Character Development

Overview

Unit: Exploring Artaud's Theatre
Lesson: 5 of 10
Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 25 students
Age Group: Year 9 (13-14 years)
National Curriculum Reference:

• Drama Key Stage 3 Programme of Study (Years 7-9)
• Developing skills in improvisation, characterisation, and performance
• AO1: Create and develop ideas, and communication through drama
• AO2: Perform using voice, movement, and language
• AO3: Analyse and evaluate drama and theatre

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Experiment with improvisation techniques inspired by Antonin Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty, emphasising emotional authenticity.
2. Develop deeper, emotionally truthful characters that reflect inner psychological states as encouraged by Artaud’s emphasis on raw, primal expression.
3. Use physicality, voice, and emotion to explore and communicate complex characters effectively.
4. Reflect constructively on their own and peers’ performances, identifying how emotional truth enhances dramatic impact.

Linked to National Curriculum:

• “Use a range of dramatic techniques to create and sustain roles and explore dramatic forms.” (Drama KS3)
• “Use voice and movement to create effect.” (Drama KS3)
• “Evaluate their own work and others’, using appropriate theatre vocabulary.” (Drama KS3)

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Resources Required

• Open space classroom or drama studio (ample room for movement)
• Chairs (optional, for some improvisation setups)
• Emotion flashcards with descriptive words (e.g. anguish, joy, rage, confusion)
• Whiteboard and markers for quick notes and reflection points
• Music player and selected soundscapes (intense, silent, eerie) to evoke mood
• Student journals or sheets for reflection notes

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Brief recap of previous lessons on Artaud’s Theatre and core ideas: focus on emotion, physicality, breaking conventional form, Theatre of Cruelty concepts.
• Teacher explains today’s focus: using improvisation to unlock authentic emotional character development. Emphasise Artaud’s belief that theatre should shock, awaken feelings, and bypass intellectual filters.
• Demonstrate a short improvised piece using heightened physicality and emotional intensity (2 minutes), modelling tone and movement inspired by Artaud.

2. Warm-Up: Emotional Activation (10 minutes)

• Guided physical and vocal warm-up focusing on releasing tension and accessing raw emotion. Techniques include:
  • Breathing exercises - deep, loud exhalations (to evoke primal release)
  • Facial and body tension release, followed by rapid shifts into contrasting emotions (e.g., calm to rage, joy to despair)
• Use flashcards to call out emotions randomly. Students respond with immediate physical and vocal reactions, encouraged to exaggerate and explore intensity beyond naturalistic levels.

3. Main Activity: Improvisation in Pairs (25 minutes)

• Task Brief: In pairs, students use a simple scenario given by the teacher (e.g., “A confrontation in a dark alley” or “A desperate plea for forgiveness”) and create a short 3-minute improvised scene focusing solely on conveying the emotional truth of their characters rather than a realistic storyline.
• Students must:
  • Use Artaud-inspired techniques: stark gestures, rhythmic speech, emotive sounds (not just words), and primal physicality.
  • Explore extremes of emotion rather than subtlety; allow the body to “speak” as much as voice.
• Teacher circulates, offering prompts such as:
  • "How would this character physically express desperation?"
  • "What raw sound could convey their fear beyond dialogue?"
• Encourage risk-taking and emotional honesty—emphasise there are no ‘wrong’ emotions.
• Pairs perform scenes in front of small groups (3-4 peers), rotating to ensure multiple performances.

4. Reflection and Self-Evaluation (10 minutes)

• Gather as a full class.
• Guided reflection questions:
  • Which emotions were most effective in creating believable characters?
  • How did physicality change your experience of the character?
  • What parts felt most ‘Artaudian’ in style or feeling?
• Encourage students to give positive feedback using drama-specific language (e.g., “Your use of volume really showed the intensity of rage.”)
• Students make quick journal notes on one key learning and one challenge during the improvisations.

5. Plenary (5 minutes)

• Teacher summarises key links to Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty: raw emotion, breaking naturalism, and physicalising psychological states.
• Preview next lesson: exploring Artaud’s use of ritual and symbolism in characterisation.
• Quick group breathing exercise to calm down and ground after intense emotional work.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation during improvisations, focusing on:
  • Willingness to experiment with emotional extremes
  • Application of voice and movement to develop character depth
  • Engagement with Artaudian techniques (primal physicality, emotional truth)
• Peer verbal feedback fostering oral evaluative skills.
• Students’ written reflections provide insight into their understanding and self-awareness.

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Differentiation

• Support:
  • Provide emotion prompts visually and verbally; partner students strategically pairing stronger with developing performers.
  • Allow some students to focus on physical expression if verbalising is challenging.
• Challenge:
  • Encourage advanced students to incorporate vocal rhythms or non-verbal sound techniques inspired by Artaud’s theatre of cruelty.
  • Invite them to lead group improvisations or expand scenes with symbolic gestures.

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Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Analysis of language and nonverbal communication.
• PSHE: Emotional literacy and empathy through inhabiting others’ emotional states.
• Music: Use of rhythm and vocal sounds in scenes.

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Teacher’s Notes / Tips

• Create a safe, trusting environment to support emotional risk-taking.
• Model a strong, emotive performance yourself in the introduction - this sets the tone.
• Encourage students to “release ego” and lean into vulnerability; remind them performance is a shared experience, not judgement.
• Use silence as power: Artaud valued absence of speech to create tension. Prompt students when to use silence sharply.
• Be ready to manage strong emotional responses sensitively and debrief if needed.

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This lesson plan is designed to offer Year 9 students an immersive, emotionally charged drama experience, developing core National Curriculum skills through the challenging, dynamic work of Antonin Artaud. It encourages deep personal engagement with characterisation, improvisation, and critical reflection – elements that lay the foundation for confident, expressive young performers.