. In a way it’s impossible not to. The war wasn’t in our generation but in our parents’ so we were brought up with their memories. It’s incredible that so much is different after just one generation. Perhaps the pupils don’t think of it at all.

1: In one scene I think the Polish of their function to parade that References students do. At the end when the bond to others. It could be argued Bettelheim, B. (1976) The Uses of miller shouts and the mill boys are that, in Krabat, a fundamental Enchantment. London: Penguin to be frightened. That aggressive aim of the project was to facilitate Preussler, O. (1971) Krabat. London: German voice, it’s very strong. The bonds between the participating HarperCollins Polish students have heard it and students; the performance was both Schonmann, S. (2006) Theatre as a seen it in films and documentaries the catalyst that engendered those medium for children and young people. and I think it really does frighten bonds and the vehicle by which their Springer: Dordrecht, Netherlands them. value was stated 2: All the more reason then for projects like this in which aggression is only acted and not the reality.

Schonmann (2006) questions Andy Kempe is Professor of Drama Education at the the value of putting on public University of Reading. He has worked with students and performances if the purpose of the project is to satisfy aims that teachers in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic and do not actually require a public has been collaborating on drama projects with Anke for performance. However, it may be over 25 years. argued the public expression of an aspect of culture is an integral facet of that culture. Just as some rituals Anke Koster teaches drama at the Martin Niemöller and ceremonies are necessarily Gesamtschule in Bielefeld, Germany. She is a playwright performed in private in order to and director of the Movement-Theatre. In 2011 Anke establish a special bond between the participants, so others are was awarded the Kulturpreis der Stadt Bielefeld. necessarily public because it is part

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creative energy, both for fun and as a way of introducing them to role- playing and dialogue to complement Drama through subsequent drama and literacy lessons. I also tried the Game with a Primary 6 class in an Edinburgh school who were more settled but also Dialogue enjoyed a creative outlet for their imaginations.

John Dickson The Game involved turning role-playing into a form of collaborative story-telling. I Introduction my classes as something different and would invite two participants Having recently completed the fun. On reflection, it has considerable to join me in front of the class PGDE (Primary) at Moray House, I potential to take learning in and who became the audience, was inspired by a tutor to use drama through drama further. This article and take suggestions about during my school placements. Coming describes the Game, its links with the story’s setting and from a legal background, I needed Curriculum for Excellence (‘CfE’) and genre. With these established, little encouragement to experiment drama-based literature, and the ways I would give a narrative and with different verbal and non-verbal in which it benefited the learners who provide opportunities for techniques in varying activities. The experienced it. the volunteers’ characters to result of my experimenting was provide dialogue; often starting the creation of what I called, as a The Game with the familiar phrase ‘Once shameless act of self-promotion, Mr One of my placements was with a upon a time, [x] and [y] were Dickson’s Dialogue Game. I was (and very boisterous and animated Primary walking down the street when remain) hesitant to call it a ‘Game’, 4/5 class in a low-income area in East they saw…’. but chose it as a way of ‘selling it’ to Lothian. I wanted to harness their

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 19 Features Drama through Dialogue

Having provided an overview of how the Game links with CfE, I want to focus on three principles with which the Game accords most strongly: challenge and enjoyment, relevance and personalisation and choice.

Challenge and Enjoyment The enthusiasm of the learners was evident from their frequent requests to play the Game rather than being read to, which was very encouraging. Whilst Patrice Baldwin emphasises the importance of exposing learners to drama regularly to ensure progression and encourage enthusiasm (2009: 69), I was conscious neither to force the Game The learners fed off my ideas as individuals, successful learners, effective upon the learners, nor do it too often I developed the narrative, and I fed contributors, and responsible citizens. lest it lose its appeal. The learners off their dialogues in developing the Furthermore, CfE’s Principles and relished the challenge of responding narrative or inventing characters Practice document for Expressive Arts – to unusual or even scary situations. the participants encountered. We including drama – encourages teachers I observed it was the quiet learners shared both fantastical and realistic to employ ‘a skilful mix of approaches who often rose to such challenges, adventures such as discovering Viking to promote a climate of creativity and and – in one or two cases – enjoyed treasure, exploring growing awareness innovation’ (undated, p.2) by which the attention they received for devising of relationships, and jumping into drama is taught as a discipline and appropriately humorous responses. a magic comic book which took the a method; viz. learners learn in and An example was Alexander (Primary children to their favourite cartoon through drama (Fleming, 2012). 6) who created an unusual character, shows (for which it was a challenge More by accident than by design, Adam the Flying Toilet, in a spooky to imitate characters’ voices!). Also the Game accords with CfE in graveyard-based adventure. He relished developed were recurring villains who several ways. The Game provides his role, and said the Game was the had distinctive voices and laid cunning opportunities for personalisation activity he ‘enjoyed the most’ during traps for the unsuspecting volunteers, and choice by allowing learners to my time with his class. The Game which proved very popular. choose settings, genres and their supported learners like Alexander characters within the safety of to discover something they did not Curriculum links jointly-constructed pretend worlds. know about themselves through social By way of a brief overview CfE Depth and challenge are provided for interaction and experiencing what recognises Drama as one of four learners’ experiences through a mix John Somers terms ‘alterity’ (2013: 7). ‘Expressive Arts’ subjects. Teaching of narration and questioning where Colleagues who were interested (and and learning in Drama is facilitated appropriate. For example: inviting brave!) enough to try the Game with and progressed through a range of participants and the audience to their classes had similar experiences Experiences and Outcomes (E&Os) work together to contribute ideas with quiet learners: which range from Early Level [KS0], for dialogue or story events; sharing …some of the very shy, quiet learners First Level [KS1], Second Level how they (or other characters) really were very confident and quite [KS2/3], and beyond into secondary feel; and linking the narrative with funny during this game. education. Policy document Building other learning: all the time within (Laura, PGDE Student) the Curriculum 3 (2008) explains that a setting which was familiar to CfE is underpinned by principles of them, thus making the experience …I found that actually the quiet ones in curriculum design, including depth, more enjoyable and relevant and the the class were desperate to play. I think relevance, breadth, personalisation and learning more powerful. Creativity this was partly to do with the fact that choice, and challenge and enjoyment. and performance is inherent to the they were in role. Exposing learners to these principles Game by compelling participants and (Chloe, PGDE Student) should foster four capacities (Building audience alike to create and develop This emphasises the Game’s the Curriculum 1, 2006]): confident a pretend world. potential to help learners of all abilities

20 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Drama through Dialogue Features

to overcome reticence or shyness and each adventure, it allows ideas to spiral 4) enjoyed learning, and even become confident individuals. A frequent in what Pamela Bowell calls a ‘creative teaching to others, challenge for me was managing the exchange’ between the teacher and the new words that people don’t know, audience’s enthusiasm to take part in learner where: but I am the only person who does the scenarios themselves or in-role. …as the exchange continues, pupils know and I feel happy. I reflect on this later. become teachers, the teacher learns and all Mya ‘loved the cliff-hangers’ and are affected. (2006: 28) used them in her writing. Relevance And affected we were. The Game Learners’ enthusiasm may also be facilitated a kind of dialogic teaching Skills explained because ideas came from real through my being in control of the A common skill developed by the world situations which had meaning narrative whilst in-role (Toye and Game was helping learners to gain to both classes. For instance, learners’ Prendiville 2007). Sharing the course confidence in performance and growing awareness of relationships and outcome of each adventure communication: meant romance was a popular genre. provides a unique bonding experience, The Dialogue Game helped me By exploring a real and relevant theme and empowers the learners to make overcome my fear of stage fright in a safe and fictitious way, learners each adventure their own. This (Connor, Primary 6) experienced metaxis by inhabiting appealed to Mya (Primary 5) who both the real and imaginary world enjoyed I learned how to express myself simultaneously. Understanding the choosing the setting [which] can be (Aiden) real world through the imaginary is unusual, like the future, the moon, jungle, highlighted by Mallika Henry as an the Simpsons or Spongebob, and just for fun It makes us speak fluently important step in self-discovery and with the characters and setting. (Kevin, Primary 5) developing empathy (2000). I feel this My colleagues had similar experiences: was achieved by Michael and Chloe Laura observed that her class It helped me speak smoothly (Primary 4 and 5 respectively) who were very shocked when the story was (Callan, Primary 4) worked together to empathise with turned to them. It gave them a sense of power. A more complex set of skills which and reunite a couple, one of whom had Chloe agreed: the Game helped to foster included been trapped by a recurring villain. It was a very inclusive approach that prediction and sequencing of stories. In addition to emotional themes, projected their creativity and confidence To return to Michael and Chloe’s learners were keen to explore familiar in whole class situations. romance adventure mentioned above, cultural or fantasy topics like cartoons Further, I found that using Michael (in true boyish style) was keen and even dinosaurs. This provided ‘imperative tension’ (Bolton 1992) to introduce motorbikes and guns scope for introducing techniques in the form of imprisoning or into the adventure to rescue a missing which tie into literacy such as tension, endangering participants’ characters groom and defeat the villain. Chloe which Peter Wright and Byørn within each adventure encouraged and provided a moderating influence by Rasmussen highlight as an important motivated learners to adopt a role like explaining to Michael that he did not element in developing personal those used for the Mantle of the Expert own, and could not ride, a motorbike, involvement in a story’s resolution convention and resolve problems (2001). The adventures allowed the themselves and assume authentic learners to become responsibilities. active knowers, rather than passive Having described the Game and receivers of knowledge its links with CfE, I now explain ways through drawing on their youth in which the Game has benefited culture and linking it with their own learning in terms of knowledge, skills and school life (2001: 221). and attitudes.

