UNLOCKED: STYLES
Unlocking Physical Theatre
Discover, Explore, Assess
Student Workbook
Marjorie Mae Treger
© Digital Theatre+ | Published: February 4, 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Introduction .......................................................................................................... 3
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Discover ................................................................................................................ 5
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D1: Lots o’ Lazzi Practice ............................................................................. 5
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D2: Viewpoints Exercises ........................................................................... 9
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D3: Laban Eforts .......................................................................................... 11
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D4: Grafti Wall ............................................................................................ 13
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D5: Practitioners Research and Mini-Presentations .......................... 15
Explore ................................................................................................................. 17
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E1: Warm-Up .................................................................................................. 17
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E2: Blank Scene ......................................................................................... 20
Assess ................................................................................................................ 23
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A1: Choice Chart ......................................................................................... 23
Unlocking Physical Theatre – Student Workbook | Digital Theatre+
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome!
Let’s get physical!
It’s said that actors have three main tools: voice, body, and imagination.
Physical theatre puts all of these to the test when creating a performance
piece. Physical theatre is a dramatic style where the performers focus
on the movement of their bodies to create meaning. It tends to be highly
visual and melds together many physical styles such as pantomime and
clowning.
In this episode of Unlocked we’ll look at the evolution of Physical Theatre
and watch some terrific examples of this craft.
In this workbook, you will have the opportunity to try many of these
Physical Theatre techniques and create your own pieces as well.
The Student Workbook of the Unlocked series is for you to use while
learning about a specific topic or skill. It is divided into three major
sections – Discover, Explore, and Assess.
Are you a teacher? You can find detailed instructions, strategies and
suggestions for each activity in the corresponding Teacher Notes.
Discover
In this section you are introduced to the topic. You will participate in
activities that bring your learning to life.
Explore
In this section you will dig more deeply into the topic and begin to
integrate your learning with your theatre practices.
Assess
This section provides multiple ways of measuring your learning.
Your teacher may also provide you with a quiz.
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Icons
Look out for the icons below as you make your way through the
e-learning video and your workbook. They will let you know which
activity to go to and what kind of activity it will be.
Activity
Discussion
Quiz
Practical Activity
Written Activity
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DISCOVER
LOTS O’ LAZZI PRACTICE
Learning Targets
I can:
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Create, rehearse, revise, and perform a lazzi focused on physical
characterization.
A lazzi is a comic routine based on character. It’s a solo performance
that reveals something about the character and their inner life and/or
desires. In a lazzi, a character is trying to solve a problem or creating
a new (often lazy) way to solve a problem. This could be something as
simple as trying to pick up a hat. Lazzi are usually performed without
dialogue but may have vocal sounds embedded in them. They are
very physical and reveal character through posture, gesture, and
action.
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Worksheet D1.1 – Lazzi Character Description and Backstory
Write a description and backstory for your character that
explores their deepest desires and needs – remember, these
must be school appropriate!
Include information on the following:
Character Name: ____________________________________
Physical Description:
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_______________________________________________
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_______________________________________________
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_______________________________________________
Emotional Description:
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_______________________________________________
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_______________________________________________
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_______________________________________________
Backstory:
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_______________________________________________
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_______________________________________________
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_______________________________________________
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Worksheet D1.2 – Lazzi Brainstorm
Select one thing from your character biography (Worksheet D1.1) that
could be turned into a lazzi. Focus on that one thing and answer the
following questions:
What does the character want/desire? (Strong choices revolve
around base needs such as hunger, greed, and love.)
Want/desire
What is the obstacle?
What diferent tactics can the character try to solve the
problem? (The more complicated and ridiculous, the better!)
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Worksheet D1.3 – Lazzi Outline
Beginning:
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Character
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Setting
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Problem
Middle (character addresses problem and begins to try
solutions). Each tactic should be more exaggerated and
desperate than the previous one:
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Tactic one
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Tactic two
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Tactic three
Ending (character solves problem or doesn’t and moves on)
Other ideas/notes
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VIEWPOINTS EXERCISES
Learning Targets
I can:
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Defne and demonstrate the nine Viewpoints.
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Worksheet D2.1 – Viewpoints Research
You and your group will research your assigned Viewpoint and present
your fndings to the class. Your presentation will include a practical
activity demonstrating the Viewpoint in action.
Notes:
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Name of assigned Viewpoint:
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Defnition of Viewpoint:
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Outline of physical activity demonstrating Viewpoint:
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LABAN EFFORTS
Learning Targets
I can:
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Create and perform a character using Laban Eforts.
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Worksheet D3.1 – Laban Combination Eforts Monologue
Write a monologue of 8 to 10 lines for the character that matches the
efort combination that made you feel the least like yourself (example:
fast, heavy, direct). Be sure to complete the prompts below before writing
your monologue. Write your monologue in your own notebook or in an
online document.
Effort combination (e.g., slow, light, direct):
Character name:
Character description:
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Character trait 1:
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Character trait 2:
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Character trait 3:
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Additional notes:
Monologue background (why is the character saying this?):
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Key detail 1:
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Key detail 2:
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Key detail 3:
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GRAFFITI WALL
Learning Targets
I can:
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Demonstrate an understanding of the language associated with
Physical Theatre.
