DRAMA STRATEGIES

Still Images and Freeze Frames

Still images and freeze frames are both a form of tableau. With freeze-frame, the action in a play or
scene is frozen, as in a photograph or video frame. Still images, on the other hand, require individuals
or groups to invent body-shapes or postures, rather than freeze existing action.
Groups can be asked to tell a story through a series of prepared still-images. This can be an effective
method for students who are less inclined to improvise dialogue. The still images can also be brought
to life through improvisation. Freeze-frames and still images can be usefully combined with Thought
Tracking, Forum Theatre or Flashbacks and Flash Forwards.

Hot Seating
A character is questioned by the group about his or her background, behaviour and motivation. The
method may be used for developing a role in the drama lesson or rehearsals, or analysing a play
post-performance. Even done without preparation, it is an excellent way of fleshing out a character.
Characters may be hot-seated individually, in pairs or small groups. The technique is additionally
useful for developing questioning skills with the rest of the group. Hot-seat character/ contrasting
characters e.g. good/bad

Thought Tunnel

A useful technique for exploring any kind of dilemma faced by a character, providing an opportunity to
analyse a decisive moment in greater detail. The class forms two lines facing each other. One person
(the teacher or a participant) takes the role of the protagonist and walks between the lines as each
member of the group speaks their advice. It can be organised so that those on one side give
opposing advice to those on the other. When the protagonist reaches the end of the alley, she makes
her decision. Sometimes known as Decision Alley or Thought Tunnel. This drama technique can
easily be applied to a range of subjects across the curriculum, whenever a character is faced with a
decision. It may be that you reach a certain point in your drama lesson, or while reading a story aloud,
or describing an historical event, when such a moment occurs. Turn the situation round on the
children/students so that they have to consider the issues involved. Then in role as Captain Cook, or
Harry Potter, or Red Riding Hood, you walk down the Conscience Alley as members of the group
whisper their advice to you.

Role Play
Role play is the basis of all dramatic activity. The ability to suspend disbelief by stepping into another
character's shoes comes quite naturally to most children. Through the structure of the drama lesson
this can be used to great effect, challenging children to develop a more sensitive understanding of a
variety of viewpoints whilst sharpening their language and movement skills. By adopting a role,
children can step into the past or future and travel to any location, dealing with issues on moral and
intellectual levels. Thus role play can be easily utilised to illuminate themes across the curriculum.

Bystander

Choose a character other than the protagonist , who recounts what happened to a friend or is
interviewed for the Jungle News. Create a list of questions that a reporter might ask and think
about appropriate answers. You might need to develop the personality based on ideas in the
story.

It Happened to Me

The main character gives a personal account of what happened to them in the story e.g. for a chat show.

Role On The Wall

The outline of a body is drawn on a large sheet of paper, which is later stuck onto the wall. This can
be done by carefully drawing around one of the participants. Words or phrases describing the
character are then written directly onto the drawing or stuck on with post-its. This drama technique
can be carried out as a group activity or by individuals writing about their own character. You can
include known facts such as physical appearance, age, gender, location and occupation, as well as
subjective ideas such as likes/dislikes, friends/enemies, attitudes, motivations, secrets and dreams.
Tableaux

In a tableau, participants make still images with their bodies to represent a scene. A tableau can be
used to quickly establish a scene that involves a large number of characters. Because there is no
movement, a tableau is easier to manage than a whole-group improvisation – yet can easily lead into
extended drama activities. It can be used to explore a particular moment in a story or drama, or to
replicate a photograph or artwork for deeper analysis.

How do you do it?

Students stand in a circle, or around the performance area and a theme is given. One by one, they
step into the space and establish 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. The scene
can also be brought to life through improvisation, with the teacher clapping her hands to signal the
beginning and end of the action.

Once students are familiar with the technique, they can also work in small groups on different aspects
of a theme. The class can discuss each group’s tableau in turn, mentioning what they can see
happening, what they would like to know more about and what they think could happen next.
Afterwards, each group can comment on how these viewpoints compared with their initial intentions.

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.
Current Affairs/History: Small groups are given different newspaper reports of the same
incident (or differing accounts of an historical event) and asked to produce as accurate a
tableau as possible. This can be used to examine how events may be communicated
differently according to the observer’s point of view.
For a more light-hearted activity, groups can devise a tableau on a specific theme, such as epic
books or movies, famous locations or well-known historical events. The other students then try
and guess what the tableau represents.

Spotlight
Spotlighting is a useful teaching technique for sharing improvised drama when you have divided the
class into smaller groups. When it is time to show their work, ask all the groups to sit on the floor.
Explain that you will walk around the room and as you get closer to each group, that group will stand
up and show their performance. As you move off towards the next group, they will stop the drama and
quietly sit down again so that they can watch other groups.

Why use it?

This is an effective way of controlling the time each group takes to show their work and overcomes
the problem groups often have of not knowing how to end an improvisation. The teacher controls the
time taken by each group and the order in which they perform. Just like a real spotlight, the technique
focuses the attention on one part of the room at a time and makes it clear as to which group is taking
its turn.

Thought Tracking
A group makes a still image and individuals are invited to speak their thoughts or feelings aloud - just
a few words. This can be done by tapping each person on the shoulder or holding a cardboard
'thought-bubble' above their head. Alternatively, thought tracking (also called thought tapping) can
involve other members of the class speaking one character's thoughts aloud for them. The technique
is most often used in conjunction with image theatre or freeze-frames. Equally, thought-tracking is
useful preparation for improvisation.

