This pack contains essential techniques, strategies and inspiration for students embarking on their Drama GCSE or A Level devising process. This guide is suited to GCSE and A Level students and supports their journey from stimuli to the final performance.
More Drama resources are available at Subject Resources.
Contents Include: The Starting Point, Working with a Stimulus, Discussion & Planning, Research, Rehearsal Advice, Break the Ice, Aims & Objectives, Artistic Intentions, Style, Verbatim, Dislocated Dialogue, Creative Writing, Staging, Entrances & Exits, Newspaper Buffet, Image Theatre, The Elephant in the Room, Perspectives, Character Function, Engaging the Audience, Pace & Tension, Juxtaposition, Conscience Alley, Thought Tracking, Marking the Moment, Motif, Cross-cutting, Flashback, Narration, Role Play, Inspirational Quotes and 6-Week Devising Planner.
This pack contains techniques and methodologies from 12 leading theatre practitioners. This guide is perfect to help students with their GCSE and A Level Drama course content for devising and general revision. Each practitioner section contains a quick reference table of their most popular techniques for students to learn and apply to their own practice.
Practitioners included
Stanislavski, Artaud, Brecht, Meisner, Littlewood, Hagen, Grotowski, Berkoff, Kneehigh, Complicité, Frantic Assembly & Punchdrunk.
This practitioner pack explores the techniques and methodologies of Stephen Berkoff. The intention of this pack is to provide students with valuable and revision friendly information to aid their practical work.
Areas covered: Total Theatre, Levels of Exaggeration, Greek Theatre, Grotesque, Kvetch, Essence Machine, Mie, Burdens, Punch & Judy, Jo-Ha-Kyu, Mime, Mask, Biography & Key Quotes.
The pack is sent as a digital PDF document to your email after purchase. For A4 printed pack copies, please visit Subject Resources via Google search.
Uta Hagen was a pioneering figure in the acting world, and her insights have had a profound impact on the craft. Her emphasis on deep character exploration, authenticity, and using exercises like the Object Exercise helps actors develop a richer, more nuanced understanding of their characters. By studying Hagen’s techniques, students can improve their acting skills, better connect with the emotions and motivations of their characters, and ultimately deliver more compelling and genuine performances on stage or screen. Her teachings remain highly relevant and valuable for aspiring actors looking to hone their craft.
Contents Include: Biography, Substitution, Given Circumstances, Object Exercise, Emotional Preparation, Concentration, Relaxation, Moment Before, Sense Memory, Through-line of Action, Listening, Key Quotes & Lesson Plan.
View more popular Drama resources, visit Subject Resources.
This pack provides a deeper look at the techniques and methodologies of Konstantin Stanislavski (1863-1938). This pack is perfect for independent student learning or can be used as a valuable resource whilst teaching.
Areas covered: The First Acquaintance, Three Core Elements, Given Circumstances, Actioning, Subtext, Tempo Rhythm, Circles of Attention, Units & Objectives, Method of Physical Actions, Emotion Memory, Imagination, Circles of Attention, Before-time, Public Solitude, Endowment, Magic If, Active Analysis, Relaxation, Influences, The Fourth Wall, Key Quotes, The Moscow Art Theatre, The American Tour, The Method (overview), The Young Stanislavski, Principle Terms Glossary.
This resource pack contains over 70 of our favourite tried and tested Drama rehearsal techniques. This pack is great for students to look through ahead of their devising process at both GCSE and A Level, as well as a very useful revision tool for all of the written exam units.
Contents Include:
Physical Rehearsal Techniques
Bigger & Bigger, Mirror Work, Sculpting, Physical Dialogue, Mime, Tension States – Jacques Lecoq, Valley of the Giants – Jacques Lecoq, Exploring ways to Touch, Tableau, Rhythm & Ritualism, Levels of Exaggeration – Steven Berkoff, Stylised Movement, Clowning, Neutral Mask, Exploring Levels, Round-By-Through, Fluff Picking, Non-verbal Language, Push Hands, Ladders Exercise, Steps, Contact Improvisation, Playing with Stance, Physical Gestus – Bertolt Brecht, Physical Punctuation, Animal Study – Lee Strasberg, Hand of Charisma, Bamboo Sticks, Shoaling, Prop Integration, Proxemics, Harshness & Tenderness, Laban Efforts – Rudolf Laban, Mie, Cartoon Mime, Marche Sur Place, Viewpoints, Melodrama & Physical Verbatim - DV8.
