Drama Menu: Second Helpings E-Book

Glyn Trefor-Jones

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

160 all-new games and exercises from the author of the bestselling companion for drama teachers and workshop leaders, offering more than one million unique and tasty combinations, ready to be put into action! Simply make a selection from each of the four complementary courses, and your whole drama session will come to life with clarity, intensity and focus: - Appetisers are fast-paced warm-up exercises to energise and enthuse; - Starters are the intermediary course to challenge and kickstart creativity; - Main Courses provide the central part of the session, culminating in a final performance piece; - Desserts are there for when you have space at the end of your session for something sweet. Every exercise has been devised, tested and selected for its ability to ignite creativity and develop the performing potential of each player. There's also a downloadable Resource Pack stuffed with a huge range of new stimuli to engage your students and encourage deeper participation. Drama Menu: Second Helpings has everything you need to spice up your sessions with a variety of new challenges that will invigorate and inspire your students, and ensure that every session is fresh, dynamic and relevant. Bon appétit!

Leseprobe

Contents

Dedication

Preface

Introduction

Appetisers

Starters

Main Courses

Desserts

Appendices

Suggested Combinations

Exercises by Category

Index of Games

About the Author

Copyright Information

To my students

who continue to

be my inspiration

Preface

I never intended to write a book of theatre games, but Drama Menu came into existence as a result of two decades of bad archiving and a sudden moment of inspiration.

Like many other teachers, after years of practising my craft, I found myself the proud owner of a huge collection of notebooks crammed with lesson plans, which I would delve through every time I needed inspiration for a forthcoming class. It was a random system of pot-luck preparation which proved largely successful at first, but over time, as my collection of notebooks grew larger, it became more and more time-consuming, frustrating and confusing. The pile of notebooks wasn’t making the task of lesson-planning any easier, in fact, it was causing an ever-increasing headache and making for incohesive, haphazard and ill-defined drama sessions. Something had to be done.

I decided to collate the pile of notebooks into one huge ‘Super Notebook’, which would transcend all others and become the oracle that would guide all of my future drama teaching! So, when the summer holidays set in, I reached for an early edition from the towering notebook pile, opened the blank ‘Super Notebook’ – and set to work.

Days and weeks went by, the fruits of my many years of teaching poured onto each page; exercise after exercise, game after game until, finally, at the end of the most productive summer holiday of my life… the work was done. I triumphantly held aloft the groaning ‘Super Notebook’, confident that I had in my hand the power to produce quick, easy and creative lesson plans.

As September came around, I sat down (smugly) to plan my first drama session using this new, all-powerful secret weapon. I had cracked the code, a new future of lesson-planning awaited. I eagerly threw open the oracle and started to create my first masterclass, only to find that, rather than providing the answers to all my problems, the new system was even more confusing than ever before! Yes, the groaning pile of notebooks had gone, but the sheer weight of exercises and ideas in the new, all-encompassing notebook proved completely mind-boggling. I was faced with was a huge mass of unrelated exercises that left me more befuddled with every turned page. It made the task of creating a simple, concise lesson plan almost impossible.

So, the era of the ‘Super Notebook’ was over before it began, and I returned to my antiquated system of pick-a-notebook bingo! But deep in my mind, there lurked an idea – an idea that, when realised, would revolutionise my lesson-planning and create the dramatic oracle that I had been searching for.

As I flicked through my old notebooks, it dawned on me that there was a distinct pattern, a regular structure to every lesson plan that I had ever created. The lessons would typically consist of four or five exercises, starting with a fun circle exercise, moving on to a physical group warm-up (or two), and then the players would be divided into smaller groups for more focused, team-playing exercises, before the lesson culminated in a final, climactic performance piece.

It was then that I had my eureka moment – the perfect way to make sense of the ‘Super Notebook’ was to classify the games into circle warm-ups, non-circle warm-ups, intermediary exercises and performance exercises. This would bring order to the chaos and allow me to quickly and easily select the elements that would make for a clear, cohesive, creative and progressive drama session.

So, a new blank notebook was purchased and, as autumn slowly turned to winter, I worked late into each night, organising the exercises according to the four-element system. I was amazed at the ease with which I was able to categorise the exercises (having played them so often), and the end result was a book that made absolute sense and could quickly and easily be utilised to create a fulfilling lesson plan.

Feeling quite smug, I told a friend about what I’d written and explained how easy it was to plan lessons from this ‘Super Notebook’: it was just like perusing a menu and choosing four courses that complemented each other, like a menu, for drama teachers... Or, to put it another way, a Super Notebook Drama Menu! No, wait! How about just...

DRAMA MENU

Perfect!

