Jealousy KS4 Karen Hart KS4

Introduction Karen Hart has taught drama in his scheme of work follows the theme of jealousy; the feelings it can create and their both secondary school and after possible consequences and ramifications. Students will examine different forms of school classes and presently runs jealousy and how feeling jealous makes us behave. drama classes for both 6 – 10 T year-olds and eleven years plus, They will study a speech from After Juliet by Sharman Macdonald, contrasting it with the story of Medea by Euripides, considering the consequences of Medea’s actions, and looking at with children taking Trinity graded parallels between characters in these plays and the situations that lead to their jealous actions. exams. Karen is also an early years Students will also explore the conventions of ancient Greek theatre, in particular the use of specialist, freelance writer, author the chorus, and learn the ways this can be used in their own devised performances. and regular contributor to Each session is based on a one-hour lesson, but they can be mixed and matched as you MA Education magazines. please. There are of course, many other plays that look at the theme of jealousy and which are good for using with KS4, some examples being: Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, Anne Cassidy’s Looking for JJ and, of course, Macbeth. Just Jealous by Anne Cassidy is also perfect here; a love story exploring the themes of jealousy, revenge and murder. Each session is based on a one-hour lesson, but they can be mixed and matched as you please.

Resources The plays used are: §§ After Juliet by Sharman Macdonald, Connections series, Faber and Faber. §§ Medea by Euripides (translated by Alistair Elliot), Absolute Classics, Oberon Books.

Learning objectives The learning objectives are over-arching to incorporate the whole scheme of work. By the end of this scheme students will have: §§ Read and compared passages from After Juliet and Medea, looking at similarities and contrasts within the two pieces. §§ Used a range of dramatic techniques to help both understand and convey jealousy as an emotional response. §§ Looked at the negative consequences of jealousy, using personal experience as a starting point. §§ Devised a short, small group improvisation around the theme of jealousy, using Medea as inspiration. §§ Looked at a range of reasons why people feel jealous, e.g. abandonment, obsessive personality or insecurity, and the ways these feelings can be expressed. §§ Devised and practised choral work and moving and speaking in unison and looked at how this can be used as a device in performance. §§ Looked at the structure of Ancient Greek theatre.

Session 1: Looking at reasons for, and feelings associated with, jealousy Class discussion: Introduction to theme of jealousy in drama (10 mins) Topic for class discussion: Using a whiteboard or flip pad, list students’ suggestions for reasons why people feel jealous. If anyone would like to share an experience of a time they felt jealous, invite them to do so – maybe a time when they were in primary school and felt jealous of another pupil’s new toy/shoes/bag, etc. Kick the session off by providing some of your own suggestions for reasons we can feel jealous: others having more money than us, feeling other people are better-looking than us, other students always getting better grades, feeling that parents prefer a sibling over us or www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk Autumn Term 2 2019/20 Drama & Theatre 1 Jealousy KS4

someone we like – girlfriend, boyfriend or friend – preferring to spend time with someone else. Also talk about TV programmes, films, manga, etc., that include the theme of jealousy. Soundscapes are very useful for creating an immersive atmosphere, Build a soundscape (15 mins) especially of building tension Give each student a sheet of paper. Tell them to write as many words or short groups of words, and trepidation. Soundscapes as they can think of that can be associated with the feeling of jealousy, e.g., envious, resentful, are also effective when used as possessive, anxious, green-eyed-monster, sulky, grudging, spiteful, vengeful, bitchy, controlling, part of a production, being used, suspicious, vindictive, I wasn’t born yesterday, I’m just not good enough, always second-best. for example, to set the opening In a circle, have students choose one of their words or sayings that they stick with scene of a play, e.g., a busy, noisy throughout the exercise. Then, going round the circle, have students each say their chosen playground, where a small cast can word in turn. Start very quietly, almost a whisper, passing slowly between students, but be used to give the impression of gradually picking up the pace and raising the volume until there is a crescendo of sound. multiple voices.

Small group improvisation (20 mins plus 15 mins to show work and discuss) In groups of four or five, give students the following scenario around which to create a short improvisation showing a possible cause of jealousy; how this makes a person feel and how they show their feelings. As a group of friends, you all attend the same after school club, the nature of which can be decided upon by each group – gymnastics, football, dance class, etc. One member of the club has always been the best, until a new member arrives who is of a much higher standard than anyone else at the club. The club member who was previously the best feels very jealous towards the new member, especially as everyone else thinks they’re great in every way – the instructor running the club especially. Show as many examples of work as possible and discuss the pieces as time allows.

