Music and performing arts
The Envelope: drama character and script analysis
Analyse a character’s objective, obstacle and tactics, then choose voice and movement that communicate subtext in performance.
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Head of Drama
Priscilla Amoah
As Head of Drama, I look for devising stimuli that give students something to respond to and help them move into practical exploration.
Explore the collectionA little about me
Drama often reaches a point where a group has ideas but cannot yet turn them into a plan for rehearsal. As Head of Drama, I look for devising stimuli that give students something to respond to and help them move into practical exploration.
I also direct the autumn production. Rehearsals, GCSE practical examinations and the July showcase all need time in a shared studio, so scheduling is part of the work behind the performance. A useful plan makes the competing commitments visible early enough for the space to be used well.
The two parts of my role meet in preparation. Students need room to test an idea on its feet, and the department needs a clear view of how practical work fits around other events. I value prompts that invite original choices and schedules that give those choices time to develop.
How I approach a lesson
Choose devising stimuli that help a group move from discussion into rehearsal.
Map production, examination and showcase demands against shared studio time.
Leave students room to develop an idea rather than prescribing a finished scene.
Templates I'd use with my class
Explore these templates and decide what fits your own setting.
Music and performing arts
Devising deck: stimulus cards and constraints
Create a devised scene from a stimulus and constraint with a clear idea, opening, turning point and ending.
Music and performing arts
Performance reflection
Describe a performance choice with precise evidence, analyse its possible audience effect and evaluate a key moment in a PEE paragraph.
Music and performing arts
Stage blocking planner
Name stage areas, represent actors and movement on a plan, and record lighting and sound cues clearly against moments in a scene.