Introduction

Drama Menu is back – and it’s bigger and better than ever. Well, in actual fact, it’s pretty much the same size as Volume One but that’s still BIG! And with 160 all-new exercises, that equates to well over 1,000,000 unique lesson plans to work your way through. That’s enough to get you through at least one whole term’s worth of teaching (if you teach over 16,000 classes a day) – so, like I say, it’s big (especially the title, which is considerably longer than the first book)!

Every exercise has been devised, tested and selected for its ability to ignite creativity and progress the performing potential of every player. Variety really is the spice of the drama class, and Drama Menu brings you variety by the bucket-load with a smorgasbord of theatrical challenges: some focused, some fun, and some just for the sheer joy of performing. You will find games and exercises that cover a kaleidoscope of skills including:

* Focus

* Energy

* Vocal Quality

* Listening

* Character-Playing

* Teamwork

* Awareness

* Truth

* Line-Learning

* Risk-Taking

* Storytelling

Such a wealth of exercises at your fingertips gives you the tools to navigate every eventuality, and allows you to introduce the right element at just the right time.

If the energy of the groups starts to boil over, there are plenty of exercises to bring focus and calm to proceedings; if you need to inject energy into a lethargic group, then there are lots of energy-inspiring games to choose from. No dramatic stone has knowingly been left un-turned, so there should be a creative exercise for your every need.

Drama Menu gives you the tools to tailor-make your sessions, and provide a productive, progressive and creative experience for each and every player. And your journey starts right here.

The Menu System Explained

Ever been to a restaurant? Then you will instinctively know how to use the Menu system – just swap food for theatre games. Like a restaurant menu, Drama Menu groups games and exercises into ever larger and more complex courses, and just as you wouldn’t order a T-Bone steak followed by a prawn cracker, Drama Menu’s exercises start small and build up to the main event (in the form of a final performance piece).

This is no ‘one-course power-lunch’ but rather a feast, consisting of four, inspiration-packed courses. Practitioners should pick a delicious (and dramatic!) dish from each grouping and combine them into a theatrical banquet. The theatre games and exercises are grouped as follows:

* Appetisers

* Starters

* Main Courses

* Desserts

Each course contains a collection of fifty theatre games and drama exercises (apart from the desserts, which offer a smaller selection of closing/warm-down exercises). These four, distinct courses have been selected for their complementary qualities, and with every consecutively consumed course your drama session will build in energy, intensity and creativity.

Having a wealth of stimuli at your disposal can be very inspiring but also somewhat overwhelming, so by grouping the exercises into courses in this way, the 160 individual elements suddenly become much more manageable. Practitioners will quickly learn to combine them into cohesive, creative collaborations – and bring order to the creative chaos!

Start by picking one dish from each course, work your way through the menu, and feast on a delicious drama session crammed with invention, energy and joy. Bon appétit!

Why Drama Menu: Second Helpings?

The reason is simple: because a drama teacher’s appetite for new ideas is insatiable.

Teaching does not stand still, neither do our charges (who will quickly tell us if we are repeating exercises or covering old ground). As a practising drama teacher, I am constantly aware of the need to update my repertoire. It is only by doing so that sessions remain fresh, creative, engaging and relevant.

There will always be a number of classic games that players will ask to play, but, as a rule, drama students love new challenges; it is part of their DNA to want to explore new ideas, new characters, new concepts, and to push the boundaries of their ability. The drama class is a unique and magical place that can inspire and surprise – in order to keep it that way, players must never quite know what’s coming next. Students should arrive at a session filled with anticipation, excitement, tension and joy all rolled into one. Expecting the unexpected is one of the greatest joys of the drama class, and it’s what makes it one of the most uniquely vibrant and exciting places in the world.

So, we should never stand still as drama teachers. And part of the trick is to have a new game or challenge up our sleeve. Using a variety of stimuli will bring additional vibrancy and energy to each session and engender a willingness to try out new ideas. An openness to embrace the new makes for much more progressive and creative drama sessions, and allows players to grow and progress as performers – and as people.

So, that’s why Drama Menu: Second Helpings exists. It will enable you to spice up your sessions with a variety of new challenges designed to keep your sessions fresh, dynamic and deeply creative. And, most importantly, it will help maintain the position of the drama class as the most magical place in the universe!

So… What’s New?!

Everything… well, apart from the concept!

As with the original book, Drama Menu: Second Helpings is divided into Appetisers, Starters, Main Courses and Desserts, and, as before, the courses have been carefully devised and categorised in order to bring clarity and structure to your drama sessions. Beyond that, everything is new, with a collection of all-new exercises designed to educate, invigorate and inspire!

This book uses more visual stimuli than the first. My experience over recent years of teaching is that players seem to respond better to the introduction of visually impactful print-outs, so, as well as all-new games, there’s also an all-new (considerably larger) Resource Pack. These resources have encouraged players to engage even more and throw themselves deeper into the creative process.