Homework Hand out Romeo and Juliet/After Juliet overview sheets. Ask students to read these as preparation for next lesson (see Resources). If available, also hand out copies of After Juliet for students to read through for homework.

Session 2 – Working on a passage from After Juliet Warm-up - Discuss After Juliet (10 mins) Ask students for their opinions on the play After Juliet – or of the passage they were given if copies of the play were not available. Could students identify with the way Rosaline felt towards Juliet? Did the fact that Juliet was now dead mean Rosaline would feel less jealous of Juliet or did this mean Juliet would always be remembered by others as a saint – making it worse? Also, would the fact that Rosaline could now never confront Juliet about her past behaviour make it worse?

Quick improvisation on given scenarios (10 mins) In pairs, playing two children aged about eleven. It’s one child’s birthday and they have a big pile of presents which they describe and talk about as they excitedly unwrap. The other child sits and watches, growing increasingly more envious of the gifts. Students should try to show the emotions each child is experiencing before swapping roles.

Alternative scenario in keeping with the passage from After Juliet In groups of three; two children are playing when one child snatches the other child’s toy away from them. An adult such as a mother or childminder walks in on the disagreement, and rather than instructing the toy be given back to its rightful owner, says it must be shared and lets the child who snatched it away play with it.

Script reading from After Juliet (5 mins) Read Rosaline’s monologue to the class, from, ‘We were hardly close as cousins’ to, ‘And watch the tears flow’ (from p. 30 of Connections edition). Does it make students feel differently towards the character of Juliet – traditionally thought of as a heroine?

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Paired improvisation (15 mins to improvise and 10 mins to show work) Using the monologue as inspiration, ask students to imagine one of their pair is talking to someone they have known for many years and who has always made them feel jealous for some reason; this could be a relative or someone at school, and they have finally found the confidence to tell them how they have been made to feel. The other student is the person who has made them feel jealous. The improvised scene should clearly show the reasons one student feels they are justified in feeling jealous, with the second student believing they are completely wrong to feel this way. Encourage students to use body language and facial expressions to show their emotions. Swap roles so pairs each have a turn at both roles. Show as many groups as time allows.

Hot seating (10 mins) Pick one pair to hot seat, sitting the pair side by side and giving as many students as possible a chance to ask them questions. Repeat with other pairs as time allows.

Homework Ask students to write three possible scenarios to use as the basis for a group improvisation on the theme of jealous revenge, e.g. a brother is bought an expensive birthday present that his sister thinks was much more expensive than the present she received on her birthday, so she breaks it when he goes to bed.

Session 3: Devising a group improvisation on the theme of jealousy and revenge Warm-up (10 mins) Read through students’ suggestions for improvisations and discuss the ideas.

Small group improvisations (20 mins to devise and 10 mins to watch work) Put students into groups of four or five. Using the ideas prepared as homework as a starting point, students devise a short improvisation on the theme of jealous revenge, being free to devise their piece as they like. Thought tracking Thought tracking (15 mins) During a performance, actors Choose one or two pieces to thought track (as time allows). freeze on command, then once prompted (tapped on the shoulder) Wrapping up (5 mins) an individual actor will speak their Talk about the performances this session. Decide on three emotions or feelings that are most character’s thoughts and/or feelings closely connected to jealous revenge, e.g. anger, resentfulness and sadness. aloud – it allows students to vocalise their understanding of a character’s Homework feelings and situation without any Hand out overview sheets of Medea and Euripides, also if available, copies of Medea for rehearsal time. students to read through for homework.

Session 4: Looking at Medea by Euripides Warm-up (10 mins) As a group, talk about the play, including the fact that it was written in 431 BC. Do students feel this play could be performed in a modern-day setting? Think about stories sometimes seen in the news and ask the question, ‘If Medea carried out this crime today, would she automatically go to prison, or could she be thought of as mentally unwell? Talk about the role of the chorus in Greek theatre and how this can be used to give structure to a scene and also act as a narrator.

Working as a Chorus game (10 mins) All students should find their own space. On your command, everyone starts walking around the room. On your signal, e.g., blowing a whistle, everyone immediately stops in their tracks and turns to face you, this is to be done immediately and simultaneously. After a few turns, add a word to be called by students at the same time, e.g., ‘Stop’. Next, substitute the word for a sentence, e.g., ‘She always felt second-best’. Extend the activity to include longer sentences www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk Autumn Term 2 2019/20 Drama & Theatre 3 Jealousy KS4

and more instructions to be completed simultaneously, such as adding a clap or a stamp of the foot. Talk about the exercise with students. Did they find it difficult? Could they see how moving and reciting in unison could be used to produce a strong dramatic effect?