Personalisation and choice Knowledge This principle is built into the Game Learners from both classes explained by allowing the learners to select the that the Game complemented the genre, setting and their dialogues learning in literacy the most. Aiden whilst I controlled the narrative and (Primary 5) told me that using other characters encountered by dialogue helped him understand the participants. This has important and identify direct speech in reading consequences. By sharing control of comprehensions. Mackenzie (Primary

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 21 Features Drama through Dialogue

and needed a better solution to their activity, it could be made more ‘mainstream’ through delivering specific drama problem. This showed an awareness experiences and outcomes relating to performance and role-playing. The Game of what was realistic and followed can act as a springboard into writing lessons to support confident and reticent the sequence of the adventure, and writers alike (Macy 2003), or to consider sophisticated themes such as love and provided an instance of one learner even why so-called ‘villains’ do what they do. scaffolding the learning of another. Their adventure also evidenced Conclusion metaxis as both learners shared I have explained the theoretical and practical benefits of using the Game for a with the audience tools they found variety of purposes: whether to support other activities or for leisure. The most in a shed to help them escape the powerful and moving features of the Game for me have been how it captured villain’s trap. The Game also helped learners’ imaginations and inspired enthusiastic responses. This emphasises develop visualisation skills; for how the Game can help learning both in and through drama. I cannot wait example, Mackenzie said it helped to explore the wider scope for the Game as my career develops, and hope make all the ideas come out that readers and their learners who try the Game themselves enjoy similarly my head, enriching experiences. and Mikey (Primary 5) learned how to draw pictures in my head to References write stories. Building the Curriculum 1 (2006) The Contribution of Curriculum Areas. Scottish Executive: Edinburgh. The Game fostered creative Building the Curriculum 3 (2008) A Framework for Learning and Teaching. Scottish thinking: Callan explained he Executive: Edinburgh. learned to be imaginative Baldwin, P. (2009) School Improvement Through Drama. 68-95. London: Continuum when it came to his personal International Publishing Group. writing. Bolton, G. (1992) New Perspectives on Classroom Drama. 31-51. Hemel Hempstead: Simon and Schuster. Bowell, P. (2006) ‘The Drama Teacher in Time plays many parts’. Drama. 13(2). 24-29. Attitudes London: National Drama. The Game inspired overwhelmingly Fleming, M. (2012) The Arts in Education: An Introduction to Aesthetics, Theory and positive attitudes. Sophie (Primary 5) Pedagogy. Abingdon: Routledge. thought ‘it was so fun and amazing!’, Henry, M. (2000) Drama’s Ways of Learning. Research in Drama Education. Vol 5(1). and Samuel (Primary 6) found it 55-62. Abingdon: Carfax Publishing. Macy, L. (2003) ‘Drama and Writing: Complementary Meaning Making Processes’. ‘very interesting and funny’. Vincent Language and Literacy Journal. Vol 5(2). 1-12. Edmonton: University of Alberta. (Primary 6) perhaps learned it is fun Principles & Practice, Curriculum for Excellence (undated). Expressive Arts: to be scared: he enjoyed the Game, Edinburgh. and added Somers, J. (2013) ‘Drama in schools: Making the educational and artistic argument for its it is imaginative…exciting, fun and inclusion, retention and development’. Drama. Vol 19(1). 6-8. London: National Drama. sometimes scary! Toye, N. and Prendiville, F. (2007) ‘Drama Speaking and Listening. Drama. Vol 14(2). 16-20. London: National Drama. A rewarding comment was made Wright, P. and Rasmussen, B. (2001) ‘Children and drama: Knowing differently’. by Leon: In Robertson, M. and Gerber, R. (eds) (2001) Children’s Ways of Knowing. 218-232. I enjoyed it because we never did Melbourne: Acer Press. that kind of thing at our class. Providing something different to Acknowledgements the learners thus helped them enjoy I am indebted to Linda-Jane Simpson, Moray House, University of Edinburgh, it more. for her support and inspiration. I also acknowledge the enthusiastic support of Laura Keeney and Chloe Wilmott who were willing (and brave!) enough Next steps to try out the Dialogue Game. Finally, I want to warmly thank the children of Whilst I have been moved and Primary 4/5 at Whitecraig Primary School and Primary 6 at Liberton Primary inspired by what I have seen School, without whom there would be no Dialogue Game. and heard from the learners and colleagues, I can see scope for further adaptation and improvement. I could use a symbolic object to prevent John Dickson is a Newly Qualified Teacher currently teaching Primary 4 at audiences usurping the participants’ Kingsland Primary School in the Scottish Borders. Having originally qualified roles as I sometimes experienced as a Scottish solicitor, he completed the Post Graduate Diploma in Education during exciting adventures. Rather [PGDE] at Moray House, University of Edinburgh in 2014. He much prefers than confining the Game as a side working with children than clients.

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It is World War One. 1917.

A Welsh minister and a young Irish guard become trapped in a collapsed dug-out after a German night raid, leaving the rest of their regiment trapped outside.

They must find a common language in order to communicate.

By referencing their bibles they manage to construct a bastardised form of Irish and Welsh, but the gravity of their plight becomes far greater than they had envisaged.

Bás is a word which means ‘Shallow’ in Welsh and ‘Death’ in Irish. The play explores the idea that these men, and often boys, were never heroes, but victims, sent to face an inevitable death, which was never theirs to die. Photography by: John Barrett

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 25 Features Bás

Beginnings firm believer that fortune favours the In 2013 I started writing a play with audacious). a friend of mine, and so a series Eventually, I managed to get in of quasi-philosophical Monday contact with several theatres who nights ensued where we discussed took a particular interest in the absolutely every cliché known to subject matter of the piece. As this man. This play was going to be was happening I was also filling shocking, tear-jerking, horrifying, out a plethora of grant application thought-provoking; it would involve, forms and begging for cash to make to some degree, every taboo known this happen. Surprisingly, no-one and as yet unknown to us. It was seemed willing to give lots of money perfect... Except.. we didn’t have a to a first time playwright’s brand story.. not a single thread through new theatre company and unknown our shocking scenes and obscure cast of nubile acting graduates... characters, and worst of all, only on Hearing through the grapevine reflection did we realise just how that Kingston College had funded un-avant-garde we were, simply by a few graduates to take their play committing to the process of trying to the Brighton Fringe a couple of to be. years ago (about £300), I went for it In epiphanic ecstasy we discussed and asked them for the full whack each others’ heritages. Even we were (just under £5,000); and a couple of to some extent unaware of the part months after putting in an overly- that our nations had played in that thorough application they offered war; why this was the case was made me the money. clear on our first tour date in Belfast. It is fair to say that massive credit As it happened, there still seems to must go to Kingston College for be a massive amount of denial that what they helped us to achieve, and many Irish men took part in the the opportunities that they directly war as part of the British army; as helped eight students gain through of course, at the time it would have such altruism. From day one there been considered traitorous to the on our BA in Acting Course we republican cause. were nurtured and pushed to push The entire plot simply fell into ourselves; essentially learning, not place. A specific rule that the necessarily always from them, but main characters must be Irish and learning how to teach ourselves. Welsh speakers made the options Give a man a fishing rod he will fewer and the story fell into place eat for a lifetime, teach him how to almost fully formed. Writing it make one and his community will came down to the simple task of eat for a lifetime. writing five separate scene synopses, chronologically correlating with a Etymological Validity classic five act structure and then Many of our audience members adding detail after detail, painting throughout the tour commented on a story which would be as close to the use of so-called ‘bad’ language, reality as we could possibly make it. sometimes positively, more often negatively, the most frequent (and How did we get this play to yet easiest to rebuke) of which go on? goes something like this: ‘I find it After I had finished the first draft incredibly distasteful that you have (the Welsh had not even been portrayed these soldiers in a such translated yet) I spent a week solidly a manner as this, and I find the ringing A-Z on Off West Ends list language they use to be offensive of Fringe theatres as well as trying and unnecessary...’ and so on in my luck at the bigger ones (I am a that fashion.

26 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Bás Features

Here I will explain the precise term by Germany’s enemies in reason as to why such language was WW1 to describe them. not only contextually relevant, but also entirely necessary to provide Boche – From the French slang an accurate picture of the soldiers ‘rascal’, of unknown origin. Used by presented in this play. soldiers to describe the Germans as early as 1914. (Harper 2001) C**T – As early as the 18th century English writers simply referred to Certain people found it offensive this as ‘the monosyllable’. In fact that one should portray these the form of the word has its roots people in such a way. ‘What way in Latin, originally spelled cunnus. is that?’ I would ask. Is it the case The word itself was not considered that men and often boys, sent to obscene until the 17th century, at slaughter by their government which point it would have had to should be seen as glamorous, as have been in common use in order perhaps in the propaganda and films to be considered as such. of English gentry we see today? Considering this, and the Maybe they should be viewed as relatively common use of that word heroes? Heroes, not entirely sure today, the conclusion that this word what it was they were fighting for? would have been used in at the Heroes who joined the war, not for very least a situation of extreme the retention of European sanctity, frustration is not a far stretch to but rather, risking their lives to make in any sense. pay the bills for an impoverished family, an immature notion of glory, F**K – The earliest known use of its camaraderie, fear of reprimand, current spelling is 1535 ‘Bischops... or any number of potentially may **** thair fill and be vnmaryit’ inadequate reasons for murder? The word may have been shunned Or more quaintly put, perhaps in print, but it continued in they should be portrayed as a bunch conversation, especially among of well-educated young chaps soldiers during WW1. getting shot at by those unruly It became so common, that an Germans... You can swing the facts effective way for a soldier to express any which way to support a view, this emotion was to omit this word. regardless of which, the fact stands Thus, if a sergeant said, ‘Get your that these men were not heroes, but f****ng rifles!’ It was understood as victims, in much the same way as the a matter of routine; but if he said ‘Get German soldiers were not enemies, your rifles!’ there was an immediate but victims of their own regime. implication of urgency and danger.’ The English language section (Brophy 1931) of the play is in fact the most important. Aside from exposition B*****D – Of course a word and plot triggers, it presents a rowdy in common usage, meaning an bunch of young men, aged between illegitimate child from as early 16 and late 20’s, not fighting for as the 13th century. Used in the a cause, not speaking of the war derogatory sense, to describe a man they’re in, but rather speaking of the from the 18th century. world outside: of the vices in Paris; of the women at home; of everything Hun – After its well-known and anything to keep words flowing original meaning, Kaiser Wilhelm II around the elephantine subject of described German soldiers as such their own futility. on their invasion of China (1900). I should note here, that several This was then picked as a common educators have asked us to perform

