Billy Elliot The Musical | Learning Resource

LEARNING RESOURCE

Photography by Marc Brenner

02

INTRODUCTION Billy Elliot The Musical is set against the real events of the Miner’s Strike of 19841985 offering an historical context whilst examining sociological perspectives. The themes of identity, family, bereavement, creativity, protest and activism offer learners an opportunity to explore themes that feature across the curriculum.

This learning resource has been designed to offer creative activities to support and enhance learning whilst building skills in communication and movement.

Curve’s production is a brand-new version of the original stage play, made for a contemporary audience in mind.

The production is accessible and entertaining, making it a perfect springboard to consider themes that may be challenging and personal to learners.

03

HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE

Each page takes a theme from the production and is examined through four practical sections:

CONTEXT

A summary of how the theme connects to the production of Billy Elliot. This section can be used to set Learning Objectives.

ACTIVITIES

Practical exercises that have been designed by creative practitioners that explore the theme. These allow for individual and group work. Activities can be used as starters or the main phase of the lesson or workshop that you are leading.

REFLECTION

An opportunity to check learning and evaluate understanding.

FOLLOW UP

Some suggestions to how you can build on the activities for further learning, and to encourage independent learning.

Each section can be used as a stand-alone activity or to make up a wider project across several sessions.

THEMES AND CREATIVE SKILLS IDENTITY – DANCE AND MOVEMENT...................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 4 Curriculum areas – Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PHSE), Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development (SMSC), Dance (in PE and KS4), Drama (English and KS4), Performing Arts (KS3 & KS4). Suitable for age range – KS2 (Years 5 and 6), KS3 & KS4, youth groups.

FAMILY AND BEREAVEMENT – DRAMA................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 8 Curriculum areas – Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PHSE), English (KS3 & KS4), Drama (KS4), Performing Arts (KS3 & KS4).

CREATIVITY – DRAMA............................................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 12 Curriculum areas – Citizenship, Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PHSE), Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development (SMSC), English (KS3 & KS4), Drama (English and KS4) Dance (in PE and KS4), Performing Arts (KS3 & KS4).

PROTEST AND ACTIVISM – DANCE AND MOVEMENT..................................................................................................................... PAGE 16 Curriculum areas – Citizenship, Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PHSE), Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development (SMSC), History (KS3), Dance (in PE and KS4), Drama (English and KS4), Performing Arts (KS3 & KS4). Suitable for age range – KS3 & KS4, youth groups.

PROTEST AND ACTIVISM – DRAMA.................................................................................................................................................... PAGE 20 Curriculum areas – Citizenship, Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PHSE), Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development (SMSC), English (KS3 & KS4), History (KS3), Science (KS3) Drama (English and KS4), Performing Arts (KS3 & KS4). Suitable for age range – KS3 & KS4, youth groups.

Photography by Marc Brenner

04

IDENTITY – DANCE AND MOVEMENT

CONTEXT WHO IS BILLY ELLIOT?

Billy grew up within a household with both his brother and father working in the mines of Easington. Billy attends boxing classes, and when he takes an interest in ballet, his community is confronted by his challenge to the widely accepted stereotype. Billy keeps this a secret from his family. Billy’s ballet teacher, Mrs Wilkinson, recognises Billy’s talent for dance and encourages him to continue. When the Elliot family get in trouble with the police for their actions in the mining strikes, Billy’s support for his family causes him to miss his first attempt at auditioning for the Royal Ballet School. Mrs Wilkinson reveals Billy’s hidden talent to his family and their community, and he is met with hostility. This causes Billy to suppress his passion for dance and try to fit the stereotyped identity he is expected to uphold. When Billy’s father sees him dancing, he puts his own societal morals aside to support Billy to achieve his aspirations, allowing Billy to embrace his love of dance.

Billy’s friend, Michael, supports Billy throughout his identity challenges while acting as a role model with his own freedom of expression. Billy walks in to find Michael wearing a dress, which is followed by Billy and Michael singing the song Expressing Yourself.

