Stage fighting - how to take a stand
Description
Actor Adrian Lester discusses and demonstrates how to produce an effective fight in drama. He stresses important health and safety issues and explains the techniques very carefully, demonstrating each of his ideas. A group of students then practise the techniques in partners.
Classroom Ideas
Before watching the clip, the class should carry out some physical warm up activities. Discuss why they think actors should be physically fit, especially in a play like 鈥楻omeo and Juliet鈥. Stand students in a circle and teach them a very simple dance sequence. It doesn鈥檛 matter what it is but they should focus on getting all the movements and the rhythm correct. Discuss with students what this has to do with stage fighting and the importance of careful choreography. Do the exercise from the clip and ask some students to demonstrate, once they have mastered it. Discuss the point of this movement as the basis for stage fighting and also the status we see within it. This can then be used as a starting point for a fight scene from a play students are studying.
Acting
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