Another thing that’s new is the sheer number of potential theatre-game combinations. As the tone/style/length of each exercise is similar to the original book, the games are interchangeable, and can be used in conjunction with one another. By using both books, practitioners can choose from 100 Appetisers, 100 Starters, 100 Main Courses and 18 Desserts, giving an almost unfathomably mindboggling 18,000,000 possible menu combinations. That’s 17,000,000 more combinations than was previously possible!

So, with fifty new Appetisers, fifty new Starters, fifty new Main Courses and ten new Desserts, Drama Menu: Second Helpings aims to bring:

* New energy

* New excitement

* New ideas

* New skills

* New stimuli

* New challenges

* New achievements

* New joy

…to each and every one of your drama sessions.

That’s what’s new!

The Courses in Detail

Appetisers

The Appetisers have been devised to warm up, energise and enthuse your group with a collection of fast-paced and fun-filled theatre games. The exercises are divided into Circle Appetisers and Non-Circle Appetisers. I would recommend that you start your session with a Circle Appetiser, as forming a circle is a great way of bringing the players together and creating a connection before setting off on a collective journey. Call the players into an orderly (ish!) circle and pick one of twenty games that have been specially selected for their inclusivity, ease of play and, most importantly, their fun factor!

Once you have enjoyed a circle exercise (or two), the players will be ready to face the more physical challenge of a Non-Circle Appetiser. These are quick-fire, energy-filled exercises that are designed to warm up the players’ bodies and voices, whilst encouraging them to work creatively with one another. With particularly exuberant groups, the Non-Circle Appetisers can provide a useful way to expel excess energy before moving on to more focused work.

NB: If the energy of the group boils over at any stage during the lesson, it’s always a good idea to have a Non-Circle Appetiser up your sleeve so that you can quickly release all that energy before returning to something more focused.

Once the Appetisers have been played, the players should feel warmed up (physically and vocally) and actively involved in the session. When this aim has been achieved, it’s time to move on to the Starters.

Starters

The Starters provide a vital link between the opening gambit (Appetiser) and the main body of the session (Main Course). This intermediary course should last up to twice as long as the Appetisers and challenge the players to contribute and concentrate that little bit more. The Starters are designed to ignite creativity and confidence, providing the perfect platform for the more expansive work to come.

You should choose Starters carefully, ensuring that they complement your chosen Main Course. A great deal of consideration has been given to the range of skills that are covered by the Starters so that, whatever Main Course you may have in mind, there will be a Starter to accompany it. If you are planning a very focused Main Course, there are a number of concentration-inducing Starters to choose from; if energy is on the agenda, you’ll find several high-octane exercises designed to get the group firing on all cylinders and pumped-up for the performance piece to come. On top of this, there are also several Starters that have been chosen simply for the fact that they are enormous fun to play!

While Appetisers provide an all-inclusive warm-up for the whole group, Starters shift the focus from the whole to the individual (or smaller groups) and encourage players to make a greater creative contribution to the session. This is a deliberate transitional device to help players prepare for the creative challenge of the Main Course to come.

Main Courses

This is the culmination of the session, aiming to take the skills developed in the previous courses and put them to the test in a final, creatively challenging performance piece.

Main Courses will generally require less coaching from you, as the baton of creativity is firmly handed over to the players and they are given free rein to do what they do best: create! During this course, players should be encouraged to throw themselves head-first into the creative process and express themselves with unrestrained freedom and joy.

Following adequate rehearsal time, the fruits of the players’ creative labour will be put to the test in front of an audience of their peers. This vital opportunity to demonstrate their skills in performance should be grasped with both hands, and audience members should engage proactively with the performed work and contribute constructively to any post-performance discussion.

Desserts

In keeping with a traditional restaurant menu, this offers the smallest selection on the menu, and it is very much an optional extra. Desserts are there to be utilised when you find that you have a little time left at the end of the session and are in need of something stimulating to fill the hole.

Although the selection is smaller, there is still a wide variety to be found here: everything from creative, fun-filled improvisational activities, to soothing and focused warm-downs, to whole-group energisers. Whatever the mood of the class, and however much time you have, there will always be a Dessert to enrich those final few minutes. So, go on – dig in!

What are the Combinations That Work?

With over a million possible theatre-game combinations in a single book, you may need the occasional helping hand to find the most targeted, progressive and engaging combinations. Drama Menu has been developed alongside an interactive website that enables users to get the very best out of the book. Theatre-game combinations have been classified into the following categories:

* Energy

* Teamwork

* Character

* Creativity

* Truth

* Listening

* Focus

* Stagecraft

* Age

If you’re looking to improve the character-playing potential of your charges, you will find a number of progressive, character-playing combinations on the website; if encouraging energy in performance is your thing, there will be a number of lesson plans to choose from. These plans have been submitted by users across the world who have put them to the test in front of actual drama students, offering invaluable advice and guidance as to how best to deliver each proposed plan.

