It is no secret that January can be a tough month: holiday festivities are over, children (and teachers!) are back to school, and the spring still seems a long time coming. As leaders in the classroom, it is our responsibility to look for ways to generate an optimistic outlook – underpinned by a realistic perspective. What are the priorities to emphasise with young actors? What are the skills to cultivate in a low-energy season?
Here at Shakespeare For Our Children, we have found that it is very helpful to spend a few weeks after the turning of the year engaging with fundamentals. Have a look at our Resources page for more details – here are just a few suggestions.
Rather than rush into the next production, use this time to reflect on core techniques such as blocking and voice projection. These are primary elements of performance that can easily slip as students become distracted or, even worse, complacent. Try taking a familiar scene and re-blocking it, inviting the children to consider and explore the resulting differences in mood and tone.
Similarly, you can spend more time on theatre games. The mirror game, improvisational exercises – these build up great energy in the classroom while also re-establishing the importance of collaboration. To that end, we encourage you to mix up any existing friend groups (or cliques) within the troupe; this is all about engaging with established activities in new ways.
Remind your students that these techniques and activities are not basic but rather essential for all actors. And the stronger your foundation, the stronger the next performance will be.