Anthropomorphism & Performance

Overview

This 60-minute lesson for 11 GCSE Drama students focuses on exploring anthropomorphism in The Lion King Musical. Students will investigate how actors translate animated animal characters into believable, humanised stage personas. This aligns with the National Curriculum (England) key stage 4 Drama objectives, cultivating their understanding of characterisation, physical and vocal expression, and performance analysis.

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National Curriculum Links

Drama Key Stage 4 (Ages 14-16) relevant objectives:

• Developing ideas and skills: Understand how drama combines visual, physical, vocal, and imaginative skills to create complex characters.
• Performing skills: Develop voice and movement to portray roles distinct from themselves.
• Appreciating and appraising: Analyse how practitioners create and communicate characters through performance choices.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Define anthropomorphism and explain its purpose in The Lion King Musical.
2. Analyse how actors use physicality and vocal tone to humanise animal characters on stage.
3. Experiment with physical and vocal techniques to create their own anthropomorphic character inspired by the musical.
4. Reflect on the challenges and artistic choices involved.

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Resources Needed

• Selected video clips or brief excerpts from The Lion King Musical stage performance showing key characters (e.g. Simba, Timon, Rafiki)
• Open space for movement work
• Mirrors if available
• Whiteboard/flipchart and pens for note-taking
• Worksheets with guided questions on anthropomorphism
• Costumes/props (optional, for character development)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter - Introduction to Anthropomorphism (10 minutes)

• Begin with a simple engaging question: “What does it mean to give animals human traits? Why do you think actors might do this?”
• Present a definition on the board: Anthropomorphism is giving human qualities, emotions or behaviours to animals or objects.
• Show quick clips from The Lion King Musical emphasizing how characters like Simba or Timon move/speak.
• Facilitate whole-class discussion linking these clips to the definition.
• Record key vocabulary and ideas (e.g., physicality, vocal style, gesture, emotion).

2. Main Activity 1 - Analysis of Performance (15 minutes)

• Split class into small groups (3-4 pupils).
• Provide each group with a worksheet containing guided questions:
  • How does the actor’s movement suggest both animal and human qualities?
  • What vocal techniques do they use to portray the character’s personality?
  • How do costume and puppetry support anthropomorphism?
• Groups watch specific character clips again and discuss within their teams, noting findings.
• Groups share their insights; teacher summarises key points on the board.

3. Main Activity 2 - Drama Workshop: Embodying Characters (25 minutes)

• Ask each student to choose an animal character from the musical or invent their own anthropomorphic character.
• Warm-up: quick voice and body stretching exercises focusing on flexibility of expression.
• Guided movement exercise:
  • Explore animal-like movements (e.g., crouching like a lion, hopping like a meerkat) then gradually add human traits (gestures, facial expressions, vocalisation).
• Vocalisation exercise: find the “voice” of the character blending animal sounds with pitch, rhythm, and tone that suggest human emotion.
• Students prepare a 1-minute improvised monologue or interaction showcasing anthropomorphism using voice and body.
• Perform in pairs or small groups, with peer feedback focused on how well human qualities shine through animal characters.

4. Plenary - Reflection and Assessment (10 minutes)

• Whole-class circle discussion:
  • What was challenging about mixing animal behaviour with human traits?
  • How do these techniques help audiences connect emotionally with the characters?
• Targeted teacher oral questioning referring back to National Curriculum skills (e.g., “How did you develop your character’s voice to communicate their feelings?”).
• Collect worksheets for formative assessment of analytical understanding.
• Ask students to self-assess their performance with a quick thumbs-up/down on confidence in anthropomorphic portrayal.

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Differentiation

• Support lower ability pupils with clear exemplar clips and guided sentence starters on the worksheet.
• Extend higher ability learners by encouraging experimentation with combining physical theatre and puppetry techniques.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative assessment through observation during workshop activities and group discussions.
• Written responses on worksheets to gauge understanding of anthropomorphism concept and performance analysis.
• Peer and self-assessment during plenary to foster evaluative skills.

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Extension Ideas

• Task students to research another musical or drama using anthropomorphism (e.g., Cats, War Horse) and compare techniques in a written journal.
• Create a short original scene featuring an anthropomorphic character, incorporating masks or puppets.

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This lesson powerfully blends practical and theoretical learning, supporting GCSE Drama students to engage deeply with physical and vocal acting skills while critically analysing a significant, curriculum-relevant practitioner work. It encourages creativity and critical thinking aligned precisely with the National Curriculum for England’s Drama programme of study.