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 27 Features Bás

in their schools, for the social, Building the Tri-lingual grammar and structure, theoretically historical and educational value of element giving us 720 combinations of how a Bás. The majority of teachers with Several of our native tongued sentence might be composed (Baker whom we have conversed have audience members have noted the 2014); but in reality that number is agreed the educational validity, literalisation of much of the language, larger when we consider the amount and need for the accurate an example being the line ‘Tá mé of variation which goes on mid- etymological presentation. fear’ literally meaning ‘I am man’. In sentence. However, in light of the fact that English this could be understood as In this way the language itself is this is not always the regarded ‘I am an adult human male’ or ‘I am a like a second play, enabling reflection view, I have compiled a schools mature, self-aware personality, whose on the way society makes unnecessary version of the text, erasing the personality and wisdom is in contrast rules about the way people should sexual references and changing the to that boy with whom you compare communicate lingistically. potentially offensive language, to me’. In Gaeilge it doesn’t quite work words considered more appropriate in that sense, and in the play it is not Adapting to a venue for those of a certain level of supposed to. Liverpool’s ‘Bombed Out Church’ was maturity. Should we take Bás on a Geraint and Pádraig are not indeed the most surreal venue in which schools tour, we will of course offer simply filling their copious quantity we performed. On arrival we took one both versions. of time with learning one another’s look at the outdoor stage and realised languages, as one would in a casual that this play would sag in futility were lesson. They are founding a model it committed to so gargantuan a space. Here are some facts: by which to communicate in a more Their crypt however provided a new • The youngest British soldier sophisticated manner than via grunts opportunity. Minute, run down and to sign up was 12 years old. and gesticulation, although this does grotty, it would clearly accommodate He ‘lied’ about his age in play a part. Direct translation of terms the harsh intimacy we wanted to August 1915. (Arkell, 2013) they know is the way they begin; and create. without a reason to defer from this It did however, present a counter- • The requirement for soldiers track, this, logically, is how they would intuitive and incredibly educational of the British Army to have a continue. Hence, after scene two much epiphany to us all. When in the space moustache ended in October of what they say is to a certain degree you truly felt as if you are trapped in 1916. (Brendon 2007) incoherent to any modern tongue. some morbidly damp trench system, • Approximately 250,000 Were the play written in specifically (it being a trench of sorts) amid a British soldiers lied about correct grammar, pronunciation gloomy, August downpour. Why their age, circumventing the and meaning, the point would be then was it so difficult to leap across age restrictions on troops lost; it would be a study of two the bounds of reality and believe to be sent overseas. languages, rather than a use of those in the situation, as we had done so (James 2014) two languages in order to study the many times previously, in much less concept of linguistic communication appropriate spaces? • The average life expectancy as a whole. I noticed something strange: when of a British soldier in the Throughout the play, that language I was in ‘mid-death’, with my head trenches was six weeks. develops, mixing not only the intra- lying upon the soggy slate, the (Lewis-Stempel 2010) connected linguistic constructs, but corrugated plastic drainage system • Recruitment officers were individual layers of those languages. caught my eye. Less of a system paid 2 shillings and 6 pence For example, Geraint may be using more of a clever temporary solution, (£6 today) in commission for the Welsh vocabulary that he knows it seemed to me to be entirely out of each new recruit. Pádraig has learned, but will use the keeping with the rest of the set, so I (James 2014) Irish grammatical structure in order to superimposed an imaginary image make it comprehensible, not for the of a dirt roof onto it. This seems • The minimum height for a audience, but for Pádraig. obvious enough, except that almost potential recruit was Linguistically, all of this leads to instantaneously, like an infection, this 5’ 3 inches. (Baker 2014) a climax, separate from the dramatic image danced down the dripping stone • The average height of a plot, when the characters reach a walls, along the barrels of our shabby British male above 18 was proficient enough level of their new prop guns and across the fourth wall, 5’ 7 inches. (Anon 2012) construct, that each line is a mixture of ending only once a knuckle in my Irish, Welsh and English, vocabulary, mind had been enveloped in its haze.

28 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Bás Features

It made sense. Yes, the set was almost perfect. Yes, it really was damp and dark and smelly; it was in fact almost exactly what one would expect from a hand-made dug-out on the front. Except, under that assumption, it was missing the most important faculty of reality. No matter how close it was to the real thing, it wasn’t real, and there was no escaping that, ever. Even if we’d performed on site in a real trench, it would have been nothing but a disused emblem of history, an association which must be consciously bypassed. Its basic similarity left little to the imagination, that ‘little’ being quite This whole process reminded me which never returned were obviously essential for our transubstantiation of the story of Abraham Wald and the shot in these spots, and hence were of those clerical remains. Regardless returning WW2 allied bombers, which unable to make the journey home. of how similar it may seem to our were reinforced in places where they Subsequent to this realisation, the preconception of their hardship, we would most often have bullet holes. Wald following shows took on the life which should instead have been identifying pointed out that they really should have venues had previously experienced, the specific differences and building been armouring the spots on returning allowing us once more to suspend our our imagined world onto them. planes without bullet holes, as the planes temporarily misplaced disbelief.

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Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 29 Features Bás

Reception but nonetheless, opinions are of a In Belfast, the Féile an Phobail subjective nature, never to be committee and audience alike accepted uncritically. welcomed us with open arms, and the personal relevance of the play Conclusion really seemed to strike home. There, I speak of our endeavours both past our Q&A sessions ranged from and future for many reasons, none of topics such as the subtext of the play, them innocuous. I hope that from this to tangential relevancies about the article, the readership of ND will see not deeper nature of Irish Republicanism, only the individualised benefits of the and the applications of the post-war support offered by organisations like philosophies regarding the futility, and Kingston College and Kingston Arts potential necessity of war in general. to an endeavour like ours; but also the In Liverpool, the associations with scope for the progression of learning republicanism waned only slightly, through Artistic endeavour, and the making room for questions of opportunities such learning can create. working-class exploitation as I hope that this will serve also as an cannon-fodder. open letter to parliamentary educational London: many considered the advisers, from a recent graduate, as • four of us learned at least one new characters’ nationalities and the binding proof of the educational and language (Language, History and linguistic element a mere novelty, entrepreneurial qualities contained Humanities); while others considered it an within this kind of work, which can • we met a bunch of professionals unnecessary element in the subject both educate en masse, in detail and in the industry who were happy matter and others still found many of potentially support economic growth. to give us their details for future its cultural references offensive. Within a back issue of Drama contact (Professional Networking); One lovely woman told us the story Magazine, I read a piece regarding the • we re-affirmed our confidence in of her then 16 year old grandfather soft-skills which are learned by those the social relevance of dramatic art who had his leg amputated due to a within the theatrical environment. I (Social and Political studies); gangrenous bullet-wound, suffered on would like to reinforce the truth of • we travelled the length of Britain by the front during the war. the soft-skills benefit to a functioning train, to achieve what we believed I think that it is fair to say that there member of humanity; but also add to in (Geography); never has been and never will be a that several of the capabilities we were work of any social merit or distinction each forced to learn as part of this tour. • we formed an incorporated which is not divisive in nature. That company (Business and Law); is not to say that all divisive pieces As a direct benefit of this tour: • I wrote this article (Education, Journalism and Humanities); are of merit and distinction, or even • we improved our skill as actors, that ours was. If a comment reflects a applying our degrees in a real-world • we extensively researched the current or recent society, then it will scenario (Acting); histories of France and Britain in often ruffle the relevant feathers; so it the 1910’s (History: Social and • we created a piece of new writing could be that the work was of merit Political); and annoyed people; or else it was an (Literary, Historical and religious studies.); • we learned how to use make-up awful piece of drivel, swallowed only and prosthetics (SFX and make- by dilettantes like ourselves. • we contributed to the up); Opinions are opinions, and so, commemoration of WW1 (History: • we made a soundscape (Sound to a great extent are works of art of Social and Political); engineering) any calibre. The moment you choose • we learned basic skills in Carpentry the next note of a symphony, you • we designed the lighting (Light and Set design (Technical, Set & rigging and engineering); have made a choice based on Interior design); subjectivity and personal opinion, • we learned how to fund and which will invariably contrast with • we learned how to advertise via social organise a piece of performance the subjective opinions of others. For media (Marketing); (Production / Events management); me, the same is true of art and its • we facilitated a valid work experience • we learned how adequately to audiences’ opinions: they are valid, to eight people (Voluntary risk assess a performance (Stage / thought-provoking as the work itself; Internship); Technical management).

30 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Bás Features

website. (No registration. No fees. • fully understand and comprehend The artists retain 100% of any profit an often inaccessible text; made from their work.) • gain a thorough understanding of A theatre in Belfast has recently stage-craft; contacted us as about returning in March for a run. As well as this, • attain a grounding in vocal and we have applied for Bás to enter movement technique; several festivals around the world • arm themselves with a superior and hopefully that will take the play knowledge, relevant to their final elsewhere. It’s a rather unpredictable exams; sequence of events with this life. By the time this article is • present the plays of national syllabi published, we will have begun in an engaging and focused manner; working, taking ‘Theatre in a Week’ • have fun, and gain a sense of workshops around the country. The accomplishment and confidence idea here is not simply that we have through the medium of theatrical students perform any old play, but performance; rather a play which they are studying Perhaps, without an adequate for their respective examinations. • provide and facilitate intellectual grading system by an educational By the end of each performance we engagement around the given text, body, none of these outcomes can intend to help students: and theatre in general. be considered credible or to some extent even real. However, I would Bibliography pose this apparent lack of validity Anon, S. (2012) Average Height for Males and Females in 1912 and 2012. Available: regarding real and applied skills as a http://ahundredyearsago.com/2012/02/06/average-height-for-males-and-females- means to success, against the apparent in-1912-and-2012/. [Accessed 10th Oct 2014.] validity of the millions of graduates Arkell, H. (2013) Youngest soldier, 13, fought in the trenches at the Somme for six weeks with ‘valid’, but disused, unused, and before his mother showed the War Office his practically useless degrees, from which birth certificate. Available: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2499832/Sidney- they may have gained little in the real Lewis-Youngest-WW1-soldier-fought-Somme-aged-13.html. [Accessed 10th Oct world besides a piece of paper with 2014.] the word ‘certificate’ printed on it. I do Baker, C. (2014) How men joined the British Army. Available: http://www.1914-1918. not believe it can be their fault, but the net/recruitment.htm. [Accessed 10th fault of a system which encourages Oct 2014.] institutionalisation, until finally, those Brendon, P. (2007) How the moustache won an empire. Available: http://www. inmates have achieved the necessary dailymail.co.uk/news/article-486942/How-moustache-won-empire.html. [Accessed marks within that institution to leave. 10th Oct 2014.] Into what? Do most of us even know Brophy, J. (1931) Songs and slang of the British soldier: 1914-1918. London: E. what’s next? Given the supposed Partridge Ltd at the Scholartis press. ‘soft-skills’, which any kind of creative Harper, D. (2001) Etymology Reference Dictionary. Available: http://www.etymonline. work can develop in them, would not com/. [Accessed 14th Oct 2014.] graduates be better prepared for the James, G. (2014) How did Britain let 250,000 underage soldiers fight in WW1. life of self-reliance that institutional Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zcvdhyc. [Accessed 10th Oct 2014.] education is aiming to achieve? Merely Lewis-Stempel, J. (2010) Six Weeks: The Short and Gallant Life of the British Officer a thought upon which to ponder... in the First World War: The Life and Death of the British Officer in the First World War. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. Post script update Schizothemia will be taking on the organisation of the first permanent Henry Collie graduated with a BA in Acting for Stage and Media European Infringement Festival, from the London College of Music in 2014. He wrote Bás as part happening in London late 2015. of his dissertation. In December he performed as Wishee-Washee Anyone who wishes to take part, email us on: [email protected] and in A Lad in Tights, an adult pantomime. He is looking forward to take a look at the Infringement Festival Schizothemia’s forthcoming workshops for schools.

