RESOURCE PACK
HARROGATE THEATRE
EDUCATION
Harrogate Theatre’s Education (HTe) department prides itself on developing learning through
creativity. HTe workshops start from as little as £60 and can be adapted to suit your class and
learning objectives including support to achieve Arts Award Discover and Explore. Here are a
selection of the workshops we offer for primary schools.
FULL DAY WORKSHOPS
Play in a Day
A fun team-building activity for Years 5 and 6. Challenge your pupils to put on a play in a
day and see them raise their game. Pupils will spend the day exploring interesting characters,
staging the story and creating the props they will need to put on a very special show at the
end of the day. This can be adapted for a story of your choice.
Production Day
Give your pupils a head start on their end of term performance (and save yourself a lot of
time!) with a Production Day from Harrogate Theatre. Our practitioner can come in for a full
day to work with your pupils on character and plot and get you started on staging the script of
your choice.
LONG TERM PROJECTS
After School Drama Clubs
Harrogate Theatre’s After School Drama Clubs give your pupils the opportunity to work
towards their own performance at Harrogate Theatre.
Each school will work with a Harrogate Theatre practitioner over 10 weeks in a 60 minute
after school drama club. In the 11th week the club are invited to the theatre to spend the
afternoon touring our historic Victorian building and rehearsing for an evening performance
held in our intimate Studio Theatre, complimented by full lighting and sound support.
Participants build in confidence, creativity, teamwork and most importantly work towards a
tangible end product that they can be really proud of and share with their friends and family
in a free ticketed performance.
Production Direction
Putting on a school play is loads of fun, builds teamwork and confidence and the memories
can last a lifetime but it takes a lot of planning. No time to choose a script? Hit a wall and
need some new ideas? Why not book us to direct your school play for you? We’ll start with
a full production day and then come in as much as you need us to make sure your pupils are
excited and confident about putting on a fantastic show.
ONE OFF WORKSHOPS
History Workshops
Spa History
This workshop is an inspiring way to kick-start your Harrogate topic as we meet Betty Lupton, smell
the sulphur water and act out key moments from Harrogate’s watery past to bring local history to
life.
Our local history workshop has been developed in partnership with Harrogate Museums and Arts.
Children of the Blitz
What was it like for children in the Second World War? How did it feel to be an evacuee?
Participants will be encouraged to empathise with the feelings and experiences of evacuees and
the family members left behind through using photographs, posters and poetry as source material
to explore history through performance.
Greek Theatre
Through re-telling a Greek myth the class will learn about the origins of modern theatre and how
it links to the ancient Olympian gods and goddesses. The workshop will include mask and chorus
work to practically explore Greek Theatre style and bring the myth to life.
Literacy Workshops
Shakespeare
The best way to learn about Shakespeare’s plays is to act them out. Join us as we recreate the world
and characters of a Shakespeare play of your choice, and see your pupils engage with complex
language with excitement and confidence.
Pantomime
Storytelling, improvisation and movement are combined
in a drama workshop that explores the world of
pantomime. Ideal before or after your visit to the annual
Christmas show this is a fun introduction to a uniquely
British institution which can result in a short performance
suitable for sharing in assembly for KS2 pupils.
Traditional Tales
This drama workshop introduces traditional tales to
KS1/2 pupils through trying out archetype characters,
physically creating key locations and re-telling a traditional
tale of your choice. This workshop also supports pupils
understanding of adjectives at KS1 and similes and
metaphors at KS2.
Enchanted Forest
Through reading Into The Forest by former children’s
laureate Anthony Browne the class will consider character’s
feelings and act out scenes they devise based upon the text.
Where’s Dad? Why is Mum upset? How will the story end?
This drama workshop is designed to support story and script
writing work through developing basic drama skills.
Theatre Tours
Take a tour of Harrogate Theatre and find out about the workings of a professional theatre.
Discover what goes on behind the scenes, and how each department contributes to the
performance on stage. Find out about the history of the building, some of the famous names
who have appeared here, everyday sayings that have their roots in theatre and superstitions
that have grown up around the stage.
