Writes Cheryl Clarke, Director of Drama
Internationally renowned theatre company, Frantic Assembly, visited the School for the second time this term. This time, they ran a workshop with GCSE Drama pupils in Divisions on strategies for devising which the boys will do as part of their examination later this year. The company’s ethos is built around risk-taking, innovation and collaboration. Participants are encouraged to approach intricate physical work without fear and to find value in both process and outcome. The boys rose to the challenge, throwing themselves into the practical exercises with energy and commitment. They will now look to implement some of the concepts and skills in their upcoming GCSE project. Some of the participates review what they learnt below.
Rufus W.
I learnt that going with the flow when devising is powerful – everyone’s ideas and thoughts were said, and everybody had their own perspective to contribute. Most importantly, I learnt that seeing where it goes isn’t a waste of time but rather makes you brave to experiment with many different techniques to create something unique.
Dhruv K.
The implications of using movement as a substitute or addition to words allowed us, as a group, to start to consider more than one approach to the devising project and the upcoming challenges ahead. Creativity and trust will be key. An enjoyable morning!
Zayaan K.
I learnt how precise movement can add depth to a piece of work and make it look more professional especially if the movement matches the music provided. I will consider further how a story can be told through movement.
Salar M.
I learnt that your movements when acting are crucial and I was excited and curious to learn a new skill. I overcame my fear of truly expressing myself when acting by using different movement skills. It has made me consider how I want to interpret different characters as well as potentially taking on a job in the theatre industry.
Krish P.
By applying pressure to various areas of the body, relationship, status and emotion can all be conveyed; so much meaning can exist in so meaningless an action.
Jonah R-S.
I had to be outside of my comfort zone for the best part of 4 hours. I learnt many new soft skills such as how to collaborate and put trust in each other. I learnt to always be aware where your counterpart is and how to move in unison, using your body to convey stories, relationships and power dynamics. Actions can have a huge impact on the play by showing rather than telling.
Mahir S.
I learnt how to trust my partner fully and to embody Frantic Assembly’s ethos of collaboration through the trust exercises.
Dylan M.
A challenge I overcame was performing the pocket lift. Originally, I was unable to lift my partner with the correct technique. However, as we kept on trying and were guided by the practitioner, I was able to perform the lift well and it ran smoothly with the performance.
Mateus P.
Today, I learnt how to carry out a Frantic clamp lift. A challenge I overcame was that I wasn’t using the strength of my partner’s clamp and I was trying to lift him normally. It has made me consider that even though I am the one doing the lifting, he is vital and the one putting in more strength.
Parth D.
Shakespeare wrote in Twelfth Night, ‘some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them’. The Frantic Assembly workshop showed us that whilst some people already have a lot of drama experience, we can all strive to improve our acting, using some of the company’s techniques to immediately make our work better.