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 31 “It’s clear to me that in the cultural world we’re currently experiencing, the type of work that’s being produced on the courses at Falmouth is absolutely at the forefront of what’s exciting and vibrant. Any students thinking of a career in the arts would be wise to head to Falmouth”

Hamish Jenkinson, Falmouth University Visiting Professor and Executive Assistant to Kevin Spacey, former Director of The Old Vic Tunnels

Alongside an intensive practical focus - skills training, Acting at Falmouth rehearsals and performing of productions - you’ll engage with the theories underpinning performance and dramaturgy to contextualise your practice. BA(Hons) Acting Your connections with theatre and performance-makers Acting at Falmouth has a distinctive and beyond the course and in-house staff are enhanced through contemporary ethos and approach. Our primary opportunities to take part in and access: focus is training in, and education through, acting for the creative and progressive actor • regional internships with leading arts organisations and performance-maker in the realms of live • overseas placements with theatre companies and drama performance, screen, radio and new media. schools • lectures and workshops delivered by associate lecturers and honorary fellows, who include director Michael Grandage CBE falmouth.ac.uk/acting • our year-round contemporary performance programme • The Centre for Performance research, which offers screenings of extraordinary performances from around the world

Graduate from Acting at Falmouth with a physical confidence, strong stage presence and an ability to think innovatively to successfully meet the challenges professional actors encounter. Learning through Drama A Pedagogical Tool Uniting the National Curriculum Jennifer Chamberlain

Photos: St. John Bosco Arts College

n April 2014, former Education will come as no surprise to arts withdrawal of arts subjects, chiefly Secretary Michael Gove announced teachers and students alike, who are drama and other performing arts, Ithat arts subjects will be among used to finding their subjects at the from the Ebacc. With the emergence the subjects in the reformed GCSE bottom of the National Curriculum. of alternative qualifications, it set for 2016. This shift appeared to This is particularly exasperating seems that drama is becoming more highlight the arts as an integral part for drama teachers as the art quickly marginalised than ever before. of the National Curriculum, on a par spirals into the extra-curricular. The Despite the government’s with core subjects, and suggested that fact that drama is not considered anti-arts agenda, there are schools the creative future might be brighter as a subject in its own right in most leading the way in terms of arts than previously thought. schools across the country exposes education. In September 2014, St Yet a few months after replacing this institutional snobbery – an John Bosco Arts College in Liverpool Gove, the new Education Secretary, ingrained view that positions it as opened its doors to a brand new Nicky Morgan, is warning teenagers supplementary at best. There is no school building, complete with state that opting for a career in arts and doubt that, as a statutory subject, of the art facilities including two humanities will ‘hold them back’ by drama is undervalued. dance and drama studios. Through comparing them to students taking This was revealed in the its architecture this innovative maths into further education who are Department of Education’s 2012 school reflects its belief in the predicted to earn 10% more overall. letter detailing how ministers do not importance of creative subjects, an Unfortunately, Morgan is not deem drama to be ‘core knowledge’. ethos supported by its status as an alone in her view and her comments This mind set is reflected in the arts college.

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 33 Features Learning through Drama

Anna Shawcroft, Head of Drama across the country – a fantastic learning caters for all learning styles and at St John Bosco, provides top quality resource for its pupils that is no longer maintains pupils’ engagement. In a performing arts education for pupils sustainable. Unfortunately, the school’s unique twist, the dance department across all key stages. Although the Performing Arts A level has also been have teamed up with science to only in-house drama specialist, Anna axed under new government legislation. deliver a project based around maintains a high standard of drama Revelations such as this have left arts molecules, attaching a creative education both within the school and educators, including Anna Shawcroft, element to facilitate the teaching of through its connections with professional frustrated, not least because a core subject. Whilst drama has theatre makers and arts projects on Nicky Morgan’s comments advising always been closely linked to English the outside, including the Act Together young people that there is no secure future in terms of exploring literature, project in conjunction with Merseyside in a career in the arts seem to ignore the fact St John Bosco has thought of linking Police. This annual project, which will that it is a fast growing economy in itself. drama to the grammar aspect of be hosted at St John Bosco in March, The Education Secretary seems English and exploring phonetics invites schools in the region to devise to consider arts and humanities in through physical performance. issue-based plays around topics such as opposition to STEM subjects, creating Evidently, drama is unique and alcoholism and showcases the power of an unhelpful dichotomy between core merits a place in just about any social drama within the community. subjects like maths and ‘soft’ creative classroom: Anna Shawcroft believes that Drama subjects like drama. Though STEM Why not set up mock Apprentice-esque is an ‘essential part of the curriculum’ subjects and creative arts appear dramas to teach business studies? Or and encourages her pupils to see as conflicting, they are not mutually use Brechtian techniques to learn about much live performance as possible. exclusive and need not battle it out historical events? If foreign language Key Stages 4 and 5 were recently taken at opposite ends of the educational departments used drama more readily to see Tw o by Jim Cartwright at the spectrum. then potentially all school leavers would Pilgrim in Liverpool city centre. The While the argument for drama as a enter the working world with an ability to play was produced by former teacher valuable subject in its own right is worth muster more than ‘parlez-vous anglais?’ Gaynor La Rocca’s company, Mate fighting for, its uses as a pedagogical On the surface, this may sound Productions, and was an opportunity for method should also be supported far-fetched. However, if educators are students to develop an understanding and more readily employed within looking for effective and relevant ways of performance whilst also exemplifying education. As well as a teaching strategy, to motivate and engage the youngsters where a career in drama can lead. Sixth it also serves as a tool to unite seemingly of today, the approach must be as Form student, Eva Finnan, commented opposite curricular subjects. innovative as the world they live in. on the way ‘the scenes switched Anna Shawcroft appreciates the A look at the three key learning between tragedy and comedy ’ and left potential styles reveals a lot about why learning her inspired and ‘filled with ideas’ for her to offer vast opportunities for creativity through drama is an effective method. own adaptation as part of the Drama A within the curriculum, with the prospect A dramatic approach simultaneously Level unit Exploring Repertoire. of teaching cross-curricular projects in encompasses kinaesthetic, auditory Up until funding declined for drama dynamic and innovative ways. and visual techniques, catering to and the arts, St John Bosco benefited Such opportunities are embedded a class of students who are likely from partnerships with many theatres in the different schemes of work across to have differing learning styles, the Performing or a mixture of all three. It goes Arts department without saying that drama provides at St John Bosco, scope for pupils to further their facilitating communication and organisational collaboration with skills by working together as a team other subject areas with a goal-orientated focus. within the school. Constructivist learning through The drama the use of drama engages multiple department actively intelligences and enhances skills seeks opportunities integral to all industries. When to work with other research shows that drama resources subject areas in the are being increasingly bought into school to deliver corporate businesses in a bid to education in a way develop skills of employees, both that consistently individually and as a team, it seems

34 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Learning through Drama Features

preposterous that it would be belittled their labs into stages and performing The introduction of dramatic teaching by the government and cut so the hydrologic cycle. Unnecessarily methods is not an attempt to drastically from mainstream education. loud noise levels, fears related to loss completely revolutionise the education Drama in education pioneer, of control and the prospect of a lesson system but instead aims to expand its Dorothy Heathcote, argued fervently descending into chaos are some of the possibilities by adopting alternative for the effectiveness of learning concerns that many teachers would teaching strategies to use alongside through drama, going as far as to justifiably have about introducing conventional methods. It marks an say that drama into their classrooms. exciting shift that puts students at the if you cannot increase reflective power In addition, drama is a highly heart of their learning and attests the in people, you might as well not teach. technical subject in itself and not power and value of the creative arts. She reasoned that reflection is the every teacher could easily adopt its only thing in the long run that teaches methods, which is why collaboration anybody. In highlighting the reflective with specialist drama educators is Jennifer Chamberlain is capacity of drama, Heathcote points absolutely necessary. If government a freelance drama facilitator to its ability to resonate with students changes mean that drama teachers who works independently on a personal level. This is key. Drama are to be sadly forced out of their and with Tie Dye Drama offers a personal, active and student- departments, then schools should delivering educational projects to schools centred approach to learning and as a call upon their skills and expertise to and youth theatres. Jennifer has been result increases the power of reflection benefit other departments. impressed by the drama department at St in constructing knowledge. As evidenced by St John Bosco, John Bosco Arts College in Liverpool and When classroom management is schools are beginning to explore its efforts to ensure that the creative arts such a significant part ofA Unicornthe role production of a creative learning strategies and in remain an integral part of the curriculum, teacher, it is understandable that many doing so, are making the most of the both as a subject in its own right and as a would feel reluctant to start turning potential for cross-curricular education. cross-curricular tool.

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Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 35

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36 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Letting your Students Co-direct

Jennifer Little Photography by: Jennifer Little

In problem-posing have spent the last eighteen explore, what social issues to examine months trying to implement the – indeed to determine the curriculum education, people develop Ibeliefs behind co-intentionality of the classroom as a community. their power to perceive in my drama classroom at a Central In public education (such as the Jersey High School with mixed school where I teach), curriculum is critically the way they success on my part and gathering predetermined by federal, state and exist in the world with enthusiasm on my students’. What is school district administrators, most which and in which co-intentionality? Paulo Freire defines of whom have never set foot in the it as an educational environment in elusive classroom. However, given they find themselves; they which both the teacher and students the restrictions, I have tried to build come to see the world not are learning. Instead of the traditional a room where the students’ opinions space in which a teacher comes hold as much weight as mine, where as a static reality, but as in as an expert, full of knowledge how the curriculum is explored is a reality in process, in and life experience ready to deposit determined by our community, and that wisdom and information into where the ideal of everyone in the transformation. students’ empty heads while they sit room being human, fallible and (Freire 2011:83) eagerly absorbing the cool droplets forgiven lives. of wisdom the guru chooses to share, Freire considers the classroom a place The Graduate Class where both teacher and students So, how does that then translate bringing a wealth of knowledge, life from the classroom into the theatre experience and expertise to the table environment where the director that they share and use to explore often comes in with the mantle of new terrains of knowledge. expert and the actors are the empty My no longer walking into my receptacles waiting to be filled with classroom as the person with the genius? The last couple of months, ‘answers’ frees both me and my I have attempted to begin to apply students. We come together to find similar humanistic, community- solutions and ways to tackle work, based decision making to the art acknowledging everyone present as of directing a theatrical endeavour. fountains of wealth. Using a graduate class, with talented Freire envisaged classrooms and committed colleagues, allowed a wherein students and teachers petri dish environment that was rich decided together what information to with possibilities. Offering possibly