Tours last approximately one hour and are £2 per pupil.
Prices
Our workshops can be adapted to suit each Key Stage. Prices are broadly as follows:
ONE OFF WORKSHOPS
Key Stage 1 workshops (1 hour for up to 30 children): £60 Key Stage 2 workshops (1.5 hours for up to 30 children): £75
Key Stage 2 (upper) workshops (2 hours for up to 30 children): £90
FULL DAY WORKSHOPS
£200
LONG TERM PROJECTS: After School Club: £605. Production Direction: On discussion of the
project.
Please note travel to schools outside 10 mile radius will incur additional travel costs.
We can also come into your school for the day and work with every class. Prices are competitive
and vary depending on the number of classes you would like us to work with.
Do you need a workshop not listed here? Drop us an email or give us a call to discuss your
learning objectives and we’ll design something specifically for your class / school.
Contact
For further information on any of the above
contact:
Hannah Draper
Head of Education
Call: 01423 502 710 ext. 108
Email: [email protected]
Contents
Welcome
Brief history of pantomime
Brief history of drama
The Dame
The Buffoon
The origins of Dick Whittington
Character comparison table
Story hill template
How to set out a script
Story boards
Writing tasks
Newspaper template
Set and costume design worksheet
Class design activities
Set design template
Reviews
Music workshop ideas
Marketing and Media tasks
NOW BOOKING FOR EASTER 2017
The Emperor’s
New Clothes
le
Suitab
s
for age
5+
A CONTEMPORARY TAKE ON THIS CHEEKY HANS CHRISTIAN
ANDERSON TALE, WITH MUSIC & SONGS
Fun for all the family during the Easter
holidays. Show times vary.
Call Box Office on 01423 502116 or visit
www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk for more details.
Harrogate Theatre
THU 6 - SAT 15 APR
£10
Welcome!
This Teacher’s Resource Pack has been designed to be a valuable resource in the classroom
to deepen primary school children’s understanding, and appreciation of, their annual visit
to the pantomime.
Engagement with the arts is a great way to promote teamwork, develop empathy and
strengthen speaking and listening skills; key foundations of children’s success in school. At
Harrogate Theatre we pride ourselves on developing learning through creativity and we
have been awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom badge in support of this.
Each task within this pack has a clear learning outcome and resources have been designed
so you are able to differentiate the difficulty for ability and age groups and pick and
choose tasks to suit your class.
There is a mix of background information for teachers, classroom activities and worksheets.
We hope that this pack inspires you to explore the world of pantomime both in and out
of the classroom. We appreciate all feedback and examples of the work your class have
created. Please send it to [email protected] or post it to us and we’ll feature the
best examples in the theatre. Please note that once work is sent to us it cannot be returned.
We also offer Introduction to Pantomime workshops which can take place in your school
for £60 (+ travel). Participants will be able to try on pantomime costumes and create their
own panto characters in a fun 90-minute workshop which can be booked before or after
your visit to the pantomime. To book, call Hannah Draper on 01423 502 710 ext. 108.
I hope you enjoy exploring the wonderful world of British Pantomime with your class.
Best wishes,
Hannah Draper
Head of Education
Information for Teachers
Brief History of Pantomime
It is thought that a man called John Weaver presented the first pantomime in London in
1702. It was performed at the Drury Lane Theatre, London and was called The Cheats or The
Tavern Bikers.
In British theatre, pantomime is traditionally a Christmas or New Year entertainment.
The name ‘pantomime’ comes from the Latin word pantomimus, which means the player
of many parts. During Roman times pantomimes were stories told through dance, with
no words at all. Modern pantomime characters can be traced back to the 16th and 17th
Century when the Italians improvised comic drama called Commedia dell’arte.
One of the central characters of a commedia pantomime was Harlequin, a clown who
usually narrated the story. Harlequin became so popular that harlequinade became a genre
of its own.
Many of the panto plots are based on folk tales collected and retold by the French writer
Charles Perrault. His book Mother Goose’s Fairy Tales published in 1697 included classic
stories like Puss in Boots, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty.
