Drama Week One

Day's Activity	Related PLUS Materials
1. Drama Games 2. Drama / Dance / Movement 3. Drama / Dance / Movement 4. Writing 5. Music	Drama Drama Drama / Story Telling Drama / Story Telling / Literature Drama / Music

Monday: Melton - Mark Frisby (Flipflop)

Bit of a tricky start all round. Mark was expecting all the Learners to be interested in drama and he was also expecting Karen (Basic Skills Tutor) to be taking the lead on behavioural issues. Instead, the workers were met by six sullen faces, six pairs of folded arms and six uncooperative attitudes. Also, Karen had been brought in at the last minute and was expecting to only be taking notes and helping the Learners with their reading.

Mark started the Learners on the most basic drama student exercises. He was met with a stone wall of embarrassment - disguised as surly indifference. The exercises from the PLUS packs met with the same response. The Learners claimed they "weren't bothered", were "so bored" and that everything in their lives was "dead boring". When they did show interest it was competitive, repetitive bravado about beer, weed or sex and more weed.

Mark and Daniel decided to start again, chatting informally with the Learners about why everyone was there, films and drama. They also encouraged them to try one drama exercise and one drawing exercise - Blind Drawing (see Drama Galleries). Ash and Red were still reticent but Crispy, D, Stig and Fil all joined in well.

In the afternoon the group did more paper-based exercises and had a discussion on storylines for the project. The day ended with an informal breakdance session with Fil and Stig. The Learners went home that afternoon feeling happier and the workers somewhat shell-shocked.

Tuesday: Melton - Mark Frisby

The group went through the rules and aims of the project and the plan for the day. General attitudes were helped by Senn joining the group who had an interest in drama. The "weed" bravado was broken down by playing Cartoon Consequences (see Drama Gallery) with Mark including sex, beer and weed so often that everyone got bored of it (especially D). Daniel talked about film and explained storyboards and shots. Fil, Stig and Crispy drew story ideas on an OHP.

Everything was disrupted just before lunch with the arrival of Bee. She was in the "bored" phase the others had been in the day before and was uncooperative. At lunchtime there was trouble when Bee, Stig and Ash made a deliberate point of rolling a joint in the Park (see Chav It). After some confusion over whose responsibility it was to take action, Bee was removed from the project. Ash left voluntarily and Stig begged to stay and was allowed to on a 'final' warning.

On the positive side, D, Senn, Fil and Crispy, made a conscious decision to show their disapproval and, after much disruption, some work was done filming stage fighting with Fil and Crispy and screen tests with Senn and D. Red was absent and left the project.

Wednesday: Melton - Mark Frisby

Things went better on this day. Although three Learners had left or been excluded, D, Senn, Fil, Crispy and Stig got on very well. They took part in drama games and exercises and started work on some script ideas. Everyone was trusted to go into town and the park to film some improvisational scenes in the shops. D and Crispy also began their IRP reading practise with Karen and Daniel and began completing reading assessments.

Thursday: Brooksby - John Cheetham (Jesus)

There couldn't have been more contrast between this and the previous day! As soon as everyone had got to know and trust Mark, they began working with John instead. Senn left the project, feeling too much time was being wasted, Stig was absent and Connor, Eel and J from the Visual Arts project were sent to join the group.

It turned out that the new arrivals had been disruptive in their previous group and they quickly set out to do the same in Drama. All three were very insecure, hiding this by banding together under Connor's leadership. They picked on Crispy and Fil, trying to embarrass and intimidate. D, who until then had worked well, left to join the Visual Arts group. Fil and Crispy were reluctant to work with the new three. Subsequently, the group split in two and John worked with the new three whilst Daniel took Fil and Crispy to film outside. Some work got done with both groups, but the day ended badly with Connor, Eel and J letting off of a fire extinguisher.

Friday: Melton - John Cheetham

Connor, Eel and J were asked not to attend as Fil, Crispy and D had asked to leave the project because of them. Stig returned. Noel from the Visual Arts Project came to join the group. This was because he was; (a) "well behaved" and (b) had started seeing D. This caused many ongoing problems, as both their behaviours changed once they were together.

There were more problems when John began work on drama exercises. The Learners complained they had "done 'em already" with Mark. John also started work on a story idea he wanted to use which led to some confusion with the Learners as it didn't include their ideas from their work with Mark.

The concept of playing football at lunch in exchange for good behaviour was first mooted. Noel and D were uncooperative in group work and Karen took them off to do some work alone.