This teachers' resource is made up of a variety of drama activities, some practical and others involving thinking/discussion, and is divided into different section for easy reference.
Where appropriate, tasks are separated into GCSE and A/AS levels.

Please work with the resource as best suits you.
Tasks are linked to each section, and refer back to other sections of this website.

Get a printed copy…download now.

Getting to know him | Plot | Character | Themes | Set Design | Masque | Time | Director's Challenges | Chosen scene 3.2 | Further Work

Getting to know him

View the background page

Find out as much as you can about William Shakespeare:

Where he was born

His family

When and where he was born

When and where he died

His wife

His lover

Find out about the plays and poems that Shakespeare wrote:

How many plays did he write?

How were his plays received at the time?

Name as many plays you can by Shakespeare.

How were the plays performed?

Where were they performed?

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Plot

View the plot page

GCSE

These tasks can be completed in your working notebook.

1. In a small circle, tell the story of the play for a group of 5-8 year old children.
2. Storyboard: for each act of the play draw one image which crystalizes that act for you.
3. Structure: most plays follow a simple structure:
   1. the exposition
   2. the encounter
   3. the conflict or complication
   4. the climax/the resolution
      Discuss how The Tempest takes on this structure.
      

A/AS

1. In Michael Grandage's introduction he refers, in his opening paragraph, to an 'epic' style that he wishes to achieve in the play.
   What do you understand by this term?
   Who are the main advocates of Epic theatre?
   Put together a definition of Epic style.
   What is Dramatic style?
   In a group find examples of both styles in the Crucible Production.
2. Describe how Shakespeare builds the plot in The Tempest to a climax at one particular point of the play. How was this achieved in production?

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Character

View the actors page

GCSE

These tasks can be completed in your working notebook.

1. How do individuals and groups use a particular style of language to assert their status?
2. Assemble two groups: one for the island and one for the visitors. Have a telephone phone-in to state and discuss the events of the play, and those surrounding it.

A/AS

Characters do not stand in isolation from the text, they are interwoven with the ideas.

1. Draw up a list of the characters and state, in each case:

   i.	a characteristic
   ii.	evidence from the text
   iii.	your thoughts on the interpretation of the Crucible production.

   
   E.g. Prospero:

   i.	affectionate and caring
   ii.	of Miranda, 'I have done nothing but in care of thee' (1.2)
   iii.	your thoughts on the interpretation of the production

   
   
2. With specific reference to a chosen scene, explain how, as an actor, you would interpret the role of one particular character.

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Themes

View the themes page

GCSE

List all the themes you have spotted in The Tempest.

Write an article for a teenage magazine using the basic storyline of the play. What aspects do you think a young audience would be interested in? Which themes did you include in your article?

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Set design

View the set design page

There are 5 different types of stage construction:

1. Proscenium - like looking at the actors through a TV. Actors and audience facing each other.
2. Arena - stage sticks out at an angle into the audience with the seats set at an oblique angle.
3. Thrust - the audience sits on three sides of the rectangular stage directly facing it.
4. Traverse - the acting area is down the middle with audience sitting on two opposite sides, a bit like a fashion show catwalk.
5. In-the-round - the round acting area is in the middle of the audience who surround the stage.

In a small group:

1. Have a go at doing a quick sketch of each of the 5 different types of stage construction.
2. What do you think are the main qualities of each?
3. What implications does the construction have for actors and the set design?
4. How might a stage within a stage (proscenium within a thrust stage) work? What knock-on effect does this chosen design have on the set builders, the costume design, the audience, the actors etc?

This task can be completed in your working notebook:

In a small group share ideas on a set design for the opening scene.
You will need to consider:

1. What is needed in the scene from the script
2. Your design concept - place, time, themes etc
3. The stage furniture

Sketch your design.
You may choose to make a model set of your design.

Make a ground plan for the Crucible stage - mark entrances and exits, any flats and rostra used to create different levels, position furniture etc.

Justification for design

GCSE

You will need to show your original thoughts and ideas by sketches and notes. Point out what you think are the main themes in the play and how these are used in your design.

A/AS

Relate your design to your overall intentions as designer and make appropriate references to your wider theatrical knowledge.

