Physical Expression Arts

Overview

This is the second lesson in a 10-lesson unit titled "Exploring Artaud's Theatre" designed for Year 9 drama students. This 60-minute session focuses on developing physical theatre skills inspired by Antonin Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty. Students will use body movement, gesture, and physical expression as primary storytelling tools, aligning with the National Curriculum for England’s Drama programme of study.

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National Curriculum Links

Drama - Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) Programme of Study:

• Use a range of dramatic techniques, including movement, sound, space, and role, to communicate character, narrative, and atmosphere.
• Explore complex and abstract ideas, using developing dramatic vocabulary to articulate intention and effect.
• Understand how drama can be used to challenge and provoke thoughts and feelings.
• Work collaboratively to create, develop, and refine ideas, demonstrating an ability to reflect on and evaluate their own and others’ work.

Specific Learning Objectives for this lesson:

• Experiment with physical theatre techniques inspired by Artaud’s emphasis on the body as a storytelling tool.
• Develop precision and control in gesture and movement to convey abstract ideas and emotions without spoken words.
• Reflect on the impact of physical expression in creating mood and meaning.
• Collaborate effectively in groups to create short physical theatre scenes.

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Learning Outcomes

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

1. Demonstrate key physical theatre techniques inspired by Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty.
2. Use purposeful movement and gesture to communicate complex emotions and narrative ideas.
3. Construct collaboratively a short physical performance piece that conveys a thematic concept through body language.
4. Critically analyse their own and peers’ performances, articulating how physical choices affected the audience’s understanding.

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Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Details & Purpose
0-10 minutes	Starter: Body Awareness Warm-Up	- Guided exercises focusing on posture, tension-release, and breathing. - Goal: Prepare students' bodies to express physicality consciously.
10-20 minutes	Introduction to Artaud’s Physicality	- Brief contextual explanation of Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty with emphasis on use of physical expression. - Watch a short silent video extract demonstrating physical theatre (teacher-led narration). - Discuss initial impressions.
20-35 minutes	Physical Expression Exercises	1. Gesture Expansion: Students freeze a simple gesture, then exaggerate it to explore emotional range. 2. Movement Storytelling: In pairs, communicate a short story using only body language. 3. Cruelty Circle: Small groups create a “circle” of non-verbal expression, heightening intensity and atmosphere.
35-50 minutes	Group Creative Task	- Groups of 5 create a 2-minute physical theatre piece inspired by the themes of chaos, emotion, or ritual from Artaud’s work. - Emphasise non-verbal physical storytelling via gesture, posture, facial expression, and spatial relationships.
50-60 minutes	Performance & Reflective Feedback	- Groups perform to the class. - Class feedback: Focus on how the body’s physicality shaped meaning. - Self and peer assessment: What worked? Which physical elements were most evocative? - Teacher highlights use of precision, control, and emotional impact.

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Resources Needed

• Open space suitable for movement
• Chairs or floor mats for warm-up exercises
• Short silent video excerpt exemplifying physical theatre (prepared beforehand)
• Whiteboard and marker for key vocabulary and themes
• Assessment/feedback sheets for peer evaluation

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Assessment

Formative assessment methods:

• Observation of participation and engagement in physical exercises.
• Peer feedback during reflection session, focusing on clarity and impact of physical storytelling.
• Teacher uses a checklist based on National Curriculum criteria: use of physical techniques, collaboration, expression of ideas non-verbally.

Key assessment criteria:

• Uses controlled and deliberate movement to communicate meaning.
• Demonstrates understanding of Artaud’s physical theatre principles through application.
• Works collaboratively to devise and perform a physical scene.
• Can articulate the effect of physical choices on audience understanding.

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• Provide alternative gesture options for students with limited mobility, e.g., facial expression or hand movements as primary tools.
• Pair more confident movers with those who may take longer to warm up or engage physically.
• Scaffold discussions with sentence starters for verbal feedback.
• Use visual cues (images, diagrams) to reinforce understanding of themes and physicality.

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Extension and Homework

• Encourage students to keep a Physical Expression Journal documenting daily observations of body language in everyday contexts and their meaning.
• Research assignment: Students select one Artaud quote or principle about physical theatre and prepare a 1-minute presentation linking it to today’s activities.

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Teacher's Notes and Tips

• Maintain a high-energy atmosphere to match the intensity of Artaud’s ideas but ensure safety with ample space.
• Use evocative language to prompt imagination during exercises, e.g., "express anger as an invisible storm building inside."
• Constantly refer back to how physical choices create meaning beyond words, fostering abstract thinking.
• Encourage risk-taking in movement but remind students about respecting personal boundaries.

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This carefully structured lesson engages Year 9 students in immersive, physical drama explorations whilst meeting the National Curriculum’s core requirements, skill-building, and creative development aspects.