As pantomimes used classic fairy tales more and more, the role of Harlequin diminished
until he disappeared. New elements were added to the mix, such as slapstick and double
entendre. Popular songs, topical humour and satire found their way into the script from
the influence of British Music Hall as did audience participation and guest appearances by
popular entertainers of the day.
Pantomimes today nearly always include certain elements:
•
•
•
•
•
•
A man dressed as a woman to play the dame.
A woman dressed as a man to play the principal boy.
A theme of good conquering evil.
A slapstick scene which gets very messy!
Audience participation.
Colourful sets and costumes.
Did you know that good characters traditionally enter from stage right and evil characters
enter from stage left?
This tradition of evil entering from stage left goes back to the mystery plays. The trap doors
in the stage floor (through which the demon used to appear in a puff of smoke) can always
be found in the downstage left position. This tradition also seems to echo medieval times,
when the entrances to heaven and hell were placed on these sides. The tradition has also
been attributed to story books as you read your books from left to right.
For ideas on how to introduce your class to pantomime please see tasks later in the pack.
Information for Teachers
Brief History of Drama
Cave Men
2.5 million
years ago
The art of ‘acting out’ stories started centuries ago. We know from cave paintings that cave men used to dance and act out stories of hunts to please their Sun Gods.
Egyptians
16th – 11th
Century BC
The Egyptians were the first people to make a record of the plays they performed. The Egyptians had lots of gods to whom they performed plays, in the hope that the performances would make them happy. They wrote about these plays using hieroglyphics.
The
Greeks were the first people to build theatres which they called amphitheatres. They could hold thousands of people and were semi-circular in shape. The Greeks worshipped a god called Dionysus who was the god of fun. During the Festival of Dionysus, plays would be performed by the people of the town. The amphitheatres were so big that the story had to be shouted out and the main characters had to wear huge masks so they could be seen. We know a lot about Greek theatre as the Greeks were the first people to write their plays down in the form of a script.
Greeks
8th – 6th
Century BC
In Medieval times plays were often linked to religion. Stories about God Medieval
were acted out in churches and many towns held religious festivals every 5th – 15th
year where the townsfolk would act out scenes from the Bible. These Century
plays became known as the ‘mystery plays’. The scenes acted out often included juggling, comedy, wrestling, archery and stone throwing. The ‘mystery plays’ proved to be very popular, and it was not long before rich land owners started to pay people to perform for them.
By Elizabethan times all actors were professional and worked in Elizabethan
companies, the most famous being the King’s Men, who William 1558 - 1603
Shakespeare wrote plays for. Acting companies would tour from town to town performing up to 38 different plays a year and sometimes a different play every day.
By Victorian times drama was very popular and theatres were built in Victorian
most towns. The types of plays shown became far more realistic 1837 - 1901
and companies sometimes performed them over several nights. It was in Victorian times that pantomimes first became popular as an entertainment for Christmas, a tradition that continues today.
It was not until the end of the Victorian age that women were allowed to act on stage; before then it was thought to be an improper thing for a lady to do. Young men acted out female roles, which is a tradition that has stuck in pantomime to this day.
Information for Teachers
The Dame
The role of the Pantomime Dame stretches
back to the earliest origins of the theatre,
when girls and young women were played
by boys and old women were played by
older men - often comically – as women
were not allowed to perform on stage. The
earliest known female comedy role played
by a man was Mrs. Noah in the Miracle Plays
of the Middle Ages.
Even after the Restoration in the 17th
Century, when actresses entered the theatre,
many did not want to play older parts,
and the convention continued. During
the Regency period the roles of witches,
characters like Mother Shipton and old hags
were often played by men.
The names given to Dames have altered over
the years – for example the popular name
for Jack’s mother in Jack and the Beanstalk
is Dame Trott which comes from a slang
word for an old hag but she’s also sometimes
called Dame Daisy Durden.
Traditionally the Dame in Aladdin is Widow Twanky. The name originated as in 1861 Twankay
was a tea, popular in London at the time, from the Tuan Kay province of China. Meanwhile,
Dick Whittington has had a cook as Dame since its first performance, with the title Sarah the
Cook given in most cases.
