Dunfermline High School Drama Department

Unit 3- Fairytales

Lessons 1&2

TASK

In your books, write down what you think a fairytale is.

Make a list of all the titles of fairytales you know. Here are some examples to get you started:

- Sleeping Beauty- Cinderella

- Rumplestiltskin

Stereotypes

The dictionary definition of a stereotype is:

“A Conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion or

image; one that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type.”

In Fairytales, there are several stereotypical characters which we, as the audience, recognise.

TASK:Please complete the following table with stereotypical

characters that you know. There are a couple of examples to help you:

Stereotypical Characters

• Princess/Heroine• Handsome Prince / Hero

• Villain

• Step-Mother• Helper• Mother / Father

Examples from Fairytales

• Snow White• Aladdin

• The Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood

• Cinderella’s Step Mother• Fairy Godmother• Geppetto – Pinocchio’s

father

Task As a Class you will discuss how some of these stereotypes are shown in terms of performance?

Remember to think about:

• Voice

• Movement

• Costume

• Make Up

• Props

• Lighting

• Set

• Sound / Music

• Special Effects

Task Using your knowledge of stereotypes in fairytales you

should now, in pairs, improvise a scene where two stereotyped fairytale characters meet. This should last 2

minutes long. Think about:• Who are the characters i.e. Little Red Riding Hood and

The evil Step Mother from Cinderella. (Think Shrek!)• Where do they meet i.e. the local supermarket, the bus

stop, the prison?• How do they act? i.e. how do they move? How do they

speak? How do they react to each other?• How does your drama begin and end, and what happens

in the middle?• This will be presented to the rest of your class who will

evaluate your performance and try to guess who you are!

Lessons 3&4

Target Audience

• Eastenders• Teletubbies• High School Musical• Hollyoaks• Crimewatch• Fairytales

TASK

Who are the target audience for each of the following?

Fairytales

Fairytales don’t always have to follow traditional storylines.

Fairytales are a good stimulus to create your own versions of these

well known stories!

Look at the following alternative fairytale titles:• ‘When Jack sued Jill’• ‘Little Red Riding Hoodie’• ‘Sleep-in Beauty’• ‘The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Bailiff’• ‘Goldielocks and her 3 ASBOs’

As a class think about:

How do these stories differ from the original?

Has the target audience changed? Why/Why not?

Form A Form of Drama is the overall style of a drama. So far, you have

used the forms of a scripted and an improvised drama. Please see the list below for all forms of Drama:

• a play, scripted or improvised • dance drama • mime • monologue • movement • musical • pantomime • comedy • tragedy • docu-drama • forum theatre A ‘chat show’ can be another from of drama.

TASK

In groups of 5 create a chat show (like Jeremy Kyle) where a fairytale character has been brought on to discuss their story with other

characters from that story

i.e. Goldilocks’ Mum has brought her daughter on because she can’t stand her constant breaking and entering, 3 bears tell their side of the story

before Goldilocks comes on.

You will then present your work to an audience.

Homework

Complete a self evaluation for your performance of the chat show in your

jotter.

Each point should be half a page long.

You should write two stars (things you did well) and one wish (something you could

do to improve in future).

Lesson 5

Main TASK In groups of 5, you will create a drama which is based on a fairytale and is suitable for target audience of your age group. This drama should last 5 – 10mins long and should include every member of your group equally. You should think about:

• What fairytale are you going to choose?• Where and when your drama is set?• What characters are involved? • How you will make the story relevant to the target audience i.e. how do you

change the fairytale to make it relevant for a modern audience?• What message are you trying to get across?• How many scenes will you have?• What is the structure of your story? i.e. do you follow the normal fairytale

layout?

Your final performance will include theatre arts which you will have had to rehearse before you present to an audience. Your performance will be assessed.

Lesson 6

Characterisation

TASK

In your groups you should Hot-seat each character. (Remember, hot-seating is answering questions in role!)

CharacterisationTASK

In your jotters you should fill in in the following information for your character, creating a character card.

• FULL NAME • AGE • OCCUPATION • WHERE DOES YOUR CHARACTER COME FROM?• LIST THREE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER’S

APPEARANCE • LIST THREE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER’S

PERSONALITY

Homework Please draw a picture of what you think your character

looks like and bring into your next drama lesson.

Once you have finished this you can continue with your rehearsals

Lesson 7

Over the next few lessons, you and your group should be continuing to create and rehearse your drama. Each lesson, you should try to complete the following…

Theatre Arts Costume, Make up & Props

Task

Either draw a costume design for your character or create a costume list detailing a highly descriptive list of every item of costume you would like your character to

wear. Include any special effects make-up and wigs you would want to use. If you have a used a drawing as your design, please explain in words what each

item is.

Task

Write a props list which should include set props and personal props.

Homework

Find a costume and props similar to their design and bring it in for the final performance.

Lesson 8

Theatre Arts Sound

Task

As a group decide what music you want at the beginning and end of your

performance. Do you want any music during scene changes or do you want any

sound effects?

Write a cue sheet and give it to your sound operator and practice with them.

Theatre Arts Lights

TaskIn your groups decide what lighting you want in your

drama. You should write a cue sheet, give it to your lighting operator and practice with them.

Lesson 9

RehearseYou will have 1 more rehearsal

period. Use this time to rehearse for your final

performance, make sure you try to rehearse with all of your

theatre arts.

Lesson 10 & 11

Performance

There will be at least 2 periods to watch all the performances. Make sure if you are not performing that you are following the

role of a supportive audience.

Lesson 12

Test

Please complete the test to the best of your ability