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Masque

Read the presentation by Michael Grandage

Masques are stylised dreams with words, music and dancing, presented with extravagant costumes, scenery and effects. They were popular as Court entertainments during Queen Elizabeth's reign. Certain conventions developed incorporating mythical topics and gods and goddesses as personifications of qualities such as peace and love during the time of James I's reign. They were popular at weddings.

GCSE/A/AS

Finding out about Masques

1. Do you know of any other Shakespeare plays incorporating a Masque?
2. Find out more about Masques on the Internet.

Devising a Masque

Put together a Masque for Act IV scene1 lines 60-138 of The Tempest, using magazine cut outs and/or drawings. Include music too. What is your theme? What special qualities do you wish to show in this blessing on the marriage of Miranda and Ferdinand?

A/AS

Elements of Masque in The Tempest - an online essay.

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Time

What aspects of the play and of the production allow us to suspend our disbelief in the constraints of time in The Tempest?

Which other plays of Shakespeare compress events in this way?

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Director's challenges

Read the presentation by Michael Grandage

Challenge 1 (Act 1 Sc 1)

GCSE/A/AS

Try out Michael Grandage's idea. Allow the storm to develop, using appropriate sounds and the actors, and then go into the eye of the storm which is when the dialogue is spoken. Try to create the idea that this is a moment of calm within a storm. How will the actors show this moment?

Performance support

Devise a soundtrack for this scene, you may wish to record two loops of sound for storm/eye of the storm.

Present your work to the whole group.
How well did you achieve this?

Challenge 2 (Act 1 Sc 1 to Act 1 Sc 2)

"What we need is some fantastic seamless transition that takes us from the storm to Prospero on his island.'"
What effect do you think a 'seamless transition' will have on the audience? Why does Michael Grandage not want to have scene shifters moving and placing set, props and furniture?
Look at the two scenes, mapping out what is required. Do you think a 'seamless transition' is possible?

Challenge 3 (Epilogue)

"…bring up all the houselights and get Prospero to directly address the audience and let Derek Jacobi enter the auditorium and become part of it."
How do you think this possible ending will work?
What effect will this have on the audience? Will it be intimate or will it distance the audience from the piece?
Is there anything in the text of the Epilogue, which will lend itself to this interpretation and technique?
Rehearse and try out with an audience.

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Chosen scene 3.2

Download Act 3 Scene 2 (Word 47KB)

What happens…

In this scene we see Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo who are drinking alcohol. Ariel is also present but is invisible to the other characters.
Caliban is trying to convince Stephano to kill Prospero, take over the island and take Miranda as his prize.

Trinculo has taken a dislike to Caliban. Ariel contributes to the conflict by imitating Trinculo's voice and calls Caliban a liar. Stephano tells Trinculo to leave Caliban alone, but Ariel calls Stephano a liar too. Stephano, believing the voice to be Trinculo's, hits him.

They decide to kill Prospero as he takes his siesta; Ariel goes to find Prospero to inform him of their plan.

Voices Within

Working in a large group, read Act 3 Sc 2 together. Assign one person to each character -Caliban, Stephano, Trinculo and Ariel. Allocate the rest of the group equally to each of these characters - they will be the voices in their heads. Spend a little time working out individually what is motivating the behaviour of their character.

The voices are to "coach" their characters in whatever ways they see as appropriate. A few guidelines for the voices:

react to the spoken words and body language of the characters and not the voices. Voices should try to act independently of one another.

the voices, like our minds should stay active, constantly coaching.

physical contact should be part of the coaching. Voices might want to
place an arm around their character, trying to lead them somewhere,
or try to get them to sit down or stand up etc.

Choose a small section of the scene.

What did you notice about how the work progressed?
What conflict arose between the voices themselves and between the voices and their character?
Was behaviour changed as a result of the voices interventions?

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Further work

Shakespeare Magazine Teaching Resource

GCSE

A practical lesson focusing on Prospero as the central character.

A/AS

Students explore, visualize and physicalize the transformation motif in The Tempest as they study Act IV.
Both available

The Tempest review, RSC, 1982…and costumes with Derek Jacobi. Richard Findlater: Drama Magazine.

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