Theatre Techniques and
Script Extract

The story is told by two actors who take on a range of roles through out the play.

Give out copies of the Script Extracts (Appendix 2) to the class. (You may wish to use both extracts or chose just one to work with.) A full copy of the script is available in a specially expanded version for use in the classroom published by Aurora metro: http://www.aurorametro.com/html/ind_books/warrior_square.html

• Read one or both of the extracts as a whole class. At this point, you may want to assign each different part to a different person to read rather than having two actors taking on multiple roles, although making it clear there are only two actors.
•  Discuss how the script differs from the way many other scripts are set out? (The way in which the characters act as storytellers at times as well as taking on multiple roles.) Do the class know of any other plays in which the characters address the audience as narrators? (Older students may have studied a Shakespeare play, for example, where a character delivers a prologue or an epilogue.)
• How effective is this device? What does it allow the playwright to achieve? Discuss how it is easy to shift between time and place in a film much easier than it is in a play.
• When moving from storytelling to the present situation, do the class think the actors will differ in their presentation to the audience and if so how?

Playing the Scene

*This activity will probably be suitable for older students but could be adapted for the younger age group.

* To indicate different characters in the scenes, have ready some small pieces of costume such as pairs of glasses, headscarves, hats etc.

•   In groups (for older students) or as a class, discuss and list any considerations for the scene e.g. how will they give the impression of the market square, how could they differentiate between characters with only two actors playing multiple roles.
• Director, Alexander Ferris, decided that the actors playing Andrea and Riva would need to be able to portray characters physically. As a class, try the following exercise to think about how this can be achieved.
•  The group stands in a space in a hall or empty classroom. They move around, focusing on their bodies and how they walk – which part of the body is leading, where is the weight, can they hear their breath? Now ask the students to imagine a character. Who are they and what do they look like? Imagine they are standing a few meters in front so that you can see them clearly. What is their name and their situation? How are they feeling at this moment?

The class now move towards the character and step into their shoes. They begin to move as that person, feeling the difference to the way they were walking as themselves. Look at a few examples and ask the rest of the class to suggest who the character may be.

Ask the whole class to resume walking around the space and on a signal to begin walking with another character, observing each other. When each thinks they know something about their partner, they stop and have a conversation. Is the subject matter and language appropriate? Has the voice tone changed?

• Now divide the class into groups of 3 – one director and two actors. If the class has talked about creating a sound backdrop to indicate location, another larger group may want to work on this. The group re-read their extract and decides who will play which characters.
•  Work to show each character physically and decide whether costume will be used as indicators of a change. If so, where will the costumes be so that it is easily accessible and doesn’t interfere with the scene? (Look out for how this is achieved in the play or discuss how it was achieved if the students have already seen the play.)
• Will voices change? If so, how?
• When a character becomes a narrator, will they address the audience directly or will they be speaking to another character? Will there be a mix of the two? Also consider whether the actor moves to a different space when acting as narrator or remains as they were.
• Using all of these considerations, try out the scene. Tell the class that they do not need to be too intent on reading every word correctly from the script – they need to get the sense and feeling across only.
•  If a group has worked on a sound scape, discuss how that will be integrated. Now watch the scenes and comment.