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Worksheet D4.1 – Grafti Wall
Topic 1
What I have chosen:
How it helps me better understand the topic:
Topic 2
What I have chosen:
How it helps me better understand the topic:
Topic 3
What I have chosen:
How it helps me better understand the topic:
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PRACTITIONERS
RESEARCH AND
MINI-PRESENTATIONS
Learning Targets
I can:
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Identify practitioners of Physical Theatre
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Apply basic research skills
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Present information to peers in an informal setting.
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Worksheet D5.1 – Practitioners Research and
Mini-Presentation
Name of practitioners/group:
Artistic vision:
History of person/group and their way of working in Physical
Theatre:
Sample of work:
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EXPLORE
WARM-UP
Learning Targets
I can:
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Practice various acting techniques/exercises to expand my skills for
Physical Theatre work.
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Worksheet E1.1 – Warm-Up – Circuits
You and your group will create a circuit warm-up that includes four to six
activities.
Example:
Activity 1: Complete one minute of bicycle crunches
to work your abdominals
• Lie on your back in a sit-up/crunch position with
your legs straight out and off the ground.
• Move them as though you are pedaling a bicycle.
• Use a steady, moderate pace for 30 seconds and
then go as fast as you can for the final 30 seconds.
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Names of group members: ____________________________
Provide step-by-step instructions for each activity:
Activity 1:
Activity 2:
Activity 3:
Activity 4:
Activity 5: (optional)
Activity 6: (optional)
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BLANK SCENE
Learning Targets
I can:
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Use physicality to communicate character relationships and settings
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Perform a rehearsed scene for an informal audience.
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Worksheet E2.1 – Blank Scene
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Using the script on the following page, you and your partner will
complete the following as you decide on the context for your scene.
Characters:
Relationship:
Moment before:
Given circumstances:
Confict:
Objective:
Tactics:
Rehearsal notes:
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A: This is the worst
B: Mmm
A: There
B: Happy
A: I am now
B: Are you done
A: Your turn
B: OK, no, this is the worst
A: Mmm
B: There
A: Are you done
B: Yes
A: I thought you said you were done
B: OK, OK, now anything else
A: Yes, there
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ASSESS
CHOICE CHART
Learning Targets
I can:
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Apply what I have learned to further develop my skills in Physical
Theatre
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Create original work based on my chosen project.
Instructions
Select one or more of the projects from the choice chart. After making
your selection, meet with your teacher to discuss what a successful
project looks like and set deadlines for the work.
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Create and perform a thematic
mime piece.
Select a theme that is important to
you. Create a mime piece that refects
a character on a journey related to
that theme.
For example, your theme might be
Man versus Nature. You might select
a small child lost in the wilderness as
the basis for your story.
Make sure your piece has a clear
beginning, middle, and end, and
includes a confict.
Select music to support your piece
and add three sections of vocal
dialogue/sound to support the
storytelling.
Design an environment that
would support a Physical Theatre
performance with a focus on
breaking the fourth wall and fully
immersing the audience in the
experience.
Think of a site-specifc location, other
than a traditional theater, in which a
performance could be held.
Draw the space and indicate where
the actors would work and where the
audience might be. This could be in
more than one confguration if the
actors travel and the audience moves
to see the action.
Build a model of your idea.
Rehearse, perform, and record a
lazzi for a specifc audience.
Select a character.
Referencing the lesson earlier in
the unit, outline a lazzi in which this
character has an extreme desire of
some sort.
Comedically exaggerate the
character’s desire, the confict, and
the tactics.
Make sure it has a beginning, middle,
and end.
Rehearse and perform for an
audience
Rehearse and perform for an
audience.
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Reimagine a fairy tale or fable in the
style of Physical Theatre.
This can be solo or group work. It
should be three to fve minutes in
length.
Develop and record an actor warmup to prepare for participation in
Physical Theatre.
It should contain:
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An ensemble game
Exaggerate the characters and the
physical work.
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A physical warm-up
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Circuit training
Write an outline including a
beginning, middle, and end.
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A cooldown.
Select a piece of music to enhance
the storytelling.
Watch The Woodsman on Digital
Theatre+ and write a review.
Watch the play and write a review of
the performance, with specifc focus
on the Physical Theatre aspects.
Choose a specifc actor to focus
on and write your observations on
their use of Physical Theatre skills to
support storytelling.
Refer to the Evaluation Template –
Performance document for guidance.
Rehearse and perform for an
audience.
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Using an image or photograph as
inspiration, create a sound design
for a Physical Theatre piece.
Focus on the image and decide the
theme you would like to explore.
Create a sound design/soundscape
using music, found sounds, and
vocalizations that supports the theme
and provides actors with inspiration
for movement.
It should be two to fve minutes in
length and have an emotional build
to it.
Write a treatment for a short
story, poem, or song that clearly
communicates how it could be
produced as Physical Theatre.
Select a piece that moves you in
some way.
Outline the piece and indicate how
Physical Theatre techniques will
enhance the storytelling in each
section.
Explore performance location, music,
sound, lighting, audience placement,
and interaction.
Select a scene or monologue from
a play. Apply Physical Theatre
techniques to the work. Rehearse
and perform the piece for an
audience.
Apply what you know about
Viewpoints and Laban Movement
to character creation, blocking, and
stage business.
Consider using pantomime and
tableau.
Discuss what physical work will be
used to enhance or replace some
dialogue/scenes.
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