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 37 Features Students Co-direct

the easiest actors for a director to units of action (points in the story experiment with, the class allowed that highlight the conflict or crisis us to try co-intentional directing and help move the story forward), with a huge safety net. figuring out if music or sounds What does it mean to direct would play a part in the storytelling co-intentionally? Within our and some ideas on how my scene experiment, we worked with short would look and feel, the rehearsal stories rather than scripts. Taking itself was a very different beast. stories, the professor broke each I was assigned the first part of story up into three sections and the Little Red Riding Hood story – gave each director one week to where Little Red is introduced to put that section on its feet and the audience, the riding hood is ready to perform. One week seems established and Red gets ready to insanely short to my traditional go into the woods. The story was the issues that face women every day sense of theatre, wherein I need traditional version which included in every culture in the world. From several weeks to prep, a few weeks Grandma and Red being eaten by there, we briefly discussed Red’s to rehearse, a week to refine the Wolf prior to the Huntsman relationship with her mother. before being ready to allow the rescuing them by cutting open the Instead of moving into my final element of the audience to Wolf’s stomach and filling it with staging the scene, I asked the two impact the piece. But given the time stones (which kills the Wolf). actors to create some images of restraints, we began our journey into My first concern centered what the relationship between a co-intentional directing experience. around the challenge of tackling the mother and daughter looked like. In a traditional rehearsal, I would exposition of a piece (more or less We explored child pageant winners, start with some discussion about in a vacuum) and making it relevant teen angst, parental indifference themes and issues in the piece, and powerful. Plus, although I had and a mother reclaiming her youth following up with pros and cons many ideas about the story and how through her daughter. The actors of whether we look at a traditional to tell it, being co-intentional meant wanted to try improvising a scene setting for our piece or change that my actors’ points of view would between mother and daughter. time and/or location before moving be heard and be as important as With the idea that the actors had onto a read-through and staging mine. This would not be my vision an active voice in how we explored section. During the read-through, of the story but rather ours. It made this story, I easily agreed with the we would stop, discuss language the first rehearsal similar to jumping improvisation although one of the we didn’t understand, character into water where you can’t see the actors had previously mentioned her relationships, tension points in the bottom and you’re not really sure discomfort with improvisation. After plot and anything we wanted to that you can safely reach shore if going through several versions, it felt make sure was really present in the necessary. In other words, it was like we, as a group, had hit a wall. performance. Moving onto staging, terrifying. I worked with two women The story wasn’t moving forward prior to this experiment, I would in the class, both with acting and and we hadn’t found that ‘ah ha’ have the stage mapped out and give directing experience. The advantage moment that is often generated in the actors directions as to when was that all three of us were in the rehearsal. One could palpably feel they entered and exited, where the same class, going through the same the tension rise and I could feel the playing space was and even when journey. Because these actors were sweat grow – because co-intentional they would cross or sit/stand. After both experienced and immersed in or not, at the end of the day, I am we got the show on its feet, we the pedagogy of co-intentionality, I still responsible for ensuring the would get off book and go back enjoyed complete cooperation with scene works and that the actors and start to solidify relationships, my intention. are pleased with their product. I moments of conflict, sight lines, prop At the first rehearsal, rather than want them to feel as comfortable as issues, and anything else to make jump into themes, we re-read the possible and good about the work our storyline clear and resonant. So story first. Then we discussed briefly we present. It is their performances how was the most recent journey in what themes and messages were in front of the audience who sits directing different? resonating for the two actors. They watching and weighing the choices While much of the prep work started talking about rape, gender we have made. So, when we hit this involved my searching for themes issues and the wolf as a metaphor impasse, and being aware that we and motives in the piece, finding the for the darker, more dangerous had such limited time to rehearse,

38 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Students Co-direct Features

mother and daughter but add the taken us, I asked the actors if they new element of music. Music was could add a routine. (A routine is something I had prepped prior to a series of actions repeated three rehearsal for two reasons; firstly times, hopefully adding tension or a my background is in music and comedic twist to either the last time musical theatre; and, in addition, or building through all three.) I wanted to explore exposition At this point, we adopted the lens through the device of music avoiding of Red being viewed by the outside unnecessary dialogue. I had ideas world as a sexual object and her about what kind of music would unhappiness with this environment work, but my actors took this in in which she fought her way every a completely different direction. day. Mother was oblivious to the First one actor suggested Vogue by cause of Red’s pain but aware that I needed to find a strategy to keep Madonna. Then the second actor there was distress. The actors chose us moving and generating new suggested She’s Leaving Home by the to go with no words, to merely creative energy. Beatles. The second song generated allow the music to speak for them. We took a short break and then more interest from the two actors so I worried that perhaps we were regrouped. Since I am a bit of a I downloaded it and began playing not supporting the storyline itself; control freak, I had written down it on my phone. We ran the scene I was unsure if the exposition was many of the ideas and comments again with music and everything clearly defined. We did not introduce my two actors had made in the very started to shift. The actors discovered Grandma, for example (although first discussion. I put them back new objectives and motivation. At some argue Grandma is not required out into the space and we decided that point, although unsure of the as a character, she is merely a device to revisit the relationship between direction the scene (and song) had to get Red into the woods and off

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Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 39 STUDY AT CENTRAL

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the path), and we did not ‘officially’ meet a deadline – their response that the actors were also directing, send Red into the woods to meet was ‘Thank God’. Had I given them we all took responsibility for the her fate. We merely sent her out. Was too much freedom and not enough show. The investment on my part that enough? I asked the actors what structure? was much deeper. As I watch they thought about our support of The reality of the situation is that from an educator’s viewpoint, my the story. most actors are trained in a non- actors’ participation in Dracula, their They were so committed to co-intentional methodology. They investment is deeper than previous the scene they felt completely are trained that the director comes productions. They often want to comfortable that we had handled in and makes the choices and then stay afterwards to ask additional the exposition. To this day, even after imposes those choices upon them. questions about characters and performing the scene and receiving If they work with good directors, scenes. These are not necessarily the some very positive feedback, I am those directors allow them voice and traditional ‘leads’ in the production, not sure that we served the intent agency in how the piece lives and but rather all of the actors, looking of the story truthfully. I still think breathes and in how their characters to add more value to the overall we could have explored the idea of choose to interact with other piece. They created soundscapes sending Red into the ‘woods’ with characters onstage. If we sacrifice that they are committed to making the wolf whistles and catcalls we had good theatre for co-intentionality sure build tension and danger in set up in her outside environment. then it is education but not theatre. the scenes. They have added small Retrospect is often twenty- So the director’s role must still guide, details to staging and character twenty. My actors were very pleased be the set of outside eyes and give development that they want to make with the piece and felt that it was critical and constructive feedback sure are noticed and highlighted strong and resonant. As the outside that builds the story and makes going forward. And the show is director looking at the work, I the experience strong for everyone, completely staged with a month to was ambivalent. The process was actors and audience alike. go before production. But did it feel relatively easy – made more so by This journey has made me want like less work? the willingness and talent of the to expand my pedagogy in co- Honestly, my actors would actors involved. Because they had intentionality as a director of theatre. say no and I would agree. It has already accepted the idea of co- However, as theatre director Anne felt an emotional, tiring and long intentionality there was far less fear Bogart writes, rollercoaster ride. Is the ride worth about not taking direction. Although We create out of fear, not from a the extra effort on all of our parts? As in later discussions, we all agreed place of security and safety. How do we Gavin Bolton points out in Towards that we missed that component trust ourselves, our collaborators and of Theory of Drama in Education: when being the actor. There is a our abilities enough to work within the For drama to be effective in these comfort in having that adult figure terror we experience in the moment of terms there must be some shift of in the director, who tells the actor entering? appraisal, an act of cognition that has what to do. Responsibility shifts, one (Bogart 2003: 83) involved a change of feeling, so that feels that no matter what, you, as the some facet of living is given (however actor, cannot take the blame if things To push myself to be a co- temporarily) a different value. go south. intentional director, to invite the (Bolton 1979) actors to shape the staging, the The School Students themes and the story in such an The journey of co-intentionality During this experiment, I worked altering fashion is my moment of gives a change of feeling, a different on directing my advanced drama terror. As a director, I struggle to value for the performers, as their students in a production of Dracula let go. As an actor, it was a bigger investment is deeper and their in a more co-intentional manner. and more terrifying task than just understanding of the material is I allowed them to help stage the ‘performing’ as usual. Since the heightened by ownership. Bolton work, have agency in how the set responsibility was now spread out usually discusses a shift in values would look, the time period of the among all of us, the pressure to or how a student interacts with piece and the soundscape. On one bring our game up seemed intense. the world; but I would argue that hand, they have been doing amazing There was no longer the safety this added investment in the work. On the other hand, when I cushion that exists in the axiom I co-intentional directing experience asked them how they would feel if learned that if a show succeeds the provides the performers with I imposed some critical notes and actors get the accolades; if it fails an opportunity to realise the tweaks to the work, in order to the director gets the blame. Now value of what they bring to the

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 41 Features Students Co-direct

artistic process in a more tangible way. Although I continue to struggle to Jennifer Little spent work efficiently in a co-intentional manner: giving criticism, ensuring my over fifteen years as creative voice is heard, letting go of the vision I had in mind and allowing the a professional actress participants to move us in their direction and just figuring out how to behave but more recently has as the person I would like to be versus the person I usually am – I think it is a turned to working with at-risk students, journey worth exploring. doing Literacy through the Arts, Guest Perhaps it is time to stop doing what we are told is ‘good’ and start doing what we Artist programmes and creating arts know is good. It is only through a reappraisal and development of our own practices as ‘resources of hope’ that we can truly answer the pressing contemporary question of programmes for inner city schools. ‘What is to be done?’ It is time to say ‘no’ to a world that denies the humanizing power She spent the last year and a half with of the imagination, and ‘yes’ to our young as they struggle to make a future world that the National Coalition for Core Arts they can happily choose to inhabit. Standards (NCCAS) writing the new (Pammenter 2013: 101) national standards for theatre and was a 2014 New Jersey State Jefferson Youth References Project 360 Honoree for Peace and Bogart, A. (2002) A Director Prepares Seven Essays on Art and Theatre. London: Justice. She is travelling to Bangladesh Routledge. courtesy of a grant from the Association Bolton, G. M. (1979)Towards a Theory of Drama in Education. London: Longman. of Performers and Presenters (APAP) Freire, P. (2011) Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Trans. Myra Bergman Ramos. 30th ed. in order to study Bangladeshi theatre New York: Continuum. Pammenter, D. (2013) ‘Theatre as Education and a Resource of Hope.’ In and present workshops on American Jackson, A. and Vine, C. (eds) Learning through Theatre: New Perspectives on theatre at the University of Dhaka and Theatre in Education. 85-102. London: Routledge. Bangladesh Institute of Theatre Arts.

