Drama techniques :
1. Tableaux
What is it?
People make still images with their bodies or expression to act out a scene. A tableau can be used to establish a scene that involves a large number of characters. There is no movement, so tableau is easier to manage than a whole-group. It can be used to explore some particular acting in drama, or to represent a photograph.
How do you do it?
Students stand in a circle, and a theme is given. One by one, they go into the space and do still images in relation to one another until the tableau is complete. At this point, thought tracking can be used to find out more about each of the characters. Once students are knows the game and the technique, they can also work in small groups on different aspects of a theme.
Examples:
Pupils look at a painting or illustration of a historical scene that shows a selection of different characters. They bring it to life by representing the characters with their bodies.
2. Freeze Frames
What is it?
Freeze frames are form of tableau. With freeze-frame, the action in a play or a scene is frozen, like in a photograph or video frame. Still images, requires individuals or groups to invent body or postures shape, rather than freeze existing action.
How do you do it?
Groups can be asked to tell a story through a series of prepared still-images. This can be an method for students who are less willing to improvise dialogue. The freeze frame can also be brought to life through improvisation. Freeze-frames can be usefully combined with Thought Tracking.
Examples:
•Groups can tell a story by using three images to create a beginning, middle and end.
•You can help to improve students' vocabulary skills by asking them to illustrate a word or phrase in a story using a still image.
3. Narration
Narration is a technique that one or more actors speak to the audience to tell a story, give information or comment on the action of the scene or the motivations of characters. Characters may narrate, or a performer who is not involved in the action can carry out the role of 'narrator'.
4. Mime
A mime artist is an actor who uses mime as a theatrical medium or as a performance art, involving miming, or they act out a story through body motions, without use of words. Miming is to be known as silent comedy, in which the artist is a silent character in a film.
5. Sound collage
Various sounds are created by the actors, like vocal or with instruments, and they performed to create the atmosphere of the place or environment where the drama is happening. The sounds can be voices, spoken words or singing that are put together, performed live or pre-recorded.
Improvisation :
In creative drama, improvisation can include making up a scene, a conversation, a movement piece, or even a drawing. The possibilities are endless. Improvisation not only develops and polishes acting and social skills, but it provides an opportunity to practice real life in a safe environment
6. Mirror Exercise
Pair up. One person is the mirror and the other must copy everything the person does.
7. THOUGHT-TRACKING
Individual children, in role, speak their inner thoughts. The teacher freezes the drama and taps a chosen character on the shoulder to indicate that they should speak their thoughts or feelings within the drama. Thought-tracking slows the action down by allowing it to pause, enables the children to reflect on events and establishes what the characters are thinking or feeling at a specific moment in the drama - which may or may not reflect what they have been saying out loud. Direct questions can also be asked, to guide and focus the response - this is a particularly helpful approach with younger children.
What is it?
People make still images with their bodies or expression to act out a scene. A tableau can be used to establish a scene that involves a large number of characters. There is no movement, so tableau is easier to manage than a whole-group. It can be used to explore some particular acting in drama, or to represent a photograph.
How do you do it?
Students stand in a circle, and a theme is given. One by one, they go into the space and do still images in relation to one another until the tableau is complete. At this point, thought tracking can be used to find out more about each of the characters. Once students are knows the game and the technique, they can also work in small groups on different aspects of a theme.
Examples:
Pupils look at a painting or illustration of a historical scene that shows a selection of different characters. They bring it to life by representing the characters with their bodies.
2. Freeze Frames
What is it?
Freeze frames are form of tableau. With freeze-frame, the action in a play or a scene is frozen, like in a photograph or video frame. Still images, requires individuals or groups to invent body or postures shape, rather than freeze existing action.
How do you do it?
Groups can be asked to tell a story through a series of prepared still-images. This can be an method for students who are less willing to improvise dialogue. The freeze frame can also be brought to life through improvisation. Freeze-frames can be usefully combined with Thought Tracking.
Examples:
•Groups can tell a story by using three images to create a beginning, middle and end.
•You can help to improve students' vocabulary skills by asking them to illustrate a word or phrase in a story using a still image.
3. Narration
Narration is a technique that one or more actors speak to the audience to tell a story, give information or comment on the action of the scene or the motivations of characters. Characters may narrate, or a performer who is not involved in the action can carry out the role of 'narrator'.
4. Mime
A mime artist is an actor who uses mime as a theatrical medium or as a performance art, involving miming, or they act out a story through body motions, without use of words. Miming is to be known as silent comedy, in which the artist is a silent character in a film.
5. Sound collage
Various sounds are created by the actors, like vocal or with instruments, and they performed to create the atmosphere of the place or environment where the drama is happening. The sounds can be voices, spoken words or singing that are put together, performed live or pre-recorded.
Improvisation :
In creative drama, improvisation can include making up a scene, a conversation, a movement piece, or even a drawing. The possibilities are endless. Improvisation not only develops and polishes acting and social skills, but it provides an opportunity to practice real life in a safe environment
6. Mirror Exercise
Pair up. One person is the mirror and the other must copy everything the person does.
7. THOUGHT-TRACKING
Individual children, in role, speak their inner thoughts. The teacher freezes the drama and taps a chosen character on the shoulder to indicate that they should speak their thoughts or feelings within the drama. Thought-tracking slows the action down by allowing it to pause, enables the children to reflect on events and establishes what the characters are thinking or feeling at a specific moment in the drama - which may or may not reflect what they have been saying out loud. Direct questions can also be asked, to guide and focus the response - this is a particularly helpful approach with younger children.