I encourage all practitioners to share their discoveries with the Drama Menu community, so if you hit upon a particularly tasty menu combination, share it at:

www.dramamenu.com

Sharing couldn’t be simpler: just use the ‘Suggested Menu’ tool to share what worked well, what energised/inspired/focused the class, and what additional exercises/stimuli were used (if any) to make the menu a complete hit! By sharing ideas in this way, users of the book will never be stuck for ideas again, and successful lesson plans can be drawn up in next to no time.

To get you started, there are a number of suggested menus on page 215 of this book, so head over there for some initial inspiration.

Additional Resources

Drama Menu aims to make lesson-planning fun, creative and stress-free and, as part of that aim, several helping hands (in the way of resources) have been developed, leaving you free to do the thing you love the most: teach!

As with the original book, there is an accompanying Resource Pack, which is almost double the size of the first, largely due to the changing nature of drama teaching and the benefits of using visual resources for inspiration. If a script/ worksheet/printout is required and features in the Resource Pack, then it is flagged with a star * above each game number. Download the Resource Pack, print or photocopy what you require for the session, and unlock the full potential of the book.

Music and sound effects are also increasingly being used to stimulate creativity. To that end, an all-new sound effects pack can be found on the Drama Menu website. This has a number of transitional tracks (that can be utilised between scenes to maintain the momentum of a piece and sustain the focus of the players), as well as more traditional sound effects. These tracks have been used to great effect in my classes over the past few years, and I hope that you will find them similarly useful in your sessions.

The Drama Menu YouTube channel has established itself as a go-to channel for drama-lesson inspiration. The channel shows a great many of the exercises in action, and has proved hugely popular with drama practitioners from all over the world, who have been tuning in with ever-increasing regularity. If you’re looking for inspiration or require a little more detail on how a game is played, head over to YouTube and see the menu in action.

All in all, Drama Menu is so much more than just a book of theatre games. It offers a complete package of games, exercises, lesson plans and resources to help you to get the most out of every single session.

The Drama Class Rules

Be Respectful

The golden rule of the drama class: everyone (facilitators and players alike) should expect to be treated with care and respect. The drama class is a safe environment where individuals should always know that they will be accepted and celebrated for the work they do and the way they choose to express themselves.

Be Positive

Never underestimate the power of positivity to unite a company, ignite confidence, and allow players to perform at the peak of their abilities. Positivity breeds creativity, and a positive mind-set and a confident approach will lead to progressive and dynamic sessions – filled with positive outcomes. As group leader, you should be the standard bearer for positivity, so bring it with you from the moment the session begins and maintain it throughout (no matter what challenges you face). This is what will shine through and prove the catalyst for progressive outcomes and creatively nurtured players.

Be Giving

‘Nothing comes from nothing.’ This is as true in the drama class as it is in physics and philosophy. Put nothing in and you get nothing back, but be prepared to give of yourself and the rewards will come. It’s easy for players to fail because they didn’t try, so they should always be encouraged to shun the ‘easy way out’ and have the courage to give their all, no matter how daunting the challenge. There are no bad ideas in the drama class; the only failure comes from offering no ideas at all. Players should be celebrated for being open and brave enough to share, and, as a bonus, those who bring a can-do attitude will see themselves grow as people and performers.

Be Creative

Players should be encouraged to express and explore every thought/idea/feeling with full, creative freedom. Every ounce of creative input is to be celebrated in the drama class, and players should dare to delve into the depths of their creativity and be brave enough to let out whatever they find. ‘Obvious’ and ‘safe’ are not words that get the drama class abuzz with excitement, so players should be challenged to push the boundaries and explore (and share) their creativity.

Be Passionate

Performing is special and every opportunity to perform should be embraced. In a world full of uncertainty, having the opportunity to become immersed in a created world is a unique privilege, and players should be encouraged to revel in that joy. Working with love and passion for the arts will radiate far beyond the individual, and drama sessions will benefit infinitely from players injecting joy into all that they do.

Be Clear

Ensure that all your directions are as clear as possible, as confused delivery rarely leads to productive and focused work. Players respond to clarity, so give them just that. Consider what you want to achieve from the session (and from each individual exercise) before communicating instructions. This will lead to more focused, targeted work, and will more likely result in the aims of the session being met.

Be Patient

Rome was not built in a day (so they say), and highly accomplished, well-rounded performers cannot be created overnight. Be prepared to repeat exercises and recover topics. Players will not be sublime character actors after a couple of character-playing exercises, so patience is essential. If a group takes a while to grasp a particular concept/idea/skill, be prepared to work at their pace and support their learning by finding new, dynamic ways to present ideas. It may be a long road but your perseverance and patience will pay off in the end.

