Exploring Physical Theatre

Lesson Details

• Subject: Drama
• Year Group: Year 10
• Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
• Class Size: 27 students
• Curriculum Reference: Aligned with GCSE Drama (9-1) – AQA, Edexcel, OCR, focusing on the exploration of practitioners and developing physical theatre techniques.
• Key Practitioner: Antonin Artaud
• Learning Focus: Understanding physical theatre techniques through Artaud’s theories of theatre.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Understand Artaud’s approach to theatre and his concept of the Theatre of Cruelty.
2. Develop their use of physical performance to communicate meaning without reliance on text.
3. Experiment with movement, sound, and tension to create an unsettling atmosphere.
4. Reflect on the impact of physical theatre and how it can affect an audience.

Lesson Breakdown

Starter (10 minutes) – Breaking the Body’s Habit

• The "Unfamiliar Body" Exercise

  • Students walk around the space in neutral.
  • Teacher calls out different body parts (e.g., elbow, knee, shoulder). Students must initiate movement using only that body part.
  • Gradually, they should exaggerate these movements into abstract, non-naturalistic forms.

• Discussion Question:

  • How does moving in unfamiliar ways impact your sense of control and performance?

Link to Artaud: Encourage students to think about how unfamiliar, unnatural movement can evoke new emotions and create discomfort—key aspects of Theatre of Cruelty.

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Main Activity (35 minutes) – Creating Tension Through Physicality

Part 1: Artaud’s 'Disturbance' (15 minutes)

• Split students into small groups (4-5 per group).
• Provide each group with an emotion or abstract concept (e.g., fear, power, isolation, hysteria).
• Without talking, the group must create a short, intense scene using:
  • Extreme physical movement (e.g., convulsions, tension, exaggerated breathwork).
  • Vocal distortion (e.g., whispers, screams, controlled breath sounds).
  • Levels and proximity to invade or retreat from each other’s space.

Plenary Question:

• How did it feel to use movement instead of dialogue? Was it more or less powerful?

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Part 2: The Sound and Rhythm of Cruelty (20 minutes)

• Teacher to introduce rhythm exercises inspired by Artaud’s belief in primal, ritualistic energy:
  • Start seated, eyes closed; breathing becomes rhythm (inhale, exhale in patterns).
  • Body starts reacting naturally to the breath (twitches, shuffles).
  • Slowly raise intensity; the breath controls the energy of the movement.
  • Introduce sustained sound (humming, then distorted vowels).
• Final Group Task:
  • Groups apply this rhythm-based physicality to their piece, refining their sequences.
  • Aim for intensity; make the audience feel something visceral.

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Final Reflection (15 minutes) – Audience Reaction

• Groups perform their physical theatre pieces to the rest of the class.
• After each performance, audience members describe their emotional response without explicitly naming the emotion the performers worked with.
• Class Discussion:
  • What made physicality powerful in these performances?
  • How could this technique be used in theatrical storytelling beyond just horror or discomfort?
  • How does this change the way you view theatre as a form of communication?

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Assessment Opportunities

✔ Formative Assessment:

• Teacher observes students' engagement, commitment to physical expression, and collaborative work.
• Immediate feedback given during performances.

✔ Self & Peer Assessment:

• Structured verbal reflection after performances focusing on impact, clarity, and emotional engagement.

✔ Link to GCSE Drama Assessment Criteria:

• AO1: Understanding Artaud’s practitioner techniques.
• AO2: Performance and physical expression.
• AO3: Evaluating their own work and the work of others.

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Resources Needed

• Open space for movement
• Soft lighting (optional, if using light to heighten tension)
• Audio effects or drum-based rhythms (if available, as a stimulus for movement)

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Differentiation Strategies

• For students needing extra support:

  • Offer scaffolding with guided physical warm-ups before independent work.
  • Provide visual examples of physical theatre performances.

• For high-achieving students:

  • Challenge them to develop full sequences without stops, maintaining intensity throughout.
  • Introduce **objects (chairs, scarves) as obstacles or extensions of their movement.

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Homework / Next Steps

• Independent Task: Research how Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty has influenced modern experimental theatre.
• Challenge Task: Find a real-world issue that Artaudian techniques could be applied to in performance (e.g., political protest, psychological trauma, social conformity).

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Teacher Reflection

After the lesson, reflect on:
✔ Which groups showed the most physical confidence and intensity?
✔ Did students successfully move away from naturalism in their performances?
✔ How could this style be developed into longer devised pieces for GCSE coursework?

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Impact & Engagement

By focusing on the physical aspects of performance, students will gain a deeper understanding of how theatre can function as an experience, rather than just storytelling. This immersive approach to Artaud will engage even the most reluctant performers by removing the pressure of verbal dialogue and instead unlocking raw, physical energy onstage.

This lesson encourages students to step outside traditional comfort zones, honing a truly experimental skill set that goes beyond standard classroom drama.