The Ugly Sisters in Cinderella have changed their names frequently to keep up with fashion.
Originally Clorinda and Thisbe, they have been known as Daisy and Buttercup and Salmonella
and Diptheria among others. Their names change as rapidly as their costumes, which often
copy contemporary fashion.
The Dame believes that she is beautiful and elegant when she is played as old, common and
haggard, all adding to the comic effect. Dames are never allowed to wear sleeveless tops, as it
is forbidden to show the hairy man underneath! A famous Dame named George Lacy started
the tradition of the Dame wearing as many different and extravagant costumes as possible
during the performance. See if you can see how many costume changes our Dame has this
year…
“I love panto season and I love getting to tell jokes! A man playing a lady is quite unusual
but as she’s a funny character the audience tends not to mind. Plus it’s nice to keep a
longstanding British theatre tradition alive.” Chris Clarkson (Dame Nanny Annie Nidderdale
2013)
Information for Teachers
The Buffoon
Every pantomime has a character who is a buffoon such as Wishee Washee in
Aladdin or Simple Simon in Jack and the Beanstalk. This character is usually the
Dame’s son and provides comic relief throughout the performance combining
jokes and slapstick comedy. In Dick Whittington the buffoon is called Idle Jack and
his mum is the Dame, Sarah the cook. He works in the shop.
The origins of this character can be traced back to 15th Century Italy in a form of
theatre known as commedia dell’arte. The idea of commedia dell’arte was that
it was accessible to all; performers performed in the streets on temporary stages,
and relied on various props in place of extensive scenery. It was characterised by
exaggerated physical movement and masked stock characters.
The characters of commedia were stock characters which are fictional characters
based on social, cultural or literary stereotypes. Commedia dell’arte has three
main stock roles: servant, master, and innamorati (lovers). The servants or the
clowns are referred to as the Zanni (which is where the word zany comes from).
There were two distinct types of Zanni. One is the silly servant and the other is
the cunning servant. In pantomime the buffoon character is influenced by the
silly servant character. He is foolish, clumsy and ridiculous. The purpose of the
Zanni in commedia was that he was the most sympathetic character and it was his
responsibility to interact with the audience and ensure that they were following
the plot. In pantomime the buffoon character fulfils exactly the same role; he
even encourages the audience to actively participate in the performance by
shouting out phrases at key points in the pantomime.
“The person who knows how to
laugh at himself will never cease
to be amused. I play the buffoon
as an innocent. The magic is the
buffoon’s entire journey is a
voyage of discovery.”
Tim Stedman (Idle Jack 2016)
Information for Teachers
THE ORIGINS
THE FAIRY TALE?
Dick Whittington is the only pantomime based on a true subject. There actually was a Richard
Whittington, and he did become (Lord) Mayor of London in the late 14th and early 15th
centuries. Dick Whittington is also one of the few “home grown” pantomime subjects. Whereas
many owe their origins and popularity to French, Italian and other European folk stories and
fairy tales, the pantomime version is taken from Great Britain.
THE STORY OF DICK WHITTINGTON
Richard Whittington was born around 1350. He was not the penniless boy he is depicted in
pantomime, but the son of an Alderman - Sir William Whittington of Pauntley. He arrived in
London around 1379, began to deal in textiles, and became an extremely wealthy merchant.
He made large charitable donations, including the founding of the Whittington School in
London, the rebuilding of Newgate Gaol, and an almshouse for the poor. He married the
daughter of an Alderman - Alice Fitzwarren, and became an Alderman himself, before taking
the honorary title of Sheriff in 1393. It was under King Richard II that he became Lord Mayor
of London in 1397, and later again in 1406 and 1419. He became a member of parliament in
1416. Sadly nearly all of Whittington’s good works were destroyed in the Great Fire of London
(1666). There is, however a window in the Guildhall serving as a memorial, and a small stone
image in the crypt.