Be Prepared

Winging it will occasionally work out, and can sometimes lead to fantastically dynamic, off-the-cuff drama sessions but, on the whole, preparation is key. Think carefully about what you would like the players to gain/achieve during the session, and tailor the exercises to those areas. Arrive at the session with a fully prepared, focused and targeted plan of action.

Be Inventive

Having the courage to present topics in unusual and exciting ways can really benefit the learning process. If you are striving to improve a certain aspect of a group’s performance skills and nothing seems to be working, don’t be afraid to think outside the box and bring new ideas to the table. It’s often those little, left-field moments of invention that capture the imagination and allow your voice to be heard. This is often how you and your charges will connect, move forwards and progress.

Be Nurturing

If a player feels uncomfortable with a particular activity, they should never be forced to join in (or be judged for sitting out). Players should know that it’s okay to step out, and that they will be fully supported and embraced when they feel ready to re-join the session. Having this kind of environment, brimming with mutual respect, will allow players to feel safe – and players who feel safe are able to give the most of their creative selves.

Be Punctual

Arriving at least ten minutes early to the session will allow you the time to adapt the space to your requirements (creating a safe environment for play by removing hazards, etc.). Once the space is set up ‘as you like it’, you should take a moment to reflect on what you would like to achieve in the coming session. This moment of reflection will prove invaluable in producing a considered, targeted and dynamic session.

Be Flexible

Even the best-laid plans don’t always work out, so if something isn’t working, have the humility to accept that and change things up! It isn’t a failure on your behalf if your intricately planned lesson is falling flat. There are a million different reasons why a lesson doesn’t work out on a given day but there’s no use fighting it! If it becomes apparent that an exercise isn’t hitting the mark, don’t persevere because you are certain that it’s a brilliant idea, there’s only one thing to do: save it for another day – and try something else!

Be Dynamic

Players respond to a dynamic group leader. If you drive the session with dynamism and passion, the players will follow suit and bring a similar passion and zeal to their work, leading to inventive and energy-filled sessions.

Be Aware

Having an awareness of the energy of the group will make for much more productive sessions. If you feel that the players are lethargic, you should reach for an energy-inducing exercise. If they enter with energy surging through their veins, you should start off with a concentration/focus/relaxation game. By maintaining a constant awareness of the energy of the group, you will be able to steer the session in the appropriate direction, bringing the right element at the right moment, in order to make the best use of the time.

Be Supportive

Drama sessions thrive when players feel supported. It should never be forgotten that performing takes courage and anyone who takes to the stage and gives of themselves is deserving of respect, support and (obviously) applause! Always ensure that the watching audience provides a safe environment that allows creativity to thrive and, following each performance, ask that feedback is supportive and progressive. Nothing good ever came of running down people/ideas/performance skills/choices, so by having the generosity and humility to fully support all players on their creative journey, everyone will benefit.

Be Humble

The session is all about the players, not the group leader. All energy must be directed towards them, regardless of what comes back your way. Consider what you want the players to achieve from the session: this should be the driving force behind every challenge set and every game played.

Be Approachable

Don’t make yourself out to be a figure to be revered. You are a facilitator to learning, so players should feel safe to express themselves in your presence, and happy to approach you for advice and assistance.

Be Thankful

You have the best job in the world, so don’t forget it! Who else gets to spend their days in imaginary worlds with those who feel free enough to express their deepest thoughts and feelings in your presence (in the knowledge that they will be supported and celebrated)? This is how the whole world should be but, sadly, isn’t always. It is, however, and always will be in the drama class, which is why, every time we teach the subject we love, we should be thankful for the values it represents and the joy that it brings.

Circle Appetisers

The classic call to arms (theatrically speaking) and the perfect way to start your session. Once the room is full of eager participants, call out the time-honoured words…

‘Let’s make a circle!’

This circular gathering has marked the start of drama sessions since time immemorial and still, to this day, gathering in this perpetual form never fails to unite the group – and is a perfect way to start the theatrical journey.

1

‘N’ice ‘N’ame Game

This fun twist on the classic name game is a great way of involving all players from the get-go and (of course) it’s particularly useful for learning names!

What better way to start a drama session (or a book of theatre games) than with a good, old-fashioned name game?! These exercises are first-session staples for a reason: they immediately put players at ease, unite the group, and offer a vital opportunity to learn as many names as possible in a quick-fire, fun-filled and inclusive challenge!

First of all, have the group form a circle and explain that the ‘name of this game’ is for players to introduce themselves by entering the circle, in turn, and saying their name whilst performing a dynamic action. But that’s not all! As well as calling out names and striking a pose, they should also prefix their name with a word that starts with the first letter of their name – so, Samantha might use ‘Sassy’, ‘Smooth’ or ‘Super’. The rest of the group must then go into centre of the circle and copy the name and gesture combination as accurately as possible.

