Masks within performance

Masks have a long history of being used in the theatre and continue to feature in theatres across the world today. Masks serve multiple functions in theatre as they allow the performer to embody a character in a unique way; to explore non-human characters; to change characters quickly.

This is the second activity in a series of resources designed around masks. See the others below:

• Examining masks using slow looking
• Masks as a means of self expression
• Masks as a symbol of protest
• Masks as a means of protection

SHAPE is a collective name for social sciences, humanities and the arts. SHAPE subjects play a vital role within our communities and in shaping our lives – past, present and future. SHAPE skills give us the tools to enact change and allow us to better understand the world by providing a myriad of ways to express, analyse and interpret our global world and human experiences.

For more information about the underpinning principles of the resources, visit our website.