Activity 7: A New Father
 
 
  Objectives

This activity will help you to think about how you can make use of narration, lighting and music to structure a piece of drama. You will also make use of various rehearsal strategies to deepen your understanding of character.
 
 
  Outcomes

By working through this activity you will:
 
 
create a storyboard record of the practical work your group completed in class.
 
 
  Resources

To complete the activities you will need access to:
 
 
Kar2ouche Rehearsal Room Content Library
 
 


  Activities
 
 
  Introduction
 
 
  1. First read/listen to the audio files of the extract from David Copperfield in the text/audio window.
 
 


  Development
 
 
  2. In your groups, create a still image for the scene where Peggotty tells Davy that he has a new father and another for the scene where Davy goes to meet his mother and Mr Murdstone. Give some thought to how you can use your performance space to best effect, and what props you will use to establish the period of this piece for your audience.
 
 
  3. Thought-track each of the characters in both scenes.
 
 
  4. Now you are ready to improvise both scenes. Try, as far as possible, to keep to the style of speech used in the extract.
 
 
  5. Next give some thought to how you could use narration to structure and link your piece. Work out a brief script for your narrator in the style of the original extract. You will need to divide your narration into three sections: introduction, link between the scenes and conclusion.
 
 
  6. Finally, think about how you could use music and lighting to establish the mood and context of the piece, and direct the audience’s attention to and away from the narrator.
 
 


  Plenary
 
 
  7. Your group will have the chance to perform your completed piece to the rest of your class, and to watch other groups perform their work. When evaluating other groups’ work, think about the use they have made of the following:
 
 
performance space
 
 
set
 
 
music
 
 
lighting
 
 
narration
 
 
  In addition, think about how each group has tried to communicate the characters and their context to the audience.
 
 


  Extension/Homework
 
 
  8. Open the David Copperfield storyboard. Work through each frame in turn, reading the instructions in the caption windows and text boxes and recording the work you and your group did during the classes. When you have finished, pick a layout from the printing screen and print a copy of your work.
 
 
To open the David Copperfield storyboard
 
 




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