It’s always a good idea for the group leader to go first, so, if it were me… I would hurl myself forwards, throw my arms skyward and call out (in my most booming of voices): ‘Giant Glyn!’ Following this larger-than-life performance, the whole group should be encouraged to enter the circle as one, and repeat my booming, energetic performance!

Then it’s over to the rest of the group. Turn to the player on your left (or right, it doesn’t matter which) and ask them to enter the circle and perform their own alliterative name and action combination (which, in turn, will be copied by the rest of the group). This will start a cannon of players entering the circle, one at a time, until the cannon gets all the way back to you and you can bring the exercise to a close. Encourage the players to make their movements, gestures and vocal delivery as unique, dynamic and creative as possible. This will make for a great deal of fun and (fingers crossed!) will make the name-learning that little bit easier.

Once you’ve circumnavigated the circle and all players have participated, it’s a good idea to repeat the exercise – only, this time, at twice the speed! This will bring an additional injection of energy to the game (and provide another vital opportunity to learn those names).

2

Banan-ah!

A fun, vocal warm-up that encourages performers to forward-place and project their voices.

Have the group stand in a circle and ask that all players hold up their bananas! They will be a little perplexed by this instruction but once you have proudly held aloft your own imaginary banana they will quickly get the idea, and soon you will have a circle of banana-brandishing players. Explain that, in cannon, they are to throw their bananas as far as they can. When throwing their bananas, they must say the word ‘banan-ah’ with projection and power, holding the final ‘ah’ sound for as long as possible and visualising their imaginary banana soaring far into the distance in a long, high arc.

Then it’s time for the Great Banana Throw-off! Instruct all players to hold their bananas in the air (you too, don’t be shy!) and, with bananas brandished, get the group to take one long, deep breath and to throw their bananas (in unison) as far as possible. So, on three: three, two, one…

‘Banan-aaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!’

There will be a crescendo of sound as imaginary bananas are flung far beyond the circle. The final player to be holding the ‘ah’ of ‘banan-ah’ will be crowned the Great Banana Throw-off Champion!

NB: In the interest of fairness, firmly discourage any mid-banana-throw breathing!

This is lots of fun but also a very effective device for encouraging players to visualise the spoken word soaring beyond their bodies when delivering dialogue. This visualisation will promote a strong, powerful and projected sound, and can often encourage more timid performers to project their voices with more forward placement and freedom than ever before. So, grab your bananas and get flinging!

3

Concentration Steps

This concentration exercise encourages players to send their focus out to the group and to work as a strong, cohesive unit.

First of all, have the group stand in a tight circle with shoulders touching (you can join in with this too). Once a tight, standing circle has been formed, instruct everyone to take one big step backwards so that they are now in a much larger circle (without shoulders touching). The challenge is for each player to take one big step forward until the whole group is back in the original standing circle. Easy huh? Well, not quite… Explain that any player can step forward at any time BUT – and here comes the tricky bit – if two players step forward at the same time you will stop the exercise and start over.

This exercise will invariably start off rather chaotically, with several players desperately trying to be the first to make the first bold step forwards. After a few failed attempts, explain that it’s not about being the first to step, it’s about achieving a common goal as a team. Rather than frantically hurling themselves forwards, suggest that players should send their focus out to the whole group and only take a step when they feel that no one else is going to. There is no place for ego here, it doesn’t matter if you’re the first to step or the last, success is gauged by the whole group working as one to complete the task.

NB: To make things slightly easier; only restart the game if two players ground their feet at the same time. So, if two players lift their feet in unison but see that the other is about to step, they are permitted to return their feet from whence they came in order to avoid being penalised.

With heightened group awareness and continued use of peripheral vision, this task is achievable by all ages/abilities. It’s a good idea to hold the concentrated silence upon completion of the task and have a discussion about how that silence felt. Was it silence for the sake of silence or was it ‘focused silence’? What’s the difference? They will note that bringing collective concentration to the task creates an intense atmosphere that could clearly be felt through the silence. This is how electric theatre is created: by having a fully focused company working as one towards a common goal. Players should be encouraged to bring these same qualities of teamwork, focus and group awareness to their future work.

*4

H.A.S.H.

A unique exercise that encourages players to physically and emotionally connect to the spoken word.

First of all, have the players stand in a circle and instruct them to say one number each, in cannon, starting with you and moving to your left. Continue until the count reaches twenty (if there are more than twenty players, restart the count after twenty and keep going until the cannon returns to you). Next, it’s time to repeat the process, only this time, rather than simply saying each number, players should be encouraged to infuse them with the following emotions:

* Numbers 1–5: Happy

* Numbers 6–10: Angry

* Numbers 11–15: Sad

* Numbers 16–20: Horrified

NB: It’s a good idea to hold up H.A.S.H. emotion cards (part of the Resource Pack) so that everyone is clear about the emotion attributed to each number.

You will immediately notice the players connecting more, physically and emotionally, to the spoken word as the contrasting emotions bring colour and energy to the delivery.

