3. Now work on the questions on Worksheet 1 while ideas are fresh in students' minds.
Sections 3 and 4 are dealt with in a similar way, but are not provided in this example.
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ROMEO and JULIET Act 1 scene 1 SPECIAL NEEDS UNITS The scene has been divided into four sections as in the close study.
The Special Needs units shown below are only for the first two sections of Act 1 Scene 1. They use a version of the text which has been further abridged for use as a walk-through script of the opening fight which makes clear the main ideas. A record of these ideas is built up by students answering the questions on the worksheets provided. The worksheet questions are formulated to contain correct premises on which to base discussion so that students’ confidence in their own knowledge is boosted and accurate ideas are reinforced. If questions are not discussed together as a whole class (in some instances, you may prefer students to think things out first in groups, pairs or individually - a change of approach can often help concentration), make sure you all come together to check the information so that what students finally write on their sheets is accurate and can be kept by them as a record. Written answers on the worksheets can be as brief or as full as students can cope with but class discussions should always be as full and lively as possible; all the ideas are covered in detail in the close study. UNIT ONE SETTING IN CONTEXT
Discussion of expectations sparked by The Prologue Time: about 5 minutes Aim: |
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to see what sort of opening to the play students are expecting after The Prologue and to look at how it actually opens. |
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Discussion |
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What does The Prologue tell us the play is going to be about?
What do you think would make a good opening scene to catch the audience’s attention?
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SECTIONS ONE and TWO From line 1 down to [Exeunt all but Montague, his wife, and Benvolio]
UNIT TWO ACTING OUT
Read-throughs and a walk-through of the opening fight covered in sections 1 and 2, followed by worksheet 1 N.B. Use the walk-through script of the opening fight for the read-throughs as well as the walk-through. Time: as long as it takes, probably about one double session Aim: |
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to work out a performance of the opening fight and appreciate what it needs to convey to an audience. |
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1. Read-throughs. |
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Slash as you consider appropriate for your students. |
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2. Walk-through. |
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This is on the same lines as in the full study. You will need |
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enough badges or distinguishing labels of some sort marked C or M so half your class can be Capulets and half Montagues. |
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What needs to be made clear?
Divide your class into its opposing sides and give them their badges. They could pick them out of a bag so they do not choose who they are going to support; this can avoid arguments and friends sticking together. STRESS THAT THERE IS TO BE NO ACTUAL CONTACT BETWEEN YOUR ACTORS. Working on the fight is the sort of activity that could be used as an excuse for a punch-up. People haven’t changed. From the Montague half, choose Benvolio, Abraham and another servant. From the Capulet half, choose Sampson, Gregory and Tybalt. If space can be made available, put your Montagues and Capulets facing each other but as far apart as possible. Put your four servants facing each other in front of the two lines. If you are in the classroom, range your "Cs" and "Ms" down either side and have your four protagonists facing in whatever space can be cleared. Explain that the gesture of biting the thumb was very insulting and probably consisted of flicking the top front teeth with the thumb nail, making it click, possibly accompanied by a clicking sound made by the tongue. Students love to make this gesture. Where one side speaks and is threatening the other, let the character take ONE (and one only) step forward and make a suitable gesture as he speaks, followed by your two opposing sides who need to show that they are supporting their respective households. If in a classroom, your two lines clearly do not move but they can decide on an insulting gesture and perform it with relish. With everyone using the version provided as their script, students can rehearse and, if they like, mark up their scripts in some way to remind them what has been decided and how they have interpreted the lines. Discussion may go something like this: How funny will you make the exchange between the servants? |
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See what happens as you rehearse. Up until Tybalt enters, is there any real danger? Benvolio doesn’t hesitate to try to intervene. This will allow for a real change when Tybalt and Benvolio fight because Tybalt means to fight to the death. The outcome will vary according to your class and its interpretation - some can be menacing from the first, with a nasty undertone among the servants, others can be much more light-hearted and out for a bit of entertainment. You could try it out in different ways and see which students prefer. |
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How will Sampson stand? In as insolent a way as possible and "bite his thumb" very obviously? |
| Abraham: | Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? (step forward aggressively and make an angry gesture?) | |
| Sampson: | I do bite my thumb, sir (step, rather more casually and maybe bite thumb again, looking very unconcerned?) | |
| Abraham: | Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? (angry step and what sort of gesture?) | |
| Sampson: | No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir. (what sort of step and what sort of gesture here?) | |
| Gregory: | Do you quarrel, sir? (angry step - he is starting up again when there is no reaction from Abraham. How long will you pause here to make it clear that Abraham isn’t going to respond?) |
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And so on until the four servants are close together on "Draw, if you be men" where their action will show they have swords in their hands as they circle each other menacingly without actually touching at all while the rest shout from their respective sides, the lines can close in but not too close, to support their side (if you are in a classroom, students will have stayed put on either side of the room but will use their gestures and shout). Noisy but effective. Bring in Benvolio to step between them, again with arm raised to show he has a sword, at which point you shout "Freeze!" and, with luck and a fair wind, there is silence and everyone freezes: the crowd in a suitable gesture, Benvolio with his sword raised and the four servants looking at Benvolio. He then speaks his lines beginning, "Part fools!", Bring in Tybalt from the opposite side so Benvolio doesn’t see him until he says, "Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death". Everyone unfreezes and listens, miming appropriate reactions to the exchange between Benvolio and Tybalt. Again, the two can circle each other in the centre while the four servants retreat to stand in front of their supporters on either side. Let Tybalt lunge on "Have at thee, coward!" and the two mime their "fight", keeping at arm’s length, while everyone else shouts their lines at random. Again, everyone freezes in a suitable gesture on your command. Let’s hope the room you are working in is reasonably sound-proof. Continue the scene with the intervention of the two old men and the Prince’s decree, work out the moves. There will be no need for the shouting to stop until Lord Capulet breaks in with his opening line. Let everyone freeze in a suitable gesture at this point. Capulet will move into the centre where the action is. How will he and Lady Capulet interact? Bring in Lord and Lady Montague. Try to remember to bring out the different attitudes of the two wives. Let the two old men square up to each other and the shouting can start again as they are egged on by the crowd and held back by their wives. The Prince enters but the shouting doesn’t stop until he reaches the line "Will they not hear? What ho! You men, you beasts". Then everyone stops and reacts to what the Prince has to say. Work out what the various reactions could be both for the main characters and the crowd. Now do it for real. It may be worth letting your class act it out again with suggested improvements. It is worth taking time and trying out ideas. Students enjoy this work and it is surprising how much they remember even when you think things have descended into chaos. So, be bold. |
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3. Now work on the questions on Worksheet 1 while ideas are fresh in students' minds. Sections 3 and 4 are dealt with in a similar way, but are not provided in this example.
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