Vocal Rehearsal Techniques
Actioning, Choral Speech, Lip Trills & Flutters, Tongue Twisters, Experimenting with Pitch, Accents, Intonation, Emotional Range, Recording Dialogue, The Ultimate List of Tongue Twisters, On Breath – Antonin Artaud, Gibberish, Resonance & Humming.
Subtext Rehearsal Techniques
Magic If – Konstantin Stanislavski, Hot Seating, Inner Thoughts/ Thought Tracking, Conscience Alley, Repetition, Master & Servant, Temporal Divisions, Role on the Wall, Seven Questions – Konstantin Stanislavski, Given Circumstances, Soliloquy, Role-reversal, Visualisation, Writing in Role, Capturing the Essence, The Missing Scene, Genre Splicing, Off-text Improvisation, Identifying Basic Needs, Discussion & Exploration, The Big Secret, Tempo Rhythm – Konstantin Stanislavski.
For more Drama resources, visit Subject Resources.
Studying comedy is valuable for drama students to enhance their acting skills. Comedy teaches students timing, improvisation, and nuanced delivery, contributing to versatile performances. Understanding comedic techniques helps actors connect with audiences through humour, develop precise physicality, and master the subtleties of expression. By delving into the world of comedy, drama students expand their range and gain insights that enrich their overall acting prowess, enabling them to engage audiences with laughter and emotion.
Contents Include: Introduction, Types of Comedy, Slapstick, Satire, Farce, Romantic Comedy, Dark Comedy, Absurdist, Parody, Musical Comedy, Comedy Techniques, Timing & Pacing, Exaggeration, Irony & Incongruity, Wordplay, Repetition, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Surprise, Double Entendre, Physical Comedy Exploration, Introduction to Clowning, Mime Mastery, Exaggerated Gesture Showdown, Improvisational Comedy Exploration, One-line Wonders, Delayed Reaction, Comedy Skit Mashup, Comedy Character Development, Physicality & Voice, Exploring Archetypes, Extreme Obsessions, Animal-Inspired Characters, Structuring Your Comedy & Strategies.
For more Drama resources, visit Subject Resources.
“That Face” by Polly Stenham explores complex themes, rich character development, emotional depth, and poignant social commentary. The play’s portrayal of addiction, dysfunctional families, and adolescent struggles offers a valuable opportunity for students to analyze human behaviour, connect with characters emotionally, and engage in discussions about relevant societal issues. Polly Stenham’s thought-provoking writing provides a compelling and relatable backdrop for literary and dramatic exploration in the classroom.
Contents Include:
Plot Summary, Polly Stenham, Character Analysis, Martha, Mia, Izzy, Henry, Key Moments, Mia & Martha’s Confrontation, Mia’s Drug Overdose, Martha’s Emotional Breakdown, Mia’s Intervention, Final Confrontation, Dramatic Techniques, Realism & Naturalism, Monologues, Symbolism, Non-linear Narrative, Repetition, Tension & Conflict, Physicality & Movement, Subtext, Foreshadowing & Emotional Intensity.
Plus, two 60-minute lesson plans!
Lesson Plan 1 - Exploring “That Face” and Dramatic Techniques of Physicality and Movement
Lesson Plan 2 - Exploring “That Face” through Hot Seating
For more Drama resources, visit Subject Resources.
This resource contains 10 outstanding one-off Drama lesson plans. Perfect for setting as cover work or a handy resource in your department if you ever need to teach an unexpected lesson!
Each lesson has been carefully structured to include lesson objectives, suggested lesson materials, starter activities, main activities, plenary, homework and assessment indicators.