If the group are a little tentative at first, have the whole group count from one to twenty in unison using the H.A.S.H. emotions. You will find that players become less inhibited when working as a collective and the physical connection/vocal dynamism will intensify.

With everyone warmed up, it’s time for a final H.A.S.H.-off! Divide the circle in two and have one half huddle together whilst the others sit. The goal of the H.A.S.H.-off is to be the team who bring the most physical and emotional connection to the count. Position yourself in front of the standing group (with H.A.S.H. cards in hand) and, all together… start counting! Once they’ve laughed, cried and wailed their way to twenty, have them sit whilst the second group stand and attempt to trump the physical, vocal and emotional dynamic that group one produced. Once both groups have performed, announce the winner!

Although simple, this exercise is an excellent device for encouraging players to explore the possibilities and release the potential of every single spoken word. By infusing their delivery with emotion, words will be transformed, and the previously monotonously muttered numbers will be full of vigour, energy and life. This approach to delivering dynamic dialogue should be encouraged and explored in future performance work.

5

Energy Echo

A fast-paced group exercise that encourages players to listen and to share energy.

Have the players form a circle and announce that each player, in turn, is going to create an action and sound combination that the whole group must copy. Demonstrate what you mean by this by hitting them with your very best, fist-pumping ‘Hey!’ or jazz-handed ‘Yeah!’ It’s important to point out that players are only permitted to use a single word and sound, so a simple ‘Boing!’ with a jump in the air will suffice (as opposed to reciting a full Shakespearean sonnet whilst performing the Macarena)!

And it’s time to begin! Start the ball rolling by swinging your arm in the air and calling out ‘Yee-hah!’ before encouraging the group to copy your rodeo-inspired combination. The most important thing here is that players share energy with you. This means taking the energy you give and adding their own so that the echo is delivered with even more energy and dynamism than the original.

Now it’s time to send the Energy Echo soaring around the circle. Ask the player on your left to produce an action and sound combination, before encouraging the whole group to take the given energy and repeat the action and sound combination with more gusto! Continue this all the way around the circle, insisting that there are no pauses or hesitations between each action and reaction.

You will often find that the first round will have been a little tentative, so it’s time to go again. This time, encourage the group to give even more energy (in both the delivery and echo), and insist that they focus on their fellow performers in order that their reactions are immediate and silence is eradicated. By sending the focus out to the group in this way, there should be a much clearer sense of action and reaction, and the actions and sounds will rocket around the circle in a mounting wave of energy and excitement.

This simple exercise is a highly effective device for encouraging players to work as one cohesive unit. Once they have completed an unbroken cycle of energy, there will be a tangible buzz in the room, which you should embrace and utilise in the work that follows.

6

Keep the Connection

This exercise encourages players to bring consistent physical connection to their work.

Have the players form a large (standing) circle before asking one player to enter the circle, throw both fists to the sky and say ‘C’mon!’ before returning to their place. Now ask another player to enter the circle, wrap their arms tightly around their body and call out ‘Why?’ before returning to their place. Finally, ask a third to enter the circle, point and say ‘Traitor’, before – you’ve guessed it – returning to their place in the circle. After these three vocalised gestures have played out, discuss what happened after each gesture/sound was created. Did they walk back with the residual energy of the gesture coursing through their bodies? More often than not, those watching will say ‘no, they did not’ – they simply delivered the word, reverted back to neutral and plodded back to their place. This instant disconnect, often associated with less experienced performers, is what this exercise seeks to address.

Maintaining physical and emotional connection to gesture brings greater consistency and truth to performance work. A person wouldn’t punch the air in delight having just won the lottery and then immediately revert back to absolute neutrality (both physically and emotionally); the elation and physical connection would remain in the body for some time before and after the gesture is struck. This is what the players must attempt to emulate.

So, let’s go again, encouraging the players to bring the feeling behind the gesture into the circle and, once the gesture has been struck, remain connected to the residual energy and allow it to drive their movement back. The contrast between the second playing and the first will be stark, as the playing area is brought to life from the moment each player steps forward to the moment they return to their place in the circle.

Now move onto a group round, where all players move into the circle and vocalise their strong gestures as one before returning en masse. This final round encourages players to dispense with any inhibitions, and you will find that the room is truly alive with energy after three or four group efforts. And where did this energy come from? From players connecting emotion to gesture and allowing the residual energy to remain in the bodies and affect their physicality. So, from a simple exercise an extremely important lesson is learnt.

7

Band Leader

A fun, physical and focus-inducing exercise that encourages team-playing and group awareness.