DICK WHITTINGTON’S CAT:
How a cat came to feature so heavily in the pantomime version is not clear. He may well have
had a cat, but certainly it does not feature in any accounts of his life. Possibly the answer lies
in his life as a merchant. Ships feature in the pantomime, and Whittington was a merchant.
His fortune depended on the sailing vessels bringing goods from Africa and the Far East. More
humble sailing vessels carrying coal were known as “Cats”, so that could be one reason the story
became confused with the humble moggy. Another theory is that the French word “Achat”, which
means “A Purchase” might have found itself intertwined in his legend.
Interestingly though, when Newgate prison was rebuilt (under the terms of Whittington’s will) a figure
of a cat was carved over one of the gates.
In 1572 a cat appeared carved on a chariot
presented by Whittington to the guild of
merchants. History has it that there was once a
portrait of Richard Whittington that showed him
holding a black cat in one hand, and a white cat
in the other. On Highgate Hill (the spot where
legend has it he stood and decided to return to
London) stands a statue of his cat, in front of the
“Whittington Hospital”.
“I love the story of Dick Whittington and its
tale of fulfilling your destiny. It’s my 10th
Harrogate panto and every year has been
a dream! I feel really lucky to spread some
panto magic in Harrogate every year.”
Phil Lowe, Director and Co-writer
THE RATS:
The pantomime version has the villain depicted as “King Rat”. It is Whittington’s cat who destroys all
the rats in the Kingdom, and this act makes Dick Whittington his vast fortune.
More likely the very shadow and spectre of the rats, bringing plague to London frequently made
them the ideal villains for legend. The Great Plague had only recently abated in London three years
previously. Londoners would have no problem associating the rodents with arch villainy.
THE LEGEND:
The legend of Dick Whittington follows the classic basis of a Fairy Tale, and indeed a pantomime.
The Poor boy makes good through some heroic or magical deed. By rewarding others he achieves a
Kingdom, a Princess, Untold wealth, or, in the case of Whittington he becomes fabulously rich, and is
made Lord Mayor of London three times.
The play version of “Dick Whittington” dates back to around 1605. There were several versions
performed, and the stories had become popular in the publications of cheap affordable
booklets’”chapbooks”- containing collections of stories.
information taken from www.its-behind-you.com
Supporting material for the story:
- How to set out a script
- Story Hill template
- Storyboard worksheet
Characters in Harrogate Theatre’s Dick Whittington pantomime
Alice Fitzwarren
Dick Whittington
Principal female role, the shop owner
Principal male role, the hero
Queen Rat
Evil villain
Fairy Bow Bells
Good magical fairy
King of the Fairies
King of the fairies- good and kind
Psychic Sarah the Cook
Dame, Idle Jack’s mum
Idle Jack
The Buffoon, Psychic Sarah’s son
Tommy the Cat
A cat, who can’t talk, Dick Whittington’s best friend
She is our ‘skin part’ (In the 19th century, some actors
specialised in performing animal roles, which were known as
‘skin parts’ as they wore a second skin to become the animal.)
Name:
Story Hill Template
Learning Objective: To plot the key events from Dic
Climax/Conflict:
Build up:
Opening:
ck Whittington
Resolution:
Ending:
How to set out a script
Scene Three
The BFG enters the cave, puts down his suitcase, removes his cloak, then carefully brings out
the ‘Sophie’ doll. He puts it on the table.
Sophie enters the scene and manipulates the doll like a puppet, while providing Sophie’s voice.
BFG
Ha! What has got us here?
He looks carefully at Sophie. At first he should not appear to be very friendly.
Sophie (nervously) Where am I?
BFG
This is my cave.
Sophie
Why did you snatch me and bring me here?
BFG
Because you saw me. If anyone is ever seeing a giant, he or she must
be taken away hipswitch.
Sophie
Why?
BFG
Human beans is not believing in giants, is they? Human beans is not thinking giants exist.
Sophie
I do.
BFG
Ah, but that is because you has seen me. If I hadn’t snitched you, you would be scuddling around yodelling the news on the telly-telly bunkum box that you were actually seeing a giant, and then a great giant-hunt, a mighty giant look-see would be starting up all over the world, and human beans would be trying to catch me and put
me in the zoo.
