Blog: nickandonovski.wordpress.com Drama year 9 Comedy/clo!ing
Course Content 1. Exploring the Elements of Drama, Role and Relationships Language Space Movement Time Tension Contrast 2. Movement Body language and Facial expression to portray character Comedy specific movement and slapstick skills 3. Voice Using pitch, projection and sounds to communicate dramatic meaning 4. Individual and group roleplay 5. Creating roles Creating roles and characters from given situations, simple props and costumes and their imagination 6. Student devised scenarios 7. Characterisation: purpose and motivation 8. Performance skills applied to engage audience 9. Improvisation 10. Specific Conventions Silent Mime physical comedy music multimedia (sounds) audience participation Effective use of props Puppets/shadows
Week 1 Introduction to topic What makes us laugh? Exampled of skits watched Clown Walks 3 major clown types Mime and pantomime Year 9 s Clowning overview Week 2 Mime slapstick techniques Clown interactions/scenarios Clown character development clowning routines Masks Week 3 Groups chosen Routines workshopped and rehearsals More clowning techniques taught Week 4 dress rehearsals Week 5 Performances and workbooks due? Week 6 Performances /workbooks due?
Week Mon Tue/Wed Wed/thur 1 What makes us laugh? warm up: sword and shield (101p 12) (normally, then Relaxation exercise living patterns and live Homework sheet: comment on clowning video s in blog (write notes in Class brainstorm and write down. watch some comedy and clown walks) What is a clown? Look at 3 main types of clown and machines (clowning resources p.45) Yes Let s (101 p10) own books about the 3 different clown types) clowning skits analyse what was funny about the different explore the differences. (watch quick video examples Exaggeration and mime: 6 qualities of good mime styles of comedy. notice conventions and write down. Think of modern day if applicable) Explore each clowns conventions. their walks, Statues (Write down in books off board) Student s mime individually examples (Seinfield?) Grandma s footsteps expressions, mannerisms and attitudes what teacher says (brushing teeth, waking up etc...) (normally) Working on Clown walks (attitudes and animals), change walk depending on music (incorporate 10 second objects (101p. 13) Attitude freeze frames, firstly the attitude itself, then an act, or scene which would Performance of simple actions (student s guess) Opening the box (individually, and in pairs. miming entrances (clowning STOP.GO.NOW.) Grandma s footsteps in clown walks. cause that attitude (individually, then in pairs) resources p.43) Group miming scenarios: Remind girls to wear shorts next lesson 2 Crossing the line mime (101 p21) Clowning routines: Common Comedy characteristics The clown and his props/hat. Explore how different hat s Homework sheet: Write a Clown biography Routine ideas and outlines Status Pictures )101 p.15) Making offers, warm up game yes and (101 p14) Clowning interactions (slapstick techniques) (resources p.29 & 30) write down main points on board and their books. Exaggeration, repetition and contrast and opposition may alter your clown character have students do their clown walks with their hats, and then have them change hats with each other Student s create a small skit involving an entrance, saying hello, a conflict (involving one or more of the slapstick techniques, and an exit) explored. clowning gags and activities to use in their skits (pie in the face, fight scenes, contrast, slipping on banana, repetition, randomly then do a rapid succession of freezeframes in which the hats need to be used as something else (a house, steering wheel, Playing with locations and brainstorming activities to be done in those places. double takes, dancing, tricking etc. Character creation: Hot seat, (homework sheets finished) Developing your clown umbrella, mirror etc...) Create Masks Preparing for rehearsal. Groups chosen. beginning the routine activities (resources p.5) clowning scenarios and locations. Entrances, conflicts and Exits explored and practiced/roleplayed creation phase, how to plan a routine? writing a clowning/comedy scenario. (using background images) involving different clown combinations in the same situations) Remind students to bring a hat next lesson
Week Mon Tue/Wed Wed/thur 3 Up skilling your clown (magic tricks, juggling, costuming, set design, hats and masks should be worked all sound effects to be used worked out Clowning routine/script written out shadow routines, using sound effects (cymbal crash, small drum roll) out rehearsal/adding more scenarios to routine rehearsal and full presentation to the teacher of the routine. Rehearsal/ adding more scenarios 4 dress rehearsals dress rehearsals dress rehearsals 5 Performance? Performance? Performance?