Devising and Physical Theatre

What this unit covers

This unit sits in the Acting, Rehearsal and Devising strand of Performing arts (theatre, dance). Most of the resources are mind maps, with a handful of flashcard decks, slide sets, notes and one flowchart. Together they follow a devised piece from first idea to written evaluation.

Practitioners and techniques

Several maps profile the companies and people behind physical theatre. The Steven Berkoff map covers his training at Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris and his career as actor, playwright and director. The Frantic Assembly maps list aims, plays and techniques such as Round-By-Through, Push Hands, Three Universes, Chair Duets and lifts. There are also maps on DV8, Volcano, Lecoq, Immersive Theatre and Theatre for Change. The Rehearsal Techniques map covers gestus and how to combine facial expression, voice and body language to separate characters.

Real devised work

Some resources show how students planned their own pieces. XX/XY describes an opening scene played in a blackout with torches. Group 2 Performance Plan sets out plot, monologues and characters. The slides on drama portfolio essays start from the stimulus 'Women can't play football'. Use them as models for structure, not as scripts to copy.

Where to start

1. Open the Devising and Initial Ideas maps to see how a piece begins.
2. Move to a practitioner map, such as Frantic Assembly, and note two techniques you could use.
3. Read the Section A slides and run through the Section A Question 1 flashcards, which ask about the play, genre, performance space, design elements and audience.
4. Finish with the Section A answered note, which discusses Mojo by Jez Butterworth, to see a full response.

Using maps and flashcards together

Maps help you see how ideas connect. Flashcards help you recall the details. Read a map, cover it, then test yourself with a deck. Teachers can set a map as a starting point for a rehearsal or a written task.

Pick a resource that matches your piece, then build your own map or deck from what you find.