Flashbacks and Flash Forwards

Performers in a scene are asked to improvise scenes which take place seconds, minutes, days or
years before or after a dramatic moment. This enables the exploration of characters' backgrounds,
motivations and the consequences of their actions.

The method can be used to quickly bring depth to activities involving still images or improvised
drama. Adding Flashbacks or Flash Forwards creates a context – it shows what led up to a particular
moment, how it might be resolved or how it may lead onto additional challenges. The technique helps
to flesh out a dramatic moment or create the beginnings of a story.

How to do it

With a group that has created a still image, explain that when you clap your hands, you would like
them to move silently in slow-motion to where their character was a few moments before. When they
are frozen still in the new image, you can use thought-tracking to explore character motivation.
Now ask them to move back to their original image - which is the present moment. Then you can use
Flash Forwards - participants move in slow-motion to indicate where their characters might be a short
time after this moment. In this way you have created an episode with a beginning, middle and end
and can develop it in any number of ways.

Image Theatre
In Image Theatre, still images are used to explore abstract concepts such as relationships and
emotions, as well as realistic situations.

Participants rapidly sculpt their own or each others' bodies to express attitudes and emotions. These
images are then placed together and 'dynamised' or brought to life. The method is often used to
explore internal or external oppression, unconscious thoughts and feelings.

Why use it?

Image theatre is a flexible tool for exploring issues, attitudes and emotions both with groups who are
confident with drama and those with little or no experience. No one has lines to learn or has to 'act' in
front of others. Imaging can enable students to explore their own feelings and experiences in a less
forbidding way than that offered by improvisational techniques.

How to do it

In a circle, students create physical images in response to a given theme, for example, bullying. They
should do this quickly, without pre-thought. They are then invited to step into the centre of the circle
and remake their image. Other students can now add in their own still images. This could lead to an
abstract group image or a tableau that is “dynamised” or brought alive through thought tracking or by
adding sound or movement.

Pairs or small groups can also create their own images, where they take it in turns to “sculpt” each
other into a shape and then find a way to put these shapes together. This is most effective if done
without talking.

Marking the Moment

Marking the Moment is a dramatic technique used to highlight a key moment in a scene or
improvisation. This can be done in a number of different ways: for example through slow-motion, a
freeze-frame, narration, thought-tracking or music. It has a similar effect to using a spotlight to focus
attention on one area of the stage at a particular moment during a performance.
Soundscape
The leader or one member of the group acts as conductor, whilst the rest of the group are the
'orchestra'. Using their voices (and body percussion if appropriate!), the group paints a soundscape of
a particular theme or mood, for example the seaside, a city, a jungle. The leader can control the
shape of the piece by raising her hand to increase the volume or bringing it to touch the floor for
silence. You may also use simple percussion instruments for this exercise.

Narration
Narration is a technique whereby one or more performers speak directly 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'. It is necessary to make contact with the audience through facial expression, simple gesture
and expressive voice.

Teacher in Role
Teacher in role (TiR) is an invaluable technique for shaping the dramatic process. Simply put, the
teacher assumes a role in relation to the pupils. This may be as a leader, a peer, or a subservient role
- whatever is useful in the development of the lesson. The teacher may ask questions of the students,
perhaps putting them into role as members of a specific group and encouraging them to hot-seat her
in return.

How to do it
Teacher in Role does not require great acting skills. A role can be adopted quite simply to
communicate the key attitudes and emotions of a particular character. A token piece of costume, a
hand prop or special chair can be useful to denote when the teacher steps into and out of role.
If you are unsure how to begin, try hot-seating first. This will give you valuable experience of
assuming a role in relation to the students and responding to their comments and questions. You can
progress to teacher in role by encouraging the students to participate and becoming more active as
the character. Reply to their questions as though they are also in role and encourage them to
become involved in occupational mime activities.
Postcards

is the depiction of a place or setting by students creating the scene with their bodies – a human
postcard in an organized format within a given space.

• A setting or place is chosen by the teacher or students, and one at a time, they enter the space
as a particular person, animal or object. As each person takes their place they must say who
or what they are and what they are doing. eg a postcard entitled ‘At the Beach’ would be –
‘I’m at the beach and I am surfing’ or ‘I am collecting shells’ etc. Students organize themselves
onto the space and fill the spaces and remain frozen until there is a complete live picture
postcard. On a signal, postcard can come to life with sounds and actions.
Students should be encouraged to take on different roles or objects in order to achieve a varied
and interesting postcard.

For younger students, oral language can be developed as they say who or what they are and
what they are doing.
After ‘postcarding’ a particular setting – write a setting description. Record the language ( e.g. I
am collecting shells …) used by students during postcard activity support writing

Create two different postcards as a way of comparing two settings – create a Venn Diagram of
the two places

Meetings

An improvised gathering held in role to discuss views about a problem and how it can be resolved.
Meetings provide a way of debating big subjects and seeing issues from different viewpoints. They
enable students to present appreciate and interpret different points of view while maintaining a role
over a period of time. Meetings provide a vocal point to deliver information, planning a strategy,
exploring ideas or discussing a problem during a whole class drama session or when using mantle of
the expert. The strategy provides a formal structure for working as teacher in role and can be used as
a way to bring together characters.

How do you do it?

Everybody should be in role including the teacher, who may assume leadership. Children can be a
collective group or take on the role of an individual character. Children can research an issue and
develop their character. The meeting can take place in a location appropriate to the issue.

Sources:

Farmer, D. (2012). Learning Through Drama in the Primary Years. Drama Resource.
http://www.dramaresource.com