Sophie
So what’s going to happen to me now?
BFG
You will just have to be staying here with me for the rest of your life.
Sophie (gasping)Please don’t eat me!
Scripts are divided down
into scenes. A new scene begins when the action moves to a
new place or a different time, for example, later in the day,
Stage directions are given in italics so they stand out against
the spoken dialogue. Stage directions describe how the stage
and the characters look and move. They can also include
lighting and sound cues.
Characters names are in bold so actors can easily see when
their character moves or speaks.
The BFG speaks in funny made up words to help communicate his character.
Italics can be used within speech to tell the actor when a
word needs to be stressed or emphasized. You could use
capital letters to suggest a character is shouting.
This describes how the character is speaking. Are they happy
or sad? Joking or angry?
Story Boards
Learning Objective: To retell the story of Dick Whittington
A storyboard is a way of telling a story through pictures and a few words. Film makers often
use storyboards to show the action planned in a film.
1) Choose one of the following scenes from the pantomime of Dick Whittington:
- Dick and Alice meeting for the first time at her shop.
- The money going missing and Dick getting the blame.
- Dick hearing the ‘Turn again’ rhyme and returning to London to pursue his dream.
- Queen Rat sinking Alice’s ship by pulling out the giant plug.
- Everyone meeting King of the Fairies on the Canary Island.
- Dick becoming Mayor of London.
-And they all lived happily ever after.
2) What are the main points of the scene?
3) Use the Story Board Template to draw the main points of your scene in the film reel style
boxes.
4) Describe what is happening in the space next to each box.
Story Board Template
What’s happening?
What’s happening?
What’s happening?
Teacher Led Tasks - Writing Tasks
Learning Objectives: To write in a variety of styles
To imagine alternative versions of the story
Below are a variety of creative writing tasks you can adapt for your class.
Storytelling
Task
Dick Whittington is a timeless tale of tale of love, adventure andgood defeating evil.
Write your own story with the moral of “Your destiny is up to you” using the Story Hill template.
Remember to include:
Setting and character description
Build up
Dilemma
Resolution
Task
Dick Whittington ends when Dick defeats Queen Rat with help from his friend Tommy the
Cat. He is proven innocent of stealing the money, becomes Mayor of London and gets
married to
Alice Fitzwarren. If you were writing the story what would the ending be? Try writing an
alternative ending for Dick Whittington starting from the point when everyone meets the
King of the Fairies on the Canary Island.
Task
We know Dick Whittington’s background but what about the background of Queen Rat?
Create a story about how the evil Queen Rat became so mean and nasty.
Task
Adaptations of existing stories are the most common tales we see on stage. Choose your favourite fairytale and turn it into a play. Use the “How to set out a script” sheet to help you.
Scriptwriting and Performance
Task
Using the script layout template ask your pupils to write their own scene with the moral
“Your destiny is up to you”. Give them the chance to try acting out their plays in small
groups.
Task
Alternatively a short Dick Whittington script can be found at http://tinyurl.com/hkn7nzf
Task
Newspapers tell us facts about events and incidents that have happened recently.
Newspapers usually have:
Bold headlines to catch your eye.
Pictures to help tell the story.
Writing in short paragraphs.
Writing in columns.
Quotes/comments from eye witnesses.
Use the newspaper outline for the London Express to write a report on Dick’s dream and
his search for Alice or Dick saving the day by getting rid of all of the rats with the help of
his friend Tommy the Cat. Come up with a headline and draw a picture to go with it.
Alternatively design your own newspaper layout on a computer.
Idle Jack Media Company
London
express
Name:
Set and Costume Design Worksheet
Learning Objective: To give reasons for choices
Our Panto Set and Costume Designer is Richard Foxton. His job is to design the world that
the story takes place in, from the cloths that fly in and out, to the trucks that roll on and
off, to the many costumes worn by all the characters. He reads the script and is given a brief
by the Director of how the set and costumes should look. Richard then starts to design the
beautiful set and costumes that you see onstage.
