Stockland Green Knowledge Organiser – Drama – Year 8 – Physical Theatre

Overview of topic: students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the physical theatre style of abstract and representational performance.
Key content/ ideas/ concepts Keywords/ Glossary
  Physical Theatre Abstract- relating to or
  Commedia Dell’arte denoting art that does not
 
  It’s often abstract in style, using attempt to represent external
  movement in a stylised and Commedia dell'arte was an early form of reality but is symbolic or
 
representational way. With the professional theatre, originating from Italy, that representational of a concept
  or idea
was popular in Europe from the 16th through the
  expression of ideas  
  choreographed through 18th century.
  movement, such performers use
Physical theatre is anything
  Vecchi—Master characters, noblemen that puts the human body at
 
very little or no dialogue at all. the centre of the storytelling
 
Pantalone—The master
process
  Frantic Assembly chair duets Il Dottore—The Doctor  
  Il Capitano—The Captain Choreography- the sequence
  Inamorati—The young lovers
 
Frantic Assembly is a physical of steps and movements
  theatre company that creates work Zanni—Servant characters
which reflects contemporary Arlecchino- Pantalone’s witty prankster of a Commedia dell’arte is a form of
culture. servant theatre characterized by
Their unique physical style in Columbina—The only female servant character masked "types" and
performance combines movement, Brighella—A scheming, low-level merchant improvised performances
design, music and text. Chair duets Pulcinella—The source of the English “Punch and based on sketches or
are a devising tool to support the Judy” characters scenarios.
creation of abstract/
representational movement.
Laban’s Eight Efforts

  Laban is named after Rudolf Laban, who was a movement theorist, a choreographer and a dancer. He is considered a Wider reading
  pioneer of modern dance. Zanni Performance!
 
  https://www.youtube.com/wat
  Laban categorized human movement into four component parts each with two elements: ch?v=D0GFyA_A0uE
  •Direction is either direct or indirect.
  •Weight is either heavy or light. The World of Commedia
•Speed is either quick or sustained. https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=h_0TAXWt8hY
•Flow is either bound or free.
 
Laban then combined these parts together to create The Eight Efforts: Wring, Press, Flick, Dab, Glide, Float, Punch,
 Stockland Green Knowledge Organiser – Drama – Year 8 – Physical Theatre
Self-Quiz Questions
1. What is physical theatre?
 
2. Who are Frantic Assembly?
3. The Frantic Assembly style combines what
4 performance styles?
4. Who is Laban?
5. Laban characterised human movement
into 4 parts, what were they?
6. Direction has 2 elements- what are they?
7. Weight has 2 elements- what are they?
8. Speed has 2 elements- what are they?
9. Flow has 2 elements- what are they?
10. Laban combined all 4 parts and elements
together to create what?
Total score
Self-Quiz Questions
1. What is the purpose of physical theatre?
2. How are ideas expressed through physical
theatre?
3. What does Frantic Assembly’s work
reflect?
4. What was Laban a pioneer of?
 
5. What are Laban’s eight efforts?
6. Where did Commedia Dell’arte originate
from?
7. Through what centuries was Commedia
Dell’arte popular across Europe?
8. What is Commedia Dell’arte characterised
by?
9. What is a chair duet?
10. Why is a chair duet a useful devising tool? 10. Research Q- why is this language used in
Total score
Challenge Self-Quiz Quizzing
1. Why could abstract performance be more
challenging to create?
2. Research Q- What was Laban’s
Dynamospher?
3. Commedia dell’ arte characters can be split
into 3 categories, what are they?
4. What are the advantages for the audience
by having 3 clear categories of characters?
5. Research Q- what is a ‘centre of leading’ in
relation to Commedia’ Dell’arte?
6. Research Q- why is a centre of leading
important to establish when creating
Commedia Dell’arte characters?
7. Research Q- what is Zanni’s centre of
leading and what does this tell us about his
character?
8. Research Q- what is Il Capitano’s centre of
leading and what does this tell us about his
character?
9.  Research Q- what language do actors
speak in, in a Commedia Dell’arte?
Commedia Dell’arte?
Total score