An Article by Rebecca B, Year 8 Drama Scholar
As part of ENCORE: In Our Own Words, our Scholars share their experiences of the programme, offering an insight into the sessions and opportunities from their perspective.
On Thursday 8 October, our Drama Scholars took part in an ENCORE session focused on developing the duologue. Miss Worthington began by presenting a PowerPoint introducing us to duologues, explaining what they are (dialogue between two people) and sharing key tips for performing them effectively, including using space, physical movement, eye contact and facial and vocal expression. This helped us understand what makes a successful duologue and the techniques we could use to bring one to life.
We were then given a script and asked to work in pairs. My partner was Maisie F, and together we began by reading through our script to explore its meaning. We were given a scene from Little Women between Laurie and Jo, in which Laurie tells Jo that he loves her, but Jo explains that she only wants to be friends. We had the freedom to interpret the scene in our own way, experimenting with movement and using the space around us.
As Miss Worthington moved around the room, she listened to each pair and offered advice. When she watched Maisie and me, she encouraged us to focus on our eyes, thinking about when we looked at each other and when we deliberately avoided eye contact. Trying this really helped us communicate through our eyes as well as our words, adding another layer to our performance.
I particularly enjoyed working with a partner because we had to react to each other’s acting and movement. This tested our decision-making and improvisation skills. As our characters became more anxious, we moved around the space more quickly, whereas in the sadder moments, we slowed down, furrowed our eyebrows and softened our voices. One challenge we faced was incorporating physical contact, as the script did not specifically direct us to use it. We decided to add a touch on the shoulder when Laurie became upset and frustrated with himself, which I felt helped communicate the connection and friendship between the characters.
At the end of the session, three pairs performed their interpretations of the scene. It was interesting to see how differently everyone approached the same script. Some choices, such as turning their backs to each other to communicate disagreement, inspired us with ideas to try in our own performances.
One of the main things I learnt from this session was to be more confident in experimenting with body language, emphasis and movement. Taking risks with these choices can add greater depth to a performance and help communicate the characters’ emotions more effectively.
These sessions are also helping us build friendships with students across different year groups. Some of us might never have spoken to each other without these opportunities, so it is lovely to be part of something that brings everyone together.
Thank you to Miss Worthington for a brilliant session! I’m really grateful for these ENCORE opportunities and can’t wait for the next one.