Call the players into a large circle and select one member of the group to step outside the circle, turn their back and close their eyes. Next, choose a Band Leader by pointing at one member of the group, ensuring that everyone in the circle is aware of who it is. Explain that the Band Leader will play a series of imaginary musical instruments and, as each instrument is played, the rest of the group must copy them. With younger players, it might be a good idea to demonstrate a few instruments to make sure they’ve got the idea, so strum away on your imaginary guitar and bang on your make-believe drum whilst encouraging the group to copy your actions (I also like to throw in some instrumental sound effects for added pizzazz!).

Now that you’re all warmed up, ask the Band Leader to start playing his/her first instrument and instruct the group to copy. As you’re tinkling away on your imaginary ivories or screeching out a tune on a make-believe Stradivarius, ask for the player with their back turned to re-join the group and stand in the centre of the circle. Explain that their task is to ascertain who is changing the instrument. They have three guesses to discover the Band Leader... and GO!

To add to the challenge, encourage all players to remain focused and vigilant, so that instruments are changed as quickly and collectively as possible. Use of peripheral vision is vital here – if all eyes are pointed in the direction of the Band Leader, it will give the game away pretty quickly, so subtlety is key!

This is such a lot of fun and a great way of uniting the group and physically (and vocally) engaging the players at the start of a session.

8

Give a Gift

A fun and physical exercise that develops mime skills and encourages younger players to collaborate creatively with others.

First of all, have the players sit in a large circle and place a chair in the centre of the playing area. Explain that there is a huge pile of wrapped gifts scattered around this chair just waiting to be opened by the players. Invite one lucky player to sit on the chair (in gift-receiving anticipation) before asking another to enter the circle, choose an imaginary gift and present it to the seated player. On receipt of the gift, the seated player must unwrap it and say…

‘Thank you. It’s a ____________’

You will notice a ‘blank space’ in the phrase above. This is because the nature of the gift will be completely unknown until it is plucked out of the imaginary pile and handed over to the seated player. What the gift is then declared to be will be driven by its mimed size/weight and the way in which it is delivered to the recipient. So, if the gift-giver hands over a very heavy parcel with great trepidation, these elements should be taken into account by the recipient as the gift is unwrapped and the contents revealed.

Focusing on the other player is all-important here. Players must focus all their attention on the gift-giver to ensure that the gift received is the ‘same’ gift as the one handed to them. Players must be encouraged to open their actor’s imaginations and attempt to ‘see’ the imagined gift in their mind’s eye before reacting to it. This will help the watching audience to ‘see’ it too. Once the gift has been opened, the gift-receiver should then return to their place in the circle. Now the gift-giver sits on the chair and becomes the receiver, and the next player in the circle enters to bestow their own gift. Continue until all players have had the experience of both giving and receiving a gift.

In the first round you may find that the players are rather vague with the size/weight of their gifts, and they will often just reach for some non-descript ‘thing’ and fling it towards the seated player. It is therefore a good idea to have a second round in which both players are encouraged to focus firmly on the gift, from the moment it is picked out of the pile to the moment it is presented to the recipient. Total commitment will make it much easier for the seated player to decide what the gift is. You should police the miming and team-playing skills much more stringently in this second round, so if, for example, a player picks up a small object and hands it fearfully to the gift-receiver, ‘Thank you. It’s a plasma TV’ will not cut the mustard! Stop the exercise immediately and have the giver redeliver the package, encouraging the seated player this time to accept the mime and use it to drive the nature of the revealed gift: ‘Thank you. It’s a tarantula’ – perfect!

Although simple, this exercise is very creative, progressive, and well worth playing.

9

Human Knot

A physical exercise that promotes team-playing and group awareness.

Divide the players into groups of seven or eight and ask each group to find a space and to make a small circle, facing one another. (This exercise is best played in two parts but if you’re short on time; skip straight to Part 2!)

Part 1

It’s time to get connected, so instruct all players to thrust their right hand into the centre of the circle and to hold hands with another player. Once right hands are connected, repeat the process with left hands, being sure to hold hands with a different person this time. Ask the group to take a moment to familiarise themselves with the hands that they are holding (but don’t tell them why). Now, ask all players to let go of hands and to find a new position within the circle. Once the circle has been jumbled up, instruct all players to close their eyes and to spin on the spot twice. Without talking (and keeping eyes closed), they have thirty seconds to reconnect hands with the same people as before and… Go! After thirty seconds, freeze the group and ask them to open their eyes.

Did they reconnect with their original hand-holding partners? With focus and attentiveness, they should get there!

Part 2

Now, it’s competition time! Ask the players to remain holding hands and, on your command, they must attempt to unravel themselves from their human knot! The first group to successfully disentangle themselves (without letting go of hands) are the winners.

And… Go!

There will be an explosion of squirming and excitement as players try to unravel themselves from the lattice of arms. Encourage them to keep communicating with one another during the task; the better the communication skills, the quicker they will be able to untie themselves.

It’s a good idea to encourage all groups to finish unravelling so that everyone gets the satisfaction of completing the task before moving on to the next game.