Buddhist Drama

A C T I V I T I E S 렁 D R A M A

Discovery

A few more interactive ideas. Several of these can be further developed by extending the personal exposure - the risk factor - and by creating feedback loops so there is some accountability for people's behaviour - it is not just 'playing about' but being vulnerable. What did you feel? I noticed that when we did ... then you... Or, I noticed that when you.... It is important that feedback is not critical or judgmental but offers a reflection that will help the other person be aware of something they would not normally be able to see. 'I' language is very useful - when you do that I feel - I imagine that you are thinking / feeling / wondering .... rather than You make me feel ... You are thinking / feeling ... Trust within the group is very important, with honesty as a critical factor and confidentiality as a given. It is good to clearly and openly, as a group, establish confidentiality right at the beginning - rather than assume it is in place. When I refer to 'stage' I just mean the area of performance.

EMOTIONS
meet

When emotions meet emotions:
Each person chooses an emotion - perhaps either 'good' or 'bad'. They wander round the room and go up to another emotion.
• This can be started with body language only and then move on to using just a few key words - love, happy, kind, soft - hate, pain, black, etc.
•It can be done with small groups performing for a short time and the audience then commenting - simply trying to guess what the emotions were, or, on the group, their feelings as they watched, on an individual's performance (that person could be asked to do a bit more - or, do it with Fred).
•It can be done in pairs (or very small groups) on a stage - see characters below

CHARACTERS
in the park

This was discussed briefly in Warming Up.
Once each person has practiced with their characters and, given them a 'public' walk by, they can take to the stage. A park bench is put on the stage (two chairs) and one person sits on it - as their character. [Everybody must hold their character while on stage. To begin it is best to suggest no physical contact.] The next person takes a walk in the park and meets the one already there. Interaction should be loosely defined: they can sit down or walk about or stand but there should be recognition and some obvious signs of connection between the two people. When the first one has 'had enough' they can leave. The third person then takes a walk in the park, and so on until everyone has had at least one meeting.
• There can be group discussion after.
• It could be suggested or, some people or might request to meet with someone they didn't meet.
• There could be a bell 'halfway' through each meeting and the people in the park switch to another of their characters. See: Space Jumps & Add Ons.
• Keeping their characters, people could play in a random or chosen role - (Spiritual) plumber - (angry) dentist - or a family situation; happy mother, arrogant father,etc. and have them acting out a little scenario - waiting for a bus - preparing a rocket for launch, etc.

EMOTIONS
replay

Agree one or two scenarios - an autopsy, a birthday party, etc. and act it out with everyone functioning through a particular emotion - happiness, humour, depression, etc. Replay exactly the same scene but with another emotion. At some point try another scene - the humorous autopsy, the depressed birthday party, the cynical autopsy.

YOUR FACE

In pairs. One person sits on a chair the other stands behind them (blindfolded?) and explores the face of the person sitting. Swap.

MARK ME

Cooperation - intimidation - aggression:
For groups of about ten people. A single sheet of paper - A4 is fine - a few pens (perhaps one or two less than the number of people in the group). Other than to say that each person has to make their 'mark' on the paper in some distinctive way there is no explanation. Make the time limit short and at odd intervals appear anxious and keen to be getting on - apply pressure to get it done. After the bell has rung take the sheet of paper and get each person to talk about how they felt - aggressive, compassionate, timid, etc. Whose mark is this? What were you thinking to say? How early on did you make it? How did it relate to the marks already there? Who made the first mark? The last? Who didn't at all? and the feelings associated with each of the questions.

BOARD

Trust:
Start this in a fairly tight circle. One person is in the middle standing like a stiff board (with their eyes closed?). They are given a gentle push. They must not bend - so they will fall - and be caught by others in the circle. They can be passed around - on a lean. Increase the size of the circle slightly - tell the person that. This means they will fall further before being caught.
•It can be done in threes - two catchers and one board. The catchers move further apart. Scary! It can be useful to have mats on the floor or side catchers (just in case).

COOKIES

A wonderful machine for making sweet cookies - and trust.
People stand in two rows facing each other - pair off and firmly hold both hands of your partner. One person runs toward the end of the line and jumps into the outspread arms of their friends. They can be bounced (as in body toss - just fun) and mixed up well and lowered down at the far end - as cookies. That person then swaps with someone at the front of the line. Everyone has a go.

ADD ONS

This can be an extension of characters above or start in its own right.
Agree a scene - the supermarket checkout, a massage parlour reception room, etc. and have one person on stage to begin the scene. Other people come in by ones or twos and are given a chance to define and expand the scene. There is complete freedom of character as long as it can be reasonably slotted into what is already in place - even bank robbers have to do some shopping and astronauts might need a massage. Once there are five people in place the story should try for some conclusion - no matter if it doesn't. Then another scene with another group of five.

SPACE JUMPS

A variation of add ons.
One person goes on stage into an agreed scene or, they can set it themselves or, just start. When the first person has been defining the scene for a few minutes a bell is rung. The person on stage must literally freeze where ever or how ever they are at that moment. The next person goes on stage and must make a creative jump into a completely new scene with new characters. Each jump needs to offer a clear sign - usually verbal - that makes it clear what the new scene is, both to the person on stage and to the audience. The bell rings, the two freeze and a third creates another new scene suggested by the postures of the other two. Five is about the limit. The bell is rung and the action can be unwound. The fifth person leaves - the remaining four pick up the previous scene - the group of three have to remember their setting - etc.

MIRRORS
& shadows

In pairs standing in front of each other. One is the person the other the mirror. One moves the other must mirror the actions. Start slow, get more normal, add speech, get very close to the mirror.
A variation is shadows. Choose a sun position, the shadow is on the other side of the person (or behind, depending on where the sun is) and must shadow their movements.

PEEP PUPPETS

One person is the marionette and one or more are the puppeteers who move the arms, legs, head, mouth (adding voices), of the puppet. Have two puppets interacting in a simple scene.

MACHINES

Make an organic - human - machine. Cogs, levers, pistons, gauges, sound effects. It can involve any number of people. Simple things like string or a light stick or two can be helpful; but not too many.

MY MOVE

In pairs - one person behind another who is sitting on a (high) chair. The one behind slides their arms snugly under the armpits of the one in front so the person sitting has 'new' arms. The one sitting gives a talk on anything. The one behind gesticulates, scratches their (the person sitting) nose, etc.

VALUES

Define a line (could be one end of the room to the other) and set one end as zero and the other as ten. Ask a range of (moral, personal) questions and ask people to place themselves at some point on the line - zero = completely disagree; ten = completely agree; 5 = I'd like a sandwich. - or something? Then get various people to say why they are so positioned. When several, if not all, have expressed their views suggest that everyone can reposition themselves on the line. There could be another round of sharing why people chose to shift. Try another topic.