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‘Highly recommended, especially for A These collections feature over twenty speeches each by Britain’s most prominent ‘One of the best plays we have read level students’  black dramatists. The monologues represent a wide-range of themes, characters, this year…perfect for Key Stage Three Teaching Drama dialects and styles. Suitable for young people and adults each selection includes students… If you don’t teach this play ‘A dynamic, hands-on approach to the production information, a synopsis of the play, a biography of the playwright and a at least buy a copy for your students Stanislavski technique. I hope it will go scene summary. The aim of this collection is that actors will enjoy working on these to read. Rarely do you find a play that into secondary school libraries and be speeches, using them to help strengthen their craft, and by doing so, help to ensure upon reading just the first two pages, recommended by drama teachers and these plays are always remembered. you know that your students will love…not much will top this one for careers advisers’ The Stage ‘…a useful set of audition pieces for specific groups. Finding the right audition piece can be a real headache so anything which makes the process easier is Key Stage Three, even for GCSE.’ ‘A wonderful, succinct book that no welcome.’ EHd Ltd student or professional actor should be Susan Elkin, The Stage without.’ Jenny Lipman, LAMDA £8.99 £9.99 each £14.99

Dramamagazine2014.indd 1 Spring 2015 Drama27/11/2014 Magazine 15:49:27 43 Nick Hern Books for drama teachers

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Hewin’ Goals Backscratch Theatre Company Mining Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne and on tour

Julie Ward, MEP, National Drama Executive Member

Photo credit: Jamie Sproates

our young men in their mid-twenties, legend in Latin America, dying in Bogota hat and housecoat, saying very little two brothers and their friends, formed in 1942. I live in Greenwell’s home-town but bearing a terrible burden of sorrow Fthe beguiling cast and crew of Hewin’ of Crook and little has been made of his and longing. Goals, a play specially created to celebrate the extraordinary story – perhaps Backscratch On the other hand, his equally hirsute 125th anniversary of the Northern (amateur could change that with their loving portrayal brother Jack had me in stitches as the football) League with a tour to some of the of a local lad made good? Certainly they Club House tea lady retelling an expenses towns and villages associated with its rich had the audience in the palm of their hands scandal that had Crook Town suspended. heritage. The league is a thriving grass-roots throughout and that was nowt to do with Everything on the tea trolley was in use at organisation, founded in 1889 in a Durham the custard creams given out around this point; the tea-pot opening and closing pub at the epi-centre of the coal-mining half-time! its lidded mouth, spoonfuls of sugar being industry, but spinning out to include clubs in The play is certainly a homage of sorts chucked all over the place in a profligate Northumberland, Yorkshire and Cumberland but it is also much more. In this devised show of unexpected privilege. (or Cumbria as it is now known). Its early piece Greenwell’s picaresque life played out But the play wasn’t just about the past; players were mostly colliery workers and one (sic) against a backdrop of rising fascism it was also about the current generation of its clubs, West Auckland, won the first ever in Europe which forced him to flee Spain who are looking for anchors in an uncertain World Cup in Turin in 1913 in an astonishing in 1936 with his wife, Doris, and their little world. The three young protagonists who away game against Barcelona. girl, Carmen. The three actors played a set off to follow in Greenwell’s footsteps Heritage drama can sometimes be multitude of characters, real and imagined, are men for whom the post-industrial too reverential for my liking but this was from Samuel Craven (the local worthy who north now holds little opportunity. All anything but. The play kicked off (sic) with helped to found the League), to singing schoolboys want to grow up and be famous a pub quiz for audience and cast alike, horses who exploit the North/South divide footballers. The game has become a religion ensuring that you had to get to know the with a hilarious ditty that required the but is tainted with money, match-fixing person sitting next to you because you were audience to join in. There were puppets and and celebrity wife-beatings. Being a fan in a team together and didn’t want to let the object theatre, archive photos and black and means rising above this and Backscratch other down. This buddying up to answer white film, and men dressed up as women know that. Alongside the performances the questions continued throughout the event and a real football being thrown about. Burton brothers ran workshops in schools, and provided downtime for the audience Northern working class humour and community centres and youth clubs, as well as a useful device for introducing linguistic quick-wittedness abounded. The joined by fellow actor Michael Daynes and different scenes. humour was self-deprecating but when designer Joseph Robson, all four sharing The story follows the fortunes of 3 young the need arose the actors showed their their enthusiasm for team-playing, local footie fanatics who set out to learn about consummate skill, downplaying moments history and heritage with young people local hero Jack Greenwell, a Durham miner of transition when the unexpected happens, who looked and sounded pretty much like who was talent-scouted to manage Barcelona such as Doris’s decision to leave Jack and they did a mere decade ago when they too following his superb performance in the return home. In fact I forgot I was watching kicked a football around on the rec. inaugural World Cup. He later went on to a bearded man at this point as Tom Burton manage Peru and Colombia, becoming a delicately watered plants in a 1930s lady’s https://backscratchtheatre.wordpress.com/

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 45 BOOK REVIEWS

in the patina of inanimate objects. creative and enjoyable as possible. The What would the students’ familiar chapter is brief but serves as a solid classrooms have been like ten years or philosophical bedrock upon which the thirty years in the past? What stories book to come is built. might their family homes have to tell? Chapter Two, again quite brief, Who lived there before them? What outlines the particular context of the was there before their house was Globe as a performance space and, built? I recommend this play both as a as I had hoped, gives some insight powerful stimulus for creative drama into what was discovered (or perhaps work and as an eminently performable re-discovered) about the relationship script. I’m looking forward to exploring between the three A’s: Actor, Audience both aspects myself very soon. and Architecture. There are snippets of theatre history here along with new Burying Your Brother mystery, part surreal comedy and Chris Lambert realisations about the way some of in the Pavement part social commentary. It concerns Shakespeare’s lines acknowledged Tom’s journey to lay his brother to the stage for which they were written. Jack Thorne rest following his unexplained death Burying Your Brother in the The notion of treating the audience Same on the street. Tom takes up residence Pavement as another actor is an especially Deborah Bruce there, planning to bury his brother Jack Thorne powerful one as anyone who has The Wardrobe where he died and finds out some key Nick Hern Books seen a production there will doubtless truths about his brother over the week ISBN 978 1 84842 416 6 recognise. Sam Holcroft that follows. The hallucinatory style Same For teachers wanting to inspire Originally published as part of recalls Kafka with council bureaucrats, Deborah Bruce their pupils, the ‘core approaches’ National Theatre Connections these strangely behaving policemen, and Nick Hern Books delineated in Chapter Three will three plays have now been published frightened funeral directors played in ISBN 978 1 84842 408 1 represent the heart of this book. The as single volumes. They are written a heightened style. It uses flashbacks The Wardrobe keynote is that Shakespeare’s plays are to be performed by young people and a flippant and sarcastic narration Sam Holcroft not sacred and advice is offered on why and although they are quite different from Tom that recalls the very funny Nick Hern Books and how to cut the text rather than risk in style they explore similar themes: video diaries of the hero of The Fades. ISBN 978 1 84842 409 8 the dreaded ‘plodding through’ that secrets, and the human condition. Tom’s journey to understanding his has killed so much of his work stone Deborah Bruce explores this very brother and reconciling himself to his Creative Shakespeare: The dead for so many for so long. This is, effectively in Same. This play considers lifestyle is well handled and would Globe Education Guide to appropriately the longest chapter and the extent to which we are all the appeal to teachers trying to tackle offers a rich mixture of discussion, ‘same’ and our experiences of youth homophobia without preaching or Practical Shakespeare activities, teaching tips, extracts of text, are similar, regardless of when we brow beating. This is a witty, complex Fiona Banks and commentaries from the Globe were born, by comparing the reaction and lively play, tinged with a sadness I should declare at the outset that I Education practitioners. Giving these of a group of children to the death of that would invite the audience to am a big fan of Shakespeare’s Globe. practitioners a voice provides some their grandmother with that of her contemplate the tragedies that may Plays that I have previously struggled interesting insights into their preferred friends in an old people’s home. It occur when we keep secrets from to engage with have suddenly made practices but I began to find these is static, but deliberately so; the old each other. sense in that physically tight yet insertions, rather misleadingly sub- people trapped by their infirmity, the The third of these three plays culturally diverse wooden O. I know headed ‘Tips’, annoyingly democratic young by their addiction to technology. is a wonderful read and would be from personal experience that children in that I couldn’t see how giving all The current concerns of the young are immensely rewarding to perform. and teenagers, so often uninspired of them the chance to comment on not trivialised but seen to be just as The Wardrobe by Sam Holcroft is a by their school experiences, have each topic would help teachers in valid as the reminiscences of the older portmanteau piece, exploring the lives realised on just one visit why the their classroom work. The inclusion characters. As Timberlake Wertenbaker of children over four centuries. Like plays are so revered, so enduring and of edited extracts and resources such forces us to consider the differences Same it explores our commonality. The such fun. Moreover, I have witnessed as the ‘story pictures’ sequence for A and similarities between convict and entire play is set inside a wardrobe, how the work of Globe Education Midsummer Night’s Dream are a boon officer through the use of doubling in with the action reflecting the concerns has given thousands of young people for the busy teacher but there will still Our Country’s Good, so Bruce uses the of different time periods while access to Shakespeare and helped be quite a lot for them to do in deciding same technique to explore the shared weaving historical and thematic links them master his work in practice. The which activities would be appropriate humanity of the characters. The final between the characters. The script promise implicit in the title was that for different age/ability groups. I was act reveals something else that is blends monologues, duologues and what actors, directors and academics perplexed by the apparently random shared; that our relationships are as group pieces that are variously tinged had learnt from performing in that organisation of the activities: if some valid as our forebears’ and indeed as with darkness, tragedy and sympathy special space would be transferred sort of rationale had been given it fragile. This would be a challenging as the children hiding in the wardrobe into work that could be undertaken would have saved me time and effort play for young people to perform due are rarely doing so as part of a game. in school as an antidote to those arse- to its reliance on conversation over The conceit of this play would be great achingly boring approaches that still, action. As well as this, it is vital that fun to explore in a drama classroom, surprisingly and disappointingly, exist the commonality is well-expressed but particularly as it demands that space in too many English classrooms. Bruce states her belief that this can be is deliberately limited by the confines In Chapter One, ‘Key Principles achieved if the young performers don’t of the cupboard which is almost a and ideas for Creative Shakespeare’, resort to ‘old person’ acting. character in its own right. Holcroft’s Fiona Banks, creator of Globe I was intrigued by the prospect use of language is deft, clearly Education’s wide array of training of reading Jack Thorne’s Burying Your delineating the changes in period programmes, points out that Brother in the Pavement having greatly without sacrificing empathy for the Shakespeare is taught in 65% of the enjoyed his BBC3 series The Fades. This characters. The use of the wardrobe world’s countries while in the UK, play shares some stylistic similarities as a stimulus for dramatic action English teachers are more likely to with that show that would be exciting could be used to inspire students teach Shakespeare than any other and challenging for the young to create their own pieces based on single author. This alone is a powerful performer. The play is part murder the stories that might be embedded argument for making that teaching as