Lessons Include:
Lesson 1 - Exploring Comedy
Lesson 2 - Exploring Shakespeare
Lesson 3 - Exploring Physical Theatre (Steven Berkoff)
Lesson 4 - Devising (Creating Original Theatre)
Lesson 5 - Exploring Thought-Tracking
Lesson 6 - Exploring Brecht’s Epic Theatre
Lesson 7 - Discovering Clowning
Lesson 8 - Script Work
Lesson 9 - Lighting & Sound Design
Lesson 10 - Tension States (Jacques Le Coq)
For more outstanding Drama lesson resources, visit Subject Resources.
Stanislavski was one of the most influential theatre practitioners of the twentieth century, creating a detailed and disciplined system by which an actor could create a sense of truth on stage, challenging the melodramatic and declamatory style of acting present in theatres at the time. In this scheme of work, we have picked out some key elements of Stanislavski’s system for you to use in the classroom to highlight to pupils the idea that actors have to train to learn their craft. The scheme follows a recommended progression of techniques and exercises to aid learning.
Contents Include:
**Historical Introduction **- Russian Theatre, The Young Stanislavski, Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, The Moscow Art Theatre & The Seagull
Relaxation - Guided Meditation, Introduction to the Alexander Technique, Alexander Technique - The String Exercise
**Concentration **- Exploring the Five Senses Lemons - Sharp Taste Exercise, Sense Memory into Emotion Memory, Blindfolded Touch Exercise, Applying Concentration to ‘Thing’s I Know To Be True’ by Andrew Bovell & Circles of Attention.
**Imagination **- Pass the Paper, The Magic If, The ‘What If’ Object, Show and Tell & Sentimental Value.
Communication - Rays of Energy, Practical Explorations 1-3, Given Circumstance Cards & Applying ‘Rays’ to a Script.
Tempo-Rhythm - Internal & External Rhythms & The Hospital Waiting Room.
**
Scoring of Actions**
Given Circumstances - Place & Time Lesson Cards
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Brecht’s techniques and theories offer a unique approach to theatre that inspires critical thinking and social awareness. By learning about Brecht’s methods, such as the Verfremdungseffekt (alienation effect), actors gain tools for creating performances that encourage audiences to engage intellectually with the play rather than merely emotionally. This approach challenges actors to consider their role not just as entertainers but as facilitators of dialogue and thought about societal issues. Additionally, Brecht’s emphasis on non-naturalistic performance techniques broadens an actor’s range and versatility, allowing them to explore various theatrical styles beyond conventional realism. This resource explores how to teach some of Brecht’s most iconic techniques and enables your actors to create their own Brechtian-inspired practical work.
Contents Include
German Theatre, The Young Brecht, World War I, The Everyman, Brecht’s Inspiration, The Berliner Ensemble, Epic Theatre, Marxism, The Communist Manifesto, Verfremdungseffekt, Teaching Gestus, Mother Courage, War & Society, Exploring Mother Courage, Exploring Placards, Teaching Spass, Exploring Spass, Lehrstücke & ‘The Last Drop’ Lehrstücke.
Discover more Drama resources via the Subject Resources website. Search us on Google.
Looking for more great practice questions to help your student studying Find Me for their exam? Look no further!
I have created a bank of 16 questions split across 4, 6 and 8 marks responses to help students with their revision.
Some questions also include exemplar answers to share with your students.
This pack contains techniques and methodologies from 12 leading theatre practitioners. This guide is perfect to help students with their GCSE and A Level Drama course content for devising and general revision. Each practitioner section contains a quick reference table of their most popular techniques for students to learn and apply to their own practice.
Practitioners included: Stanislavski, Artaud, Brecht, Meisner, Littlewood, Hagen, Grotowski, Berkoff, Kneehigh, Complicité, Frantic Assembly & Punchdrunk.
Introduce your students to Berkoff’s Kvetch with this set of ‘moan’ cards. Simply cut them out, laminate and give to students to act out.
