Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Learning Objectives:To learn the importance of non-verbal communication in drama.To experiment with movement and gesture to convey meaning.

Enemy and Friend

Walk around the space.

One person in the room is your best friend. Without letting them know that you have picked them

stay as close to them as possible.

One person in the room is your worst enemy. Make sure you stay as far away from them as possible.

Your best friend now becomes your protector. Make sure your protector is always between you and

your enemy.

Tableaux

In groups of 4/5; Create the following tableaux concentrating on facial

expressions, gesture, and stance.

Use the space well.

Use your bodies to create objects within the tableaux.

▪ Childhood▪ Fear▪ Ambition▪ Rejection

Tableaux cont.

Now practise these 4 tableaux until you can move seamlessly from one to the next.

Actions not Words

Look at the situation on the sheet.

On your own run it through conveying the change from anxious control to all out panic.

Reflection

Which ones were most effective?

Why?

Was their focus good?

Suggest some changes to gestures that would improve the piece.

Everyday gestures

Focus is all important. Look at this example of how a simple gesture can convey meaning:

Moment: The man gets ready for the interview.

Gesture: With the tips of their fingers they brush hairs from their jacket whilst looking in the mirror.

Meaning: Conveys concern with appearance.

Everyday Gestures cont.

This can be developed further:

Gesture: The person moves away from the mirror, looks down at their jacket, stops before they have gone three paces, returns and brushes the same spot again.

Meaning: Conveys an over-anxious nature that can be played on later in the scene.

Thinking About Movements The range of simple everyday movements that

we take for granted become all-important on the stage. Each of the following are gestures or movements we do every day:

Sitting down on a chair Standing up again Getting out of bed Using a knife and a fork Drinking from a cup or a glass Opening a door Closing a door Walking from one spot to another

Meanings in Movement

Apply some or all of the movements listed to the roles or characters below:

1. A prisoner on their first day in prison2. A top personality being followed for the

day for a fly on the wall documentary3. Someone arriving in a hotel after

travelling a long way

Written Task

‘Actions Speak Louder Than Words’. To what extent do you think this statement is true? Give justified examples of what you have done today in class.