A workshop Approach to
Shakespeare’s Tragedies
Edited by Ken Watson
Each book in this series,
written by a range of experienced teachers, contains five of the
most popular plays in each category.
Macbeth
Hamlet
King Lear
Othello
Anthony and Cleopatra
There is a wide range of activities for each play providing abundant opportunities for activities which allow students to work towards a thorough understanding of the plays as theatre and literature, towards a range of interpretations of the plays and to explore ways in which a script can be transformed into a stage play.
Most plays include activities dealing with
Ø Introduction to the play
Ø language
Ø staging and performance
Ø character
Ø plot
Ø themes and issues
Ø dramatic structure
In addition to the activities for each of the plays there is a separate section on staging Shakespeare's plays.
The plays selected in Tragedies are more suited to senior secondary students, but can be used with middle secondary.
All activities are photocopiable.
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click here for sample pages of Shakespeare's Tragedies
Also available
A Workshop Approach to Shakespeare's Histories
A Workshop Approach to Shakespeare's Comedies
A Workshop Approach to Introducing Shakespeare
Content examples from three plays in Shakespeare's Tragedies
Hamlet
1 Parallels Introduction to the play
2 Sequencing on the Feet Introduction to the play
3 Kaleidoscope Introduction to the play
4 Opening Scenes Theatre vs text
5 'Cloze' Exercise Analysis of language
6 From Text to Scene Possible interpretations
7 Freeze Frames Plot and relationships
8 Student as Director Interpretation of characters/issues
9 Group 'Soliloquy' Language awareness
10 'Improving' Shakespeare History of text changes
11 Student as Designer The play as theatre
12 Bystanders Theatrical dimensions of a scene
13 Effects of Pause, Emphasis & Tone Character/play construction
14 Dumb Show Essential elements of the play
15 Prompt Copy The play as theatre
16 Role Play Themes, issues, moral judgements
17 Bare Bones General grasp of text
18 Dreams Character
19 Thinking Visually Relationships, plot lines
20 Hot Seat Character
21 Missing Punctuation Verse / choral activities
22 Two-Handed Soliloquy Development of thought:
23 Interpretations of the Title Role Changing conceptions of Hamlet:
Betterton, Garrick, Gielgud, Olivier and Burton
24 Question and Answer General understanding of text
25 Some Fun with Hamlet & Hamlet Parody
Macbeth
1 Parallels Role Play/Interconnections
2 Opening Scene Language/Dramatic Structure
3 Group Performance Dramatic Experience of Text
4 Missing Words Language/Interpretation
5 Sources Dramatic Purposes
6 Two-Handed Soliloquy Macbeth's Dilemma
7 The Porter Theme Through Character
8 Alter Ego Looking Behind the Text
9 Bystanders Imaginative Recreation
10 Alternative Viewpoint Imaginative Recreation
11 Kingship Theme and Character
12 Punctuation for Effect Language/Interpretation
13 Image Search Patterns of Meaning
14 Thinking Visually Character Relationships
15 Question and Answer Knowledge of Text
16 Hot Seat Role Play/Interpretation
17 Freeze Frames Dramatic Interpretation
18 Dreams Performance/Interpretation
19 Character Jigsaw Character Analysis
20 Inquest Role Play/Interpretation
21 A Tragic Hero? Personal Response
Answers to Question and Answer game, Activity 15
King Lear
1. Parallels Dramatic similarities
2. Counterpoint Intercutting Meaning and structure
3. Letters Dramatic devices
4. Case Conference on Lear's 'Madness' Role play
5. Jigsaw: Edgar Patterns of meaning
6. Dramatic Recreation Meaning and structure
7. Is Lear an Un-actable Part? Dramatic interpretation
8. Tragedy Tragic dimensions
9. Justice & Injustice: Trial of Goneril & Regan Exploration of themes
10. The Fool Dramatic relationships
11. Patterns of Imagery Exploration of themes
12. A Dialogue on Nature 'Naturalness' and 'unnaturalness'
13. A Happy King Lear Dramatic structure
14. Sequencing Language
15. Bystanders Imaginative recreation
16. Edmund Exploration of character
17. Student as Designer Staging and meaning
18. Dumbshow Dramatic structure
19. Group Soliloquy Theatrical effects