An alternative game: Magic Hand game This is a good game for demonstrating the synchronised movements often found in a traditional Greek chorus. To play, choose one member of the class to lead the rest of the group. With an outstretched hand, palm facing the group, the leader manipulates the movements of the group as a whole. The group must give itself up to the movements as the hand dictates, keeping the front of their bodies facing the palm of the hand and moving in synchronicity with the rest of the group – stretching tall, crouching low, moving from side to side, etc. Several students can take turns as leader. This exercise is also good for demonstrating and experiencing both the power of the individual and the group working as one. Works well set to classical music such as Delibes’ ‘Flower Duet’.

Narrating as a chorus (15 mins) In groups of 4 or 5 ask students to devise a short spoken introduction to the play Medea, which they will speak in unison. (This only needs to be very short.) Students should each write this down so they can narrate from their script. After practising their introductions, show work. An example to use for students struggling here could be: ‘The play we are about to perform is not a happy tale. It tells the story of Medea – abandoned by her husband for another woman. Medea is so jealous of her husband’s new love she kills her two sons to punish him – Oh! such an evil woman should not live!’ Did students find moving and speaking in unison more difficult than they would have previously thought? Is using the chorus a dramatic device they think they could incorporate into their devised performances going forward?

Read-through of Medea’s speech to the women of Corinth (10 mins) Read Medea’s speech to the class, starting from, ‘Women of Corinth, I have come to see you’ to ‘No other creature has such deadly thoughts’. What do your students feel Medea’s objective was here? Talk about the speech and what Medea might have been thinking at this time.

Preparation for next lesson’s devised pieces (10 mins plus 5 mins to discuss in groups) Put students in groups of 4 - 6. Tell them that next lesson they will begin work on their own devised drama pieces on the theme of jealousy. In preparation for this they will need to decide within their groups who will be the person suffering with feelings of jealousy and the reason for this, which could be for example, a boyfriend/girlfriend finding a new partner, a rival class member being given the best role in a school production, a best friend inviting the new girl/boy at school to go clothes shopping with them because they always look so cool, etc. The idea is that the jealous individual is trying to justify their vengeful behaviour towards this person, which has resulted in a bad outcome – maybe their victim had to change schools or sought psychiatric counselling in order to cope with the vengeful behaviour of the jealous classmate – and is trying to get others on side, while the group of peers voice the opposite opinion. The first line to be: ‘You would have done the same, right? You can only push someone so far. He/she probably only did it for attention anyway …’ Finish by letting students discuss ideas in their given groups. To be continued next lesson.

(Note: A good drama technique to incorporate into the lesson here is the use of a Thought Tunnel, sometimes called a Conscience Alley. Start by choosing a character from your story, here it could be Medea, then choose a student to take the part of the character in question. Next, split your class into two groups standing in lines, one facing the other – one side will be for and one side will be against. Talk about the dilemma faced by your chosen character. Here it will be: Should Medea kill her children as revenge for her husband’s adultery? The student in role will walk slowly down the thought tunnel while students on each side of the tunnel take turns to give their opinion of what the character should do. Once the student in role has reached the end of the tunnel, they must make up their mind as to what they should www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk Autumn Term 2 2019/20 Drama & Theatre 4 Jealousy KS4

do and explain this to the class; it can either be a personal decision or a decision taken from the perspective of the character they are playing - so though Medea was consumed by jealousy she could have found a better way to take revenge as she did love her children and so suffered even more as a result of her own actions. Make sure students in role don’t walk too quickly and students forming part of the tunnel speak loudly enough for everyone to hear so all opinions get heard. This is a good technique to bring focus to the feelings of a specific character, to Use the following link for a good pinpoint the moment the direction of a character can go either way, to look at the underlying introduction to the traditions reasons behind a decision being made and to explore all options open to a character. You can and formalities of ancient Greek finish by letting students swap sides of the tunnel to show which side they would stand on to theatre: www.youtube.com/ show their personal views, and also use the technique with other characters from the same watch?v=aSRLK7SogvE play – here it could be Jason for example.)

Session 5: Devising drama based on the theme of jealousy Warm-up: Hot seating (10 mins) Choose two students to sit on the hot seats in front of the class. One student will be Medea and the other will be Jason, her husband. Ask students in turn, to ask either Medea or Jason a question, alternating between the two. Swap students in the hot seats halfway through.