Students will have loads of fun working on these cards either in pairs or small groups.
This pack provides a deeper look at the techniques and methodologies of Lee Strasberg (1901-1982). This pack is perfect for independent student learning or can be used as a valuable resource whilst teaching.
Areas covered: Biography, Group Theatre 1931, Relaxation, Concentration, Sense Memory, Breakfast Drink, Daily Activity, Private Moment, Private Moment Exercise, Improvisation, Animal Study, Anticipation, Director, Creating Character, Given Circumstances, Word & Lines & Key Quotes.
More Drama resources are available from Subject Resources.
Exploring improvisation offers many invaluable skills and benefits. It serves as a playground where spontaneity, creativity, and adaptability thrive, allowing actors to hone their craft in a dynamic and immersive way. Improv enhances the ability to think on one’s feet, fostering quick thinking and the capacity to embrace unexpected challenges with confidence. It nurtures the art of active listening, collaboration, and the courage to take risks, amplifying an actor’s versatility and depth in portraying characters.
In this resource pack, we take a closer look at some key techniques and exercises to develop your actors in the classroom.
Contents Include
Why Improvise?, Spontaneity, Listening, Creativity, Adaptability, Teamwork, Emotional Agility, Storytelling, Blocking, Breaking Character, Physicality, Improvisation Exercises, Word-at-a-time, “Yes, And…”, Props Relay, Genre Switch, Character Walk, Story Circle, Freeze Tag, Press Conference, The Expert, Lesson Plan & Key Quotes.
For more of our popular Drama resources, visit Subject Resources.
This huge resource pack contains 50 of our favourite Drama games to play with your students. Each game has clear instructions and focuses on developing key skills. Games are focused around the following areas, Physical, Skill, Concentration and Imagination. Each game can be displayed electronically in your rehearsal room or printed out for ease of reference.
Games include…
Ensemble Counting, Splat, Wink Murder, Shazam!, The Name Game, Babuska, Tableau Olympics, Madame Tussauds Wax Works, Jump In, Jump Out, Change the Channel, Mexican Clap, Fruit Salad, Graveyard, Park Bench, Circle Story, Trust Exercises, Doctor’s Surgery, Directors, The Mystery Suitcase, Yes, Let’s! , What Are You Doing?, Fake News, Traffic Lights, Colour Contact, Ensemble Instructions, Character Pulse, Machines, 60-Seconds, Try Not to Laugh, Drama Freeze, Night Watchman, Tongue Twisters, Family Portrait, Anyone Who, The Empty Chair, I’ve Got Some News!, Status Bridge, The World’s Greatest Sandwich, Rhyme Time, Mastermind, Two Truths & A Lie, Mafia, The Ball Game, Human Knot, Taxi, The Line Game, Oh No!, Chewy Toffee, Sound Story& Shake Down.
For more Drama resources, visit Subject Resources.
Studying Greek theatre is vital for drama students as it provides a historical and artistic foundation for their craft. By exploring the works of ancient Greek playwrights and understanding the structure, themes, and techniques employed, students gain invaluable insights into character development, plot construction, and the power of ensemble work. Greek theatre serves as a wellspring of inspiration, nurturing creativity and deepening students’ understanding of the theatrical art form they pursue.
Contents Include:
Origins of Greek Theatre, Greek Theatre in Society, Greek Theatre in Modern Times, Greek Tragedies, Oedipus, Medea, The Bacchae, Greek Comedies, Lysistrata, The Frogs, Open-air Theatres, Greek Theatre Dramatic Techniques, Chorus, Dialogue & Monologues, Masks, The Three Unities, Catharsis, Dramatic Irony, Stichomythia, Deus ex Machina, Symbolsim, Physicality & Movement, Satire & Parody.
Greek Theatre Lesson Plans
Lesson 1 - Exploring Greek Theatre: An Introduction
Lesson 2 – Creating your own Greek Theatre piece
Lesson 3 – Exploring Greek Theatre Chorus
Check out more of our Drama resource by visiting, Subject Resources.