“Harrogate panto’s design is a traditional storybook style with plenty of glitter! I feel very
pleased when a writer likes how I’ve interpreted their script.”
Richard Foxton Designer 2012 - present
1) We associate different meanings with different colours. Fill in the table below with one
word that you associate with each colour.
Colour
Meaning
Red
Danger
Black
White
Yellow
Green
Blue
Orange
Purple
2) Choose one character from Dick Whittington.
3) Write down five words to describe that character.
1. ______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
4. ______________________________________
5. ______________________________________
4) Is your character a goodie or a baddie?
5) Pick three colours which have associations / meanings that suit you character.
1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
6) Use the colours you have chosen to design a costume for your character.
It’s important to design the back of the costume as well as the front, otherwise the
costume maker won’t know what the back of the costume needs to look like.
Class Design Activities
Learning Objectives: To design set and costumes based upon a brief
Task
Imagine that you are the pantomime set designer. The director wants you to design the Canary
Island where the King of the Fairies lives. You will need to think about the following.
• The island needs to look tropical.
• There needs to be a throne for the King to sit on.
Task
In our pantomime there is an under the sea UV scene. Design a fish puppet for this scene, it
need to be bright, colourful & eye catching.
You also need to think about how an actor(s) will control your puppet to make it move around.
Task
Design a dress for Psychic Sarah to wear whilst she is cooking. The director would like the dress
to be:
• Silly
• Colourful
Learning Objectives: To use effective descriptive vocabulary to describe a
character and setting
Audio Description
At Harrogate Theatre we offer audio description of the performance for audience members who
are visually impaired. This means that visually impaired people can receive descriptions of the set
and the costumes through a set a headphones during the performances so they can continue to
enjoy the visual aspects of the show.
Task
Get into pairs and decribe your bedroom at home to your partner. Remember to consider colour,
texture and shapes. Make sure that you are using clear, simple descriptive language.
Task
Blindfold your partner and guide them round an obstacle course by describing the obstacles to
them. This could be done in a a variety of environments such as the hall, the school gym
or the playground. Make sure you are giving clear and simple decriptions so that your
partner knows where they are going.
Task
Using one of the photographs (see overleaf) from previous Harrogate Theatre pantomimes write
a short description of the costume. When you have done this read your description to a partner
and ask them to draw what you describe. How accurate is their drawing? Can you change your
description to make it clearer?
Task
Dick Whittington has lots of different ‘sets’. A set is usually made from painted scenery and
shows the location of a scene.
All class members should write a paragraph describing one of the locations used in Dick
Whittington imagining that they are the director.
Scenes
•
•
•
•
The streets of old London Town
Alice Fitzwarren’s Shop
The ship
King Fairy’s Canary Island
Collect the descriptions in and pass them out to the class. Ask the class to design a set using
the paragraph they’ve received. A worksheet can be found on this later in the pack.
Ask the class to find out who got their paragraph and what they came up with. Is it anything like they had imagined? How can they improve their writing?
Task
Dick Whittington has lots of different ‘sets’. A set is usually made from painted scenery and
shows the location of a scene.
All class members should write a paragraph describing one of the locations used in Dick
Whittington imagining that they are the director.
Scenes
•
•
•
•
The streets of old London Town
Alice Fitzwarren’s Shop
The ship
King Fairy’s Canary Island
Collect the descriptions in and pass them out to the class. Ask the class to design a set using
the paragraph they’ve received. A worksheet can be found on this later in the pack.
Ask the class to find out who got their paragraph and what they came up with. Is it anything like they had imagined? How can they improve their writing?
Name:
Learning Objective: To design a backdrop cloth for Dick Whittingotn
Reviews
Theatre critics write reviews of productions they have seen to tell their readers about what’s
on and how good it is. Theatres rely on critics coming to see the show (and liking it!) to spread
the word and encourage more people to come and see the show.
“The best way to write a review is imagine that you are telling a friend about the
performance you have seen. Read it out loud and see if it sounds like you. It must reflect
your opinions and what you think”.