Devised performances (30 mins) Put students back in their groups from last lesson. Go over the background to the pieces again before students start to devise their performance pieces. Remind students that each person in the performance will be an individual character, and to remember the following: §§ A person’s life experiences and their opinion of their self-worth will affect the way they move and speak. §§ Consider your character’s age, confidence and popularity among peers when building a rounded characterisation. §§ Remember facial expressions and body language. §§ Breaking the fourth wall can add real dramatic effect to a scene.

Watching performances (20 mins) Watch all performances. If there is time remaining, talk about the work shown.

Homework Give students hand-outs of the following small section of Othello, Act 3, Scene 3: Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on. Ask students to write three or four lines illustrating their interpretation of this quote from Othello.

(Point of view game is good for getting students to think about personal dilemmas and form an opinion on a specific statement. Make two signs – one saying agree and one saying disagree – fix these to opposite walls. Tell students the nature of the dilemma they are to imagine they face or use a dilemma faced by a character in a play you are studying and make a specific statement, e.g. ‘Medea should not have meddled in her husband’s life.’ Tell students to stand at a place that they feel reflects their strength of opinion – the closer they stand to a sign the stronger they agree or disagree with your statement, with those not having a strong opinion either way taking the middle ground between the two signs or any distance between the two as they feel best fits their opinion.)

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Session 6: Flashback and fast forward A good exercise to use with Warm-up (10 mins) students after devising flashback Ask for volunteers to read their interpretation of the Othello quote set as homework last and fast forward scenes is to have session. Give feedback. students create still images from pivotal scenes in their performance. Devised pieces (10 mins) Students start with a flash back Ask students to run through their devised pieces from last session to familiarise themselves scene, then move on to a present- with these again. day scene, then finally a fast forward scene. The signal to change scenes Flashback or fast forward (15 mins to devise and 15 mins to perform) can be you clapping your hands. Keeping to the same groups, ask students to devise a short scene depicting the circumstances The result is a complete story with that lead up to the outcome of their devised scene. Alternatively, students can choose to devise a beginning, middle and end and a scene showing events taking place after their devised scene. Allow students free rein to brings context to a devised scene by structure their scenes as they wish and watch as many as possible creating a meaningful timeline and a sense of completion, especially End of unit quiz (10 mins) useful when there isn’t time to have As an end to this scheme of work, have a quick-fire quiz with questions covering the whole students work on longer pieces. scheme of work. Some examples could be: Use thought tracking to look at §§ Name two characters from After Juliet. individual still images along the way. §§ Who wrote Medea? §§ What relation is Rosaline to Juliet? An alternative improvisation idea §§ Who did Juliet’s parents want her to marry? for this scheme that concentrates §§ What was Medea’s husband’s name? on dialogue, is to place students in §§ How does Medea kill her husband’s new wife? small groups to play the parts of local §§ What were Romeo and Juliet’s last names? women gossiping about Medea, how Extension her husband has found himself a younger, prettier wife, how Medea is An alternative or extension idea to the thought tunnel, that works well when characters who turning mad with jealousy, etc. are being shunned or bullied by a large group of people are being looked at in a play, is to line students up in the same way but have the student in role cower as they make their way through the tunnel while students on one side bombard the character with unkind remarks relating to the plot of the play, while the other side call for forgiveness, e.g. ‘Look at the evil one!’ on one side and ‘She has suffered enough’ on the other.D&T

