6 Character Development Exercises to try

The Monologue In the role of your character, write, rehearse and prepare a 2-3 minute monologue that accurately portrays your character at a particular point in time within the play your studying / performing. Consider what the character is thinking and feeling at that moment. What are their fears, hopes, love and hates in life and how they relate to this moment in the play. … Continue reading 6 Character Development Exercises to try

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

I love teaching A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen. It is a brilliant play to teach as it always throws up so many dividing opinions about the characters actions and motivations that the students are in constant debate and conversation about it. The story is simple but relies on a basic knowledge of late 19th Century Society and, in particular, the role of women in … Continue reading A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

Physical Theatre (Genre) Links

“Physical theatre is a genre of theatrical performance that pursues storytelling through primarily physical means. Several performance traditions all describe themselves as “physical theatre”, but the unifying aspect is a reliance on physical motion of the performers rather than or combined with text to convey the story. In basic sense, you talk through hand gestures, body language, thought track and many more physical features.” (Wikipedia) General Information BBC … Continue reading Physical Theatre (Genre) Links

Brecht and Epic Theatre Links

Eugen Bertolt Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956) was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director of the 20th century. He made contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter through the tours undertaken by the Berliner Ensemble – the post-war theatre company operated by Brecht and his wife, long-time collaborator and actress Helene Weigel. (Wikipedia) Overview of Brecht The BBC Bitesize website has 11 pages covering his background, his theories and his works. … Continue reading Brecht and Epic Theatre Links

Verbatim Theatre Links

“Verbatim theatre is a form of documentary theatre in which plays are constructed from the precise words spoken by people interviewed about a particular event or topic.” (Wikipedia) What is Verbatim Theatre? The National Theatre, UK, guide to making Verbatim Theatre. An essay by Theatre Ciritc Micheal Billingham for The Gaurdian about Verbatim Theatre. Another article in The Gaurdian about Verbatim Theatre, this time written … Continue reading Verbatim Theatre Links