Michaela Noonan (Former Head of Press, Harrogate Theatre)
Here’s some advice from Graham Chalmers, Arts Journalist at the Harrogate Advertiser.
Writing a good review: a guide
The essence of good reviewing is getting the facts correct and putting things in perspective.
This involves observing, describing, understanding and honesty.
To achieve this you need four things:
1. Basic facts. Name of show, where it is, who’s in it, what is it about? When it is on?
2. What was your personal opinion of it?
3. Background knowledge. Where does the production sit in comparison to previous
versions of it or in comparison to other, different productions/events by the same performers?
4. How did the audience react to it?
If you follow these principles, you should also be able to create a fair review, which is not
necessarily the same as a good review.
After you’ve seen Dick Whittington we’d like to read your reviews and get to know what you
think of Harrogate’s truly traditional pantomime. If you need character or actor names, or the
names of the people who work behind the scenes to make it happen, look on our website
www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk. Remember to include a headline to grab the reader’s attention!
We’ll publish some of the best written reviews in the theatre for everyone to see. Send them
to [email protected] or post them to Dick Whittington reviews, Harrogate Theatre,
Oxford Street, Harrogate, HG1 1QF.
Teacher Led Tasks - Music Workshop Ideas
Learning Objectives: To use music to explore Dick Whittington
Music plays a huge part in creating the spectacle of the pantomime.
Task
Play the class short excerpts of a variety of types of music. Ask the class to close their eyes
while listening and try to think of a colour, place and type of person that they associate with
that type of music. Discuss ideas with the class after each piece of music.
All choose one of the characters you have thought about in response to one of the pieces of
music. Create a short devised performance using those characters. How would they meet?
Would they like each other?
Write a short story in response to one of the pieces of music.
Task
Pantomimes always have a big audience sing-a-long. Ask the class to write their own song in
small groups to be taught by Idle Jack to the audience. It needs to be short and simple with
lots of repetition. To make it easier pupils could write the song to the tune of a well-known
nursery rhyme or song.
Task
Pantomimes often parody pop songs. Ask the class to adapt a pop song of their choice into
a song about Dick Whittington, or about a character from the show, or to be sung by one
character about another. Why not try a duet between Psychic Sarah & Idle Jack?
Task
Each character traditionally has a musical motif that signals their entrance to the audience.
In small groups ask the class to create ten second long motifs for Fairy Bow Bells, King of
Fairies, Psychic Sarah, Idle Jack, Alice Fitzwarren, Queen Rat and Tommy the Cat.
Task
There are a lot of exciting locations in Dick Whittington. As a class come up with a list of the
different locations. Choose one location from the list and each come up with a sound for the
location chosen using your voice or your body (clapping, clicking, tapping etc). The teacher
can then act as the conductor, asking the class to get louder, or quieter, pausing certain
sounds and building them back in later.
Marketing and media tasks
Learning Objectives: To write a press release and design a poster
A press release is a short advert that the theatre’s marketing department send to
newspapers, radio and television companies. It tells them about the play and why people
should go and see it.
Like a newspaper, a press release usually has a bold headline, short paragraphs and includes
lots of reasons why it is such a good play to go and see.
Task
Imagine you are one of the marketing team at Harrogate Theatre.
Look at www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk and see what information you can find about Dick
Whittington.
Think of 3 reasons why people should go and see Dick Whittington.
1.
2.
3.
What other details might you need to tell the press? (Think about time and dates of the
show).
Design a press release on the computer. You need to use two different font sizes and
include two pictures.
Task
Design a poster for Dick Whittington to be put up outside the theatre and to be sent to
schools and businesses in the area.
The poster must include the following information:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
The name of the show
Where it is being performed
Dates of shows
Times of shows
Where to buy tickets
Names of the writer and director
Eye-catching picture
Have a look at the poster on the next page to give you an idea of the layout.
Harrogate Theatre
enhances learning through creativity.
We offer high quality workshops from just £60.
To book or for more information contact
[email protected]
or call
01423 502710 ext 108