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RESOURCES

Overview of Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is a play (a tragedy) by William Shakespeare. The play is set in Verona, Italy, with the background of the story being a long feud between two rival families – the Montagues and the Capulets. When a fight breaks out between the Montagues and Capulets, Prince Escalus, the Prince of Verona, demands them to put a stop to their feuding, otherwise they will be sentenced to death. Romeo Montague is unhappy in his relationship with Rosaline. Romeo tells his friend Benvolio that their relationship is not built on love. Romeo meets Juliet Capulet when he and his friend, Benvolio, gate-crash a fancy dress party held by Juliet’s father. Romeo and Juliet fall in love at first sight, even though their families are sworn enemies. Romeo sneaks into the Capulets’ garden where he finds Juliet standing on her balcony, talking out loud about her feelings for Romeo. They confess their love for each other and decide to get married. As their families are sworn enemies, Romeo and Juliet know they will not be given permission to marry, so they marry secretly helped by Friar Laurence. Unfortunately, before their wedding night Romeo is involved in a fight where his close friend, Mercutio, is killed by Juliet’s cousin; Tybalt, even though Romeo is trying to stop the fight. Romeo is so distraught he ends up killing Tybalt. Prince Escalus exiles Romeo from Verona, declaring that should Romeo be found within the city, he will be put to death. Romeo and Juliet spend the night together and Romeo kisses Juliet one last time. Juliet’s parents tell her that she is to marry Paris. Juliet again visits Friar Laurence for help, and he offers her a drug that will put her into a death-like coma for forty-two hours and make her family believe she is dead. The Friar promises to send a messenger to tell Romeo of the plan, so that he can join her when she wakes up. On the night before her wedding to Paris, Juliet takes the drug and, because her family believe she has killed herself, she is laid in the family crypt. The vital message to Romeo doesn’t arrive in time because the plague is in town and the servant isn’t allowed to leave Verona. Romeo hears that Juliet has died from his servant instead. Romeo is grief-stricken and buys some poison which he takes with him to Juliet’s tomb. When Romeo arrives at Juliet’s tomb he sees Paris. Paris attacks Romeo and in the fight Paris is killed. Romeo then drinks the poison and dies next to Juliet. Juliet wakes from her coma and learns what has happened from Friar Laurence, who has just found out the messenger didn’t pass Romeo the message. She is distraught to find Romeo is dead and kisses Romeo hoping the poison on his lips will kill her too – it does not. Juliet kills herself with Romeo’s dagger. The Friar fetches the Prince, the Capulets and Romeo’s lately widowed father. They are heartbroken at the senseless deaths of their children and vow to end their feuding, make peace between their families, and erect a monument in memory of Romeo and Juliet.

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RESOURCES

Overview of After Juliet by Sharman Macdonald After Juliet is a short play that begins where Romeo and Juliet ends. There is a tense truce holding between the Montague and Capulet families. Benvolio, Romeo’s best friend, is in love with Romeo’s old girlfriend, Rosaline, who is a Capulet. Rosaline’s grief at the death of Romeo – who she secretly loved very much – has turned her into a vengeful and sullen figure, hating Juliet for taking Romeo away from her. She aims to ruin the Capulet family. Now after the lovers’ tragedy is uncovered she is angry with everything – with Juliet for having stolen her love, with Romeo for having betrayed her, with the Prince for having forced peace between the families, and with her fellow Capulets for agreeing to a truce. The climax of the play comes during an election to determine whether or not Rosaline or Petruchio (Tybalt’s brother) will succeed Tybalt as leader of the Capulets. The election fails to have any results and the fate of the truce is left open-ended.

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RESOURCES

Overview of Medea Medea vows revenge on her husband, Jason, after he deserts her and marries King Creon’s daughter, Glauce. Hearing of this vow, Creon banishes Medea and her children from Corinth, but she cleverly manipulates him into giving her one day to prepare for her move. This gives her all the time she needs to exact her revenge. Medea apologises to Jason for previously flying into a rage. She sends her sons to Glauce with the gift of a beautiful dress. Unknown to Glauce, Medea has poisoned the dress so that, when Glauce puts it on, the fabric will burn her skin. As Glauce dies, Creon tries to save her life, but as he also comes into contact with the poison he dies too. Jason is horrified and rushes to Medea’s house, fearing the Corinthians will blame the death of their princess on his sons but arrives too late, for as he gets to Medea’s house, he learns that Medea has killed both their sons as a final act of revenge. Medea will not allow Jason to see his sons one last time. Medea boards a special chariot sent to her by Helios, the sun god and flies to the mountain of Hera to bury their sons. Medea lives in Athens for the rest of her life. The play poses the question; how could a mother be driven to kill her own children?

The role of the chorus in Ancient Greek plays A Greek chorus is a group of performers who collectively comment on the dramatic action of a performance and on the actions and behaviour of characters in the play. The chorus in ancient Greece consisted of between twelve and fifty players, who danced, sang or spoke their lines in unison. The chorus often took a passive role, also taking on the role of narrator. The contrast between the heightened emotions of the cast and the submissive role of the chorus was often used to great effect in creating moments of high tension.

Euripides Euripides was a Greek playwright (480 - 406 BC). Euripides wrote approximately ninety-five plays – but only eighteen or nineteen have survived. Euripides was unusual in that he often portrayed women as strong, intelligent characters. Euripides’ greatest works include Alcestis, Medea, Trojan Women, and The Bacchae. Euripides is known for being a forerunner in building realistic characters, with emotions and feelings with whom an audience can sympathise.

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