46 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Books Reviews

fruitlessly looking for one! Sweet William: A User’s A particular strength of the book Guide to Shakespeare is the chapter entitled ‘Language: Inside Out’. Here, the thoughts Michael Pennington of Globe Associate (Text) Giles Twenty years ago, there seemed to be Block (whose book ‘Speaking the little new to say about Shakespeare. Speech’ was reviewed in the Spring His work having been analysed 2014 edition of this magazine) and exhaustively from a variety of practitioner Yolande Vazquez offer perspectives. Aspiring academics a convincing rationale for tackling would still seek to enhance their CVs Shakespeare’s language head on. by converting their Ph.D. theses into Here again, brief extracts are well books but Shakespearian studies had chosen in order to illustrate the effects clearly run its course - hadn’t it? of different metres, line endings and Such assumptions have been other language features. Things do get demolished in the last two decades. A a bit technical here but the practical spate of superb books, have ushered approaches are described quite clearly. in a new golden age of Shakespeare No doubt some of the activities in criticism. Books such as Michael Just occasionally I found his closer to becoming a theatrical the book as a whole will be familiar to Wood’s In Search of Shakespeare, interpretation unconvincing. ‘luvvie’, gushing with praise for many teachers but for those wanting Stephen Greenblatt’s Will in the The claim, for instance, that the Sweet William. to try out the creative approaches for World, Jonathan Bate’s Soul of the Age ‘love scene’ between Henry V and the first time the detailed explanations and James Shapiro’s 1599: A Year in Katherine affords a glimpse of a Dudley Jones should prove helpful. Having said that, the Life of William Shakespeare adopted human being with a potential for love I found some of the explanations of a largely biographical approach which allows us ‘to feel something for activities in the chapter ‘Actor, Stage to Shakespeare with a refreshing Henry’ ignores the bawdy exchanges Sweet William: A User’s Guide to and Audience’ too wordy to follow. absence of critical jargon and ‘isms’. between Henry and Burgundy. This Shakespeare Separating the description from Michael Pennington’s Sweet William crude, misogynistic conversation is Michael Pennington commentary by, for example, bullet follows in the footsteps of these carried on in front of Katherine, her ISBN 978 1 854 59568 3 pointing the stages of the exercise ‘biographers’. The way Shakespeare’s parents, and the entire French court then offering italicised comments growing maturity is reflected in his (though the scene is often omitted in The Complete Brecht might have made them more development as a dramatist forms a modern productions!) accessible. loose structural model for the book Mid-way through, Pennington Toolkit The chapter on ‘Performance’ but never becomes a straitjacket. At interrupts his chronological narrative Stephen Unwin goes on to discuss the way Globe times Pennington jumps through time for an ‘Interval’ chapter devoted to This is the second Complete Toolkit Education sets about organising their to compare early plays with late and, a fascinating discussion, subtitled produced by Nick Hern Books; annual ‘Our Theatre’ project, how to faced with the paucity of verifiable ‘The State We’re In (Part One)’, the first being on Stanislavsky by prepare for a visit to the theatre and information about Shakespeare’s life, of changing styles of acting and Bella Merlin published in 2007 and using filmed versions of the plays. engages in some speculative detective speaking Shakespeare’s verse. reprinted twice. It is probably no While this illuminates the work of the work. It’s a task he obviously relishes, The concluding chapter (Part Two) accident that this longer volume company it doesn’t add much to what and one for which he’s well qualified. focuses on the revamping of the emerged first. In theatre and drama I perceived the thrust of the book to I’ve long admired Pennington as Royal Shakespeare Theatres, current education there is still some sense be, that is, how to teach Shakespeare an actor but was unfamiliar with his debates about theatrical design, and that Stanislavsky has pre-eminence creatively. The last chapter, ‘Learning writing. His acting and directorial the contentious issue of funding. As and that his work has a greater Through Shakespeare’ offers case experience yield illuminating insights you’d expect from the co-founder of complexity and potential for studies of work undertaken in a into the plays in performance but the English Shakespeare Company, exploring a subtlety in relation to hospital school and one for children I confess to being surprised by the Pennington is an outspoken critic of the human condition that is less with complex learning difficulties. breadth and depth of his scholarship the government’s recent savage cuts evident in Brecht. Both the author These fed my personal interest in and quality of his writing. He uses to regional theatres. of the work under review here and drama and special educational needs contemporary cultural references to One of the many pleasures indeed Brecht himself acknowledge but I’m not sure how relevant other make a point about Shakespeare’s afforded by Sweet William is the way a debt to Stanislavsky. In Brecht’s teachers will find this chapter and stagecraft and language. For example, it invites a dialogue with the writer. famous 1952 essay entitled Some wondered if this book was the right likening him to ‘an uncanny young It’s like chatting to an immensely of the Things that can be Learned place for these case studies. musician starting with Dixieland knowledgeable and entertaining from Stanislavsky he makes eight I was disconcerted to spot myself before discovering free-form jazz’ actor in The Dirty Duck at Stratford: a essential points about theatre, all in one of the photographs but don’t and describing the ‘obnoxious’ little raconteur full of theatrical anecdotes, of which may be seen in evidence let that put you off because despite the Princes in Richard III as the kind of waspish asides, and provocative in his own work. They include: the reservations outlined above this is a kids that would turn you into insights. He acknowledges that he’s sense of responsibility to society; the very useful and interesting adjunct to Miss Trunchball. constantly changing his mind about importance of the broad conception the exciting and influential practical Pennington’s blend of scholarship Shakespeare’s plays, citing Much and of details; truthfulness as a duty; work that Globe Education does and practical experience gives him Ado as an example; a play largely and the representation of reality so well. an edge over critics with a purely dismissed in his discussion of the as full of contradictions. It is thus academic knowledge. One of the romantic comedies where he clearly important to emphasise that there is Andy Kempe strongest sections of the book is the regards some of the comic scenes no radical break between the Brecht analysis of the Henry IV plays and as laboured. However, Marianne and Stanislavski in that they are both Falstaff’s relationship with Hal. Is it Elliott’s ‘brilliant’ production has parts of the Modernist movement Creative Shakespeare: The Globe friendship or love that binds the men recently ‘completely reconciled’ him in theatre, striving to fulfill a newly Education Guide to Practical together? It often feels, he says, like to the play. Much Ado has always realised ambition for it. At numerous Shakespeare the love between a surrogate father been one of my favourite comedies; points, Stephen Unwin stresses Fiona Banks and his chosen son which gives Pennington’s late conversion has this, not least to provide a stimulus Bloomsbury Hal what he clearly seeks but never quashed any lingering reservations for the teaching and studying of ISBN 978 1 4081 5684 1 receives from his real father. I might have had and moved me modern theatre. Nick Hern Books

Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 47 Reviews Books

have, admirably, provided us with two in the book and relate directly to soap opera, beyond companion volumes that really do the issues raised throughout. Each the palace gates support each other in so many ways. exercise begins with a clear statement civil disturbances Although some may look askance as to the purpose and intention of it, escalate as the at the very idea of a toolkit for work in followed by a full description of how it constitutional crisis theatre we should remind ourselves might work. deepens. that there is nothing new in this in The Complete Brecht Toolkit is an What makes relation to thinking about the arts. extremely enjoyable read in itself. This this play Toolkits can be refined while also is due both to the commitment of the especially being accessible and friendly. At authors and their perception of the interesting is its use their very best they want to be at need to clarify but not simplify. In this, of blank verse and your side to help you clarify your they honour the complexity of Brecht structural mimicry intentions and show you how to fulfill while providing a valuable addition of Shakespeare’s them. This is certainly the major and to the literature aimed at exploring histories. There brilliant achievement of this book. and explaining this key figure. I are parallels to be Although the library shelves are lined highly recommend this book to you drawn between with works by or on Brecht, it can but nonetheless think that it would Harry and his rakish fifteenth teenager: romance on the brink, be quite a daunting task to develop be best combined with John Willett’s century namesake, while William’s parent/child tensions, testing an advanced sense of what he was seminal work and Brecht’s collected manipulation of the situation (ably friendships, and the stress of about. He not only wrote some of the poems. I wonder when Methuen will abetted by a Kate who has a touch A-levels. Oh, and did I mention masterpieces of 20-century theatre get around to reprinting them? A new of Lady Macbeth about her) has that Dean used to be Isabella? and an extraordinary number of copy can go for up to £370 while even overtones of Lear’s less charming This topical new play challenges poems but considered it an essential a second-hand copy is likely to cost daughters. There’s even a ghost from preconceptions of gender in order parallel task to think about education around £25. Gold dust! It’s worth also Charles’ past stalking the corridors to spotlight archetypes and labels and learning. Perhaps the most mentioning here that there is a new of the struggle for power! Uneasy that should have no place in today’s important work that represents this biography of Brecht by Steven Parker indeed lies the head that doesn’t yet diverse society. But while this appears task is John Willett’s 1964 collection of which has just been published by wear the crown. to be Placey’s overarching message, essays Brecht on Theatre subtitled ‘the Bloomsbury Press If King Charles III is a history play he avoids labouring the point. development of an aesthetic’. Every set in the future, This Flesh is Mine is It’s a play about love, friendship one of the 55 essays in that collection Mike Stevenson a Greek tragedy which moves from and loyalty, punctuated by quirky has an important relationship to the world of The Iliad to a present appearances from James Dean, who thinking about the theatre and day that, while fictional, is resonant lives in a poster on Dean’s wall and education and constantly encourages The Complete Brecht Toolkit of the tensions and oppressions on whom he models his ‘new look’. a willingness to renew one’s own Stephen Unwin in Palestine where the play was The real highlights of the play for me practice. This book must similarly Nick Hern Books developed and first performed. This were the choral episodes from the be commended for its exemplary ISBN 978 1 85459 550 8 is a poetic yet harrowing exploration school’s senior management team clarity and concision thus following of the personal and public tragedy which reveal a deep-routed fear Brechtian principles in itself. of war and the grief it brings. As the of how Dean’s decision to change The structure of the book has title suggests, it’s about bodies and gender might impact their next been very carefully thought through. The best of the rest who owns them, alive or dead. Like Ofsted inspection. After a sparkling and committed King Charles III it draws on the forms In Home the characters are introduction there are five sections. King Charles III and themes of dramas past to create experiencing transition of a different The first two are necessary and Mike Bartlett a lens through which to review the kind. Fall’s play gives us startling basic introductions to Brecht as a present and question the implications insight into what it is to be homeless person and to the theatre context in This Flesh is Mine for the future. Both plays would thus in today’s Britain through verbatim which his work developed from the Brian Woolland complement a number of set texts accounts, beat boxing and R&B pre-dominant form of naturalism ‘The queen is dead, long live the very well by stimulating discussion songs. Bullet, Tattoo Boy and Young and early modernism, through the king.’ Set in the presumably not too on the relationship between form, Mum, amongst others, offer up paradoxes of the Weimar Republic distant future, Mike Bartlett’s play is content and political and historical stories of their quests to find a sense and thence to the fascist revolution a politically sharp, extremely funny, context. of security in a world that is lonely, that followed. The subsequent and slightly alarming dissection of challenging and often frightening. sections become ever more useful the fragility (or is it the unassailable Andy Kempe The ghost of one young resident who though I should point out that each endurability?) of the established was stabbed to death hangs over continually looks back at the key order. In a nutshell, Charles ascends the play, adding to the urgency of its principles laid out earlier. In this sense the throne but before the coronation King Charles III central message. they are not strictly separate sections he makes it clear that he intends to Mike Bartlett Both of these plays are essentially but rather the building blocks in a break with convention by refusing to Nick Hern Books about identity and the desire to move towards understanding Brecht’s give royal assent to a bill designed ISBN 978 1 848 42 397 8 belong and represent powerful most notable work at all levels. to restrict the freedom of the This Flesh is Mine additions to the age 16+ repertoire. Sections 2 and 3 focus in press. Given the way the press has Brian Woolland turn on theory and practice but frequently treated Charles this may Oberon Lucy Brassell Unwin constantly reminds us of seem ironic but the conceit sets an ISBN 978 1 78319 138 3 the vital interplay between these intriguing conundrum: do we want two sometimes woefully separated an unelected monarch albeit one Pronoun discourses. Section 4 interestingly and who, in this case, puts principles Pronoun Evan Placey usefully lays out for the reader the before his own constitutional safety, Evan Placey Nick Hern Books author’s own experience of working or will we settle for a parliament that ISBN 978 1 84842 391 6 with Brechtian principles in his uses its elected status as a means Home Home practice as a director. of limiting what we are allowed to Nadia Falls Nadia Falls The book ends with 50 exercises. see and hear? While some of the Pronoun follows 18-year-old Dean Nick Hern Books These have been prefigured earlier domestic scenes are like a parodic through the typical traumas of a ISBN 978 1 84842 355 8

