Macbeth and Hamlet
This scheme of work uses a range of practical skills to explore Macbeth and Hamlet. Students improvise scenes based on some of the plays’ major characters, including the iconic witches from Macbeth and the ghost of Hamlet’s father. Students will look at skills such as choral voice, creating multiple characters and the use of different staging. They will also experiment with creating modern versions of Shakespeare’s characters and work on their own interpretations of interactions between the characters. Students need not read much of either text as the introductory work allows them to access the plays. The Animated Tales are useful short films which give an overview of the plots.
- been introduced to the story of Macbeth and have a basic knowledge of the text
- consolidated their knowledge and been reminded of the story if they have met it before
- used improvisation to explore in more depth some of the key relationships in the play
- explored the use of different staging to perform the witches’ speech
- applied their own ideas to a modern version of the witches’ chant
- been introduced to the story of Hamlet and have a basic knowledge of the text
- consolidated their knowledge and been reminded of the story if they are not new to it
- recreated the ghost’s speech using multiple characterisation and choral voice
- explored the main characters’ relationships through improvisation.
Number of lessons: 9