We created the idea of 'The Survival Guide' to give us a chance to clearly address the students about the problems and then provide the solutions. We would be able to include facilitation by asking the children to help come up with ideas for solutions, which would allow them to think about it for themselves becoming more independent as they will when they go to secondary school.
Scene One - Year 6
After doing the 'Junk' piece of TIE we knew we wanted to start the piece with a high energy scene. At first we just wanted we entered and met our pair and talked to each other in order to reflect the positive relationships that have formed in the year 6 groups. Kelly then entered as the teacher and Emily introduced everyone as the class, using the direct address to talk to the audience directly creating an instant personal relationship with them as they are being told Emily's feelings which may mimic their own. We then show the relationship between the teacher and the children as she then asks 'so who's excited about secondary school?!' we can then make the children establish whether they are as well, before telling them how Emily is feeling and attempting to unhinge any fears that they do have.
After feedback, Sir told us that the first scene could have more energy. We decided to add in music, which was the 'Recess' theme tune. We would then also talk to the audience and ask them about their summer plans, making the audience feel comfortable talking to the cast and allowing the cast to notice the more confident students. We also will raise the volume of a vocals and we will all try and use a wider variety of vocal tones so the performances energy is higher creating a more entertaining performance to keep the audience engaged.
Scene Two - Home
We wanted to create a scene to show a typical home, we removed a father figure due to cast numbers, lack of necessity, and make it more accessible to children who only have one parent. We used both a brother and a sister and created scenarios of their first days and the issue of big kids. We used the problem to create humour by making the actions comedic and over the top allowing the children to laugh at the problem rather than be scared about it. We then decided this would be a good place to add facilitation about who they should tell about fears.
After feedback, we decided to make the violence more comedic that happens between Jake and Ciara. They added silly sound effects to also say that using violence is a silly idea.
Facilitation One - 'Who to tell?'
We wanted to get the children talking and discussing ideas with us as soon as possible, as we finished the last scene on Emily's line 'but what if that does happen to me?' - we then ask the audience. The most likely answers we came up with were to 1. tell a teacher, 2. tell parents, 3. tell a friend. We decided that telling a friend would not create much benefit if that did happen as no power lies with someone the same age. We had pre-planned the other two as short scenes so we could then show the outcome. We wanted them to know that they should tell both parent and teacher, but to tell the teacher as soon as possible and should treat teachers as school parents that will be able to help and resolve the problem quicker.
After feedback, it was made aware that we should then ask the audience to discuss the pro's and con's of telling both parent and teacher in order to reiterate they can tell both, but the quickest way would be to tell the teacher.
We also wanted to show the children that it was not only if something happened at lunchtime that they could talk to a teacher, but any issue they had within school could be discussed with a teacher. We devised a more interactive piece of facilitation where we would discuss with sections the most common topics we discussed with teachers in year 7, which were: loosing personal items, forgetting p.e kit and homework. We will be able to talk about each individual subject matter, but will then ask for a volunteer child that feels confident to go and interact with our real life teacher, about the pre-chosen subject. We will give them the scenario and by letting them talk to a real life teacher we can show the ease of it, and a realistic reaction that will be more believable than a member of the cast switching to pretend to be a teacher after being friendly with the audience.
Scene Three - First day of school
We start the scene with Jake and Ciara (the siblings) leaving Emily by herself to be lost. This is a fear that is very likely to happen, so we wanted to show them that even if they're lost they won't be alone. We each stand at a corner and pretend to be angry doors sending her away from the wrong classroom. We then surround her and do a lift whilst muttering directions of where they should be. After then leaving her to drop to the floor we represent how she is feeling neglected and alone. Before showing Kelly walk and help her, directing her to her room. We decided to show this, because we wanted to ease the fears that no one will help, because likely hood is there will always be someone around to help and we wanted to show them this.
Scene Four - Lesson
We all start spaced out so at least one or two sides of the audience can see some cast members, Emily is now sat centre stage on a chair as if she is in a lesson. We then do a cross over whilst saying lines about how we don't know where Emily is, and then move on to show how her friends think she'll have someone. Which, when researched, was a common fear - that they would be alone and not obtain or keep friends within lessons. Emily is excluded from an input as she is in fact in a lesson by herself. We then show the discussion of the friends talking amongst each other, to show that it's not them being harsh to Emily, just that they have a relatable common ground for conversation. Here she does another bit of direct address about being alone in lesson and how she's looking forward to lunch time.After feedback, we need to make sure that we keep the pace of the crossing over as quick and slick as possible to make it fluid, so the audience won't be distracted by a messy scene and can focus on the language. We also need to consider that if we're walking from front to back and our faces are facing away from the audience that we need to talk clear and loud to be heard, and try and turn to face one side of the audience in order to keep engaging with the audience.
Scene Five - Lunchtime
We decided to do crossover's again that were more fast paced and this time we'd show Emily attempting to join in conversation but we are all moving to quick for her to initiate a conversation as we are trying to find our way. This puts the audience in a place to empathise Emily as she is the only character on stage for this entire section. The conversation shows that her peers are not trying to exclude her but are moving too quickly to engage fully.
After feedback, Sir said this scene could be developed, and bring in a more realistic scene. We decided to bring on a row of chairs, and we would show other interactions. This will show them that it's not just one person that has an issue during the transition, so me and Chris start having an awkward conversation to show how it will be awkward at first to talk to new people, but will get better once a topic of conversation is found. Person after person will sit down until Emily walks on and then we can proceed to facilitation.
Facilitation Two - Lunchtime
The first thing we will do, is ask the audience how they think Emily will be feeling. This will allow them to see how many other people can relate to this feeling. We will then either ask the child to mould the person, or ask how the person would look and mould for the child how Emily would look if she was a certain emotion. This could also give them an idea that if they see someone like this, they could possible help and encourage a conversation with a lonely person to be there for other people as they would want to be there for them.
Next we name the pairs on the seats into 3 groups. We will then ask which group they think Emily should go to first. We will keep trying until the conversation continues. This shows the audience that there will be someone to talk too, and if it doesn't happen instantly, they shouldn't feel defeated and should continue to interact until you find people you are comfortable with.
Facilitation Three - 'The Survival Guide'
We now want to get the children up doing their own pieces of drama from everything that we have taught them throughout the performance of Emily's story. We agreed that freeze frames were the best way to do this as they would be quick to present. It is also easy to organise with the kids. We would first talk to the group about fears they have, and then pick the one closest to our pre-chosen choice. Mine and Matt's = telling teacher, Ciara and Emily = joining clubs/making friends, Kelly and Jake = organisation/personal items. From these we will create three freeze frames of before (the problem) - during (the solution) - after (happy end product). We will then show the groups to each other. This will reinforce everything that we have shown throughout the performance and by getting them to perform them in a fun and entertaining way, it relieves the fear as the focus on the solving of the problem.
We had to discuss a variety of issues from our research, bullying came out on top. As a result of this, and knowing the issue, we didn't think we could do a small section on bullying, as the issue is so large it would probably require an entire performance.
Scene Six - End Emily's Story
We will end the story by having Chris ask Emily how school is three weeks on. This way we can see what she did in order to make more friends and we are rounding off Emily's story in a positive way to show that if it's tough at first it will get better.
FINAL PERFORMANCE:
