Time: 2 hours

Objectives:

• Students will be able to define the concept of live theatre reviews and explain the elements of a performance that should be included when writing one.

Activity Plan:

Introduction (10 minutes)

-Start the lesson with a discussion around the experience of attending a live theatre performance (students’ experiences, expectations, emotions etc).

-Introduce the concept of live theatre reviews to students. Explain that after a show, people may wish to share their experience with others and therefore write a review.

Video and Brainstorming Activity (20 minutes)

-Show students a video of a live theatre performance (5-10 minutes).

-Ask the students to identify 3 elements that they noticed during the video and could include when writing a review.

-Take a few examples from the class (e.g. the set, costumes, performances etc) and create a shared class list of elements on the whiteboard.

Explaining Vocabulary (15 minutes)

-Present students with a range of vocabulary related to performance review writing, including words like ‘aesthetic’, ‘blocking’, ‘mise en scene’ etc.

-Explain the meaning of each word and how it could be used when writing a review.

-Invite students to ask questions if they are unsure.

Research Activity (30 minutes)

-Split students into small groups and ask them to research further into the key elements that should be included when writing a live theatre review.

-Allocate each group a different element to research (e.g. lighting, sound, acting etc).

-Each group should then present their findings back to the class.

Review Writing Activity (25 minutes)

-In groups of 3-4, ask students to use the information that they’ve learnt this lesson to imagine what a live theatre review might look like.

-Encourage them to include descriptive language, vocabulary they’ve learnt throughout the lesson and other elements they may have noticed in the video.

-Once they’ve written a review, they can discuss with their peers to plan and consolidate the review further.

Share and Review (15 minutes)

-Invite each group to present their theatre review to the rest of the class.

-Once each group has presented their work, give students a chance to critique each other comments and provide constructive feedback.

Conclusion (5 minutes)

-Summarise the key points from the lesson.

-Ask students to share one thing they’ve learnt about writing a live theatre review.

-Encourage any students who might need additional support to share their thoughts and ask any additional questions.