48 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 Books Reviews

storytelling as a fundamental up activities and could certainly human activity and its importance be utilised to support students for in teaching. The advice offered is whom English is an additional complemented by a set of epigrams language. that wouldn’t be out of place on the drama studio wall. The stories Andy Kempe themselves are grouped under three headings: The teacher as storyteller; Creative ways into and Storytelling With Our Students out of storytelling; and The students David Heathfield as storyteller. Suggested activities Delta Publishing include ways of telling, presenting ISBN 978 1 905085 87 3 and discussing stories as well as idea for improvisations around characters and themes. These may not seem revolutionary to a trained Storytelling With Our this book has a broader brief and drama teacher but they are clearly deserves attention for a number explained and purposeful. Students of reasons. It is the most clearly The last section of the book David Heathfield written manual on how to choose, offers an extensive list of resources Heathfield may not be familiar learn, tell and work with a story that related to storytelling. Many of these to UK drama teachers but is well I have ever come across. Each of the are readily available on YouTube known abroad as an accomplished forty tales reflects a different culture and would serve well as stimuli for storyteller, an expert at passing on and each is used as an exemplar of drama lesson across the key stages. his extensive treasury of tales from a different purpose or storytelling Heathfield’s 2005 book Spontaneous around the world with an inspiring strategy. In this, the book becomes Speaking (Delta Publishing ISBN warmth and generosity. What he a powerful means of developing 978 1 900783 92 7) is also worth also does, with clinical precision, the drama teacher’s own classroom checking out. Sub-titled ‘Drama is deconstruct the techniques he practice while offering a rich and activities for confidence and uses to apply the stories to a range entertaining multi-cultural resource. fluency’, it’s a lively collection of educational objectives. His work The first scholarly yet accessible of ideas for improvisations and focuses in particular on using stories and short section of this book scenarios pitched at developing to enhance language learning but offers an informative context on oracy that would serve well as warm

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Spring 2015 Drama Magazine 49 INDEX OF ARTICLES DRAMA 17.2 (Spring ‘11) Youth Culture and Multiculturalism Book Reviews The Integrated Voice: A Complete Voice Natalie Hart Drama, Disability and Education Andy Kempe Course for Actors Sarah Case Teaching in a Tibetan Monastery School Kathy White-Webster recounts her Whither TIE? Roger Wooster Starting Drama Teaching Mike Fleming My First Play: An Anthology of Theatrical experiences Beginnings Nick Hern Theatre to the Core Lucy Cuthbertson Theatre, Education and Performance IDEA 2010 A personal account by Tony Horitz Helen Nicholson Theatre Studies: The Basics (2nd edition) Aiming High Through Drama Andy Robert Leach Engaging reluctant boys to write Kempe and Rupert Rowbotham 101 More Drama Games David Farmer Dawn Robertson Girls Like That Evan Placey Drama in the Wings Patrice Baldwin Oily Cart – All Sorts of Theatre for All Sorts Drama is an Elephant Patrice Baldwin of Kids Mark Brown Fleabag Phoebe Waller-Bridge Billy the Kid John Doona raises issues about the nature of Drama Inspiring Writing Through Drama Arts Awards Ken Gouge D4LC Phase 5 Launch Conference Patrice Baldwin and Rob John DRAMA 20.2 (Summer ‘14) Hugh Pearson Book Reviews Reflections from the Chair Learning Through Drama in the Primary A Good Practice Guide Ruth Sayers DRAMA 19.2 (Summer ‘13) Patrice Baldwin Years David Farmer and Mark Bowen on developing a theatre Reflections from the Chair Taking Drama Teaching Outside the company business in a FE/HE environment The Stories Within Sheree Vickers & Patrice Baldwin Classroom Holly Barradel Rosie Emanuel English in Action in Argentina Sonia Boys Without Drama David Logan The Case for Drama Louise Pendry A.Gonzalez Creating Democratic Citizenship Through Drama Education: The writings of Jonothan At Home With Shakespeare Miles Tandy How Are We ‘Keeping Drama Strong’? The Toyshop Pam Bowell uses Drama to Neelands Ed. Peter O’Connor Holly Barradel, Ali Warren and Zoe Merritt promote writing Silent Witnesses Marigold Hughes Games, Ideas and Activities for Primary Messerschmitt ‘v’ Spitfire: A Love Gendered Intelligence Amanda Kipling Does Story Drama Benefit Pre-school Drama Michael Theodorou Story Anthony Haddon Children’s Psycho-social Competence? Teaching Lorca’s Blood Wedding The Young Audience; Exploring and Sibel Guldali and Ruken Vural Justice for Johnny Clare Williams Amanda Kipling Enhancing children’s experiences of theatre Easter Rising Sharon Muiruri Surya’s Story Sharon Muiruri Book Reviews Matthew Reason Drama Cuts Susan Battye (editor) The Art of Effective Communication Using Process Drama in a Thinking A Practical Guide to Shakespeare for the Kathryn Stapley Maps School Peter Short Plays for Physical Theatre II Angie Farrow Primary School John Doona The Saddest King Patrice Baldwin Drama and Employability Lisa Greenwood DRAMA 17.3 (Autumn ‘11) DRAMA 18.2 (Summer ‘12) Theatre Review of Any Good Thing Staging Change Glenn Fosbraey Julie Ward Dorothy Heathcote MBE Reflections from the Chair Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Patrice Baldwin Book Reviews Lancaster Julie Ward What am I doing here and why? Beginning Shakespeare 4-11 Joe Winston Simon Spencer and Karen Teasdale on what Dorothy Heathcote Obituary Book Reviews & Miles Tandy drama educators might learn from initial Sandra Hesten The Brylcreem Boys Peter Durrant teacher training. So You Want To Work In Theatre? What’s in it for the Girls? Lucy Kerbel Stand or Fall Brian Woolland Susan Elkin Horizons A writer-led approach to Unlocking the Poem Patrice Baldwin Drama Lessons for the Primary School Year: devising Vicky Bell The Theatretrain Way: a handbook for Calendar-Based Learning Activities Stuff That Dreams Are Made On Drama teachers Kevin Dowsett Understanding Autism PGCE student John Doona Vivienne Lafferty Kirsty McLeod-Jones on her very special Ensemble Theatre Making: A Practical Guide Writing the 10-Minute Play Glenn Alterman placement. Applying Ourselves to the Human Rose Burnett Bonczek & David Storck Drama Jennifer Little 100 Great Plays for Women Rachel Tyrell Stories and the hidden curriculum I Have A Dream Levi David Addi & Ruken Vural There’s A Leak! Lucy Cuthbertson Qi Debrah Contemporary Monologues for Men Trilby James ND International Conference 2011 Performance and Contexture Julie Ward The Porridge Pincher David Wood & Kate Fleming reports. Tom Percival Contemporary Monologues for Women Examiners Need Love Too Ali Warren Trilby James Intergenerational Drama Louise Pendry In the Rue Bel Tesoro Lin Coghlan & Why I Became a Drama Teacher describes Bounce Theatre’s recent Poppy Philip Bannister To Sir With Love E.R.Braithwaite (adapted Kelly McGuigan Stories project. by Ayub Khan-Din) Theatre Review of Belong Quin Golding Why I want to teach A PGCE Drama DRAMA 20.1 (Spring ‘14) Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoyevski student reflects. Book Reviews (adapted by Chris Hannan) Reflections from the Chair How to Put On a Community Play Ishi – an outsider’s story Pam Bowell Patrice Baldwin Secondary Drama: A Creative Source Book Sarah Burton imagines how a whole class drama John Doona Taking Drama Teaching Outside the might unfold. Plays for Youth Theatres and Large Casts Classroom Holly Barradel Wendy and Peter Pan J.M.Barrie (adapted Neil Duffield Been to the pictures lately? Ali Warren by Ella Hickson) Dynamic Drama Carolyn Booth reviews Pina Blackbirds Simon Startin Let The Right One In John Ajvide (adapted Our Crop Our Land Marie Jeanne Book Reviews With Drama in Mind Patrice Baldwin by Jack Thorne) McNaughton Drama Schemes Mark Wheeller 96 Souls: A Survivor’s Story Richard Smith Primary School Sue Colverd & Bernard DRAMA 19.1 (Spring ‘13) Hodgkin Mortal: A Drama Elizabeth Lynch Reflections from the Chair Step by Step Together (Book 2) Joanna Patrice Baldwin Re-Imagining Dr. Faustus Ella Macfadyen Parkes & Sarah FitzGibbon Drama in Schools John Somers Good Show! You Should Get It The Sound Of Musicals Ruth Leon Published Andy Kempe Inside My Imagination Helen Smith and The Art Of Translation Ranjit Bolt Louise Pendry National Treasure Susie Ferguson Drama To Inspire – A London Drama Guide Trust the Process Anthony Haddon Surya’s Story Beverley Naidoo to excellent practice in drama for young From Page to Stage: Julius Caesar Book Reviews people Edited by John Coventon Samantha O’Reilly The Crowstarver Daniel Jamieson Methuen Drama Critical Scripts Series BTec Or Not BTec Ali Warren There’s A Leak! Ben Hales Edited by Paul Bunyan and Ruth Moore

The Fire Dragon Pamela Bowell The Spaceman Rob John BACK ISSUES DRAMA 18.1 (Spring ‘12) A Word to the Wise Victoria Jackson Making Theatre – The Frazzled Drama National Drama Publications Dorothy Heathcote Pam Bowell Teacher’s Guide to Devising Joss Bennathan Theatre Review of Matilda the 107 Verona Drive, Surbiton, Drama and the EAL Learner Musical Kate Fleming Speaking the Speech: an Actor’s Guide to Surrey KT6 5BD Deborah Hull Shakespeare Giles Block Email: [email protected]

50 Drama Magazine Spring 2015 20081-1 WC Degree Mag Ad 210x297 AW:x 30/7/14 17:36 Page 1

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