ACTIVITIES

THROUGH THESE DANCE TASKS, LEARNERS WILL: Explore and select actions and dynamics inspired by boxing, to create dance phrases.

Choreograph and perform in unison to show the idea of conformity.

Use a variety of choreographic relationships in duets and groups to demonstrate fitting in and breaking free.

Discuss and consider how you would feel to be an individual and communicate this through the expressive qualities in your performance.

Music suggestion: Dune Suave by Einmusik

TASK 1

CREATE A WORD BANK USING ACTION WORDS YOU MAY SEE IN BOXING.

IDENTITY – DANCE AND MOVEMENT

(You can also use descriptions and/or photographs – but encourage words and actions that allow individual and imaginative responses).

Here are some suggestions: • Jab – a sudden punch • Upper cut – a short swinging upward power punch • Cross – a straight punch • Hook – a shortside power punch • Guard – holding both fists up in front of your chin, tight fists • Dodge • Weave • Slip • Duck • Footwork – bouncy, light • Stance – balance your weight 50/50 between your front and rear foot. You should feel level but always ready to move

CHOREOGRAPH A SOLO AS IF YOU ARE IN THE TRAINING ROOM BY: Select 4 of these words and create a movement for each. (You can select up to 8 of these movements for more challenge.)

Add a new action in between each movement to choreograph a dance phrase. Use a jump, turn, travel between each of your 4 boxing movements. (For more challenge, allow the dancers to find different variations of actions to link their boxing movements.)

Encourage changes of direction and dynamics to create interest (for example, changes in speed, percussive and fluid changes to the movement. Suggesting one movement in slow motion can be effective).

(More experienced choreographers can explore the changes of direction and varying dynamic qualities as they create the actions. Ask them to consider how to keep the ‘essence’ of boxing but allow their imagination to respond with interest to the creation of the dance phrase.)

Photography by Marc Brenner

Now bring in a piece of music and ask each dancer to set their timing. Imagine you are in the training room, drilling your skills, there needs to be a concentration and intensity to your performance.

06

IDENTITY – DANCE AND MOVEMENT

PERFORM YOUR SOLO • This could be all together in the space – filling the training room!

• In small groups while others watch and notice what you have made – giving peer feedback.

• In pairs, one performing, one observing giving feedback and support to each other.

REFLECTION

TASK 3

WORKING AS A DUET – FITTING IN AND BREAKING FREE. In this task you can refer to and use the boxing actions as still images or the young people can decide on their own ideas of what they do to conform and create still images related to that.

EXPLORE THE IDEA OF ‘PUPPETS’ – ONE DANCER IS THE PUPPET THE OTHER IS THE CONTROLLER.

What type of feedback will be constructive for the dancers? Some suggested questions to direct useful feedback are; • Can you notice any interesting ways the boxing actions have been included? Why is it interesting?

• Do the dynamic changes make the theme of boxing clear? Does any slow-motion work in the dance?

• What can you say about the way they are performing? Do you believe they are in training?

How does their focus and their body presence tell you that?

TASK 2

MAKE A GROUP UNISON PHRASE TO SHOW CONFORMITY. Take one action from everyone’s solo and link it together into a new phrase.

Everyone performs this in unison – all dancers performing the same movement at the same time.

(This can be done in groups of 5+ with the dancers creating the response, or as a whole class with the teacher leading the choreography.)

You could also begin with this as set material to model the dance idea.

Use our video of the phrase we created to help you.

Perform this as many times as you choose.

The more you repeat, the greater feeling of unity and conformity will be communicated to your audience.

FOLLOW UP

ASK THE QUESTIONS “IN WHAT WAYS COULD YOU NOW SHOW SOMEONE BEGINNING TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL, TO BREAK FREE?” Here are some suggestions; • Repeat the unison phrase 5 times and in repeat 3, 4 and 5 someone begins to break away – they could go at a different timing, they could pause and look at everyone else, they could back away/remove themselves from the group. Try some of these ideas and choose which you think is most effective.

• Create a group shape with everyone connected at the end of your unison phrase (you could use a still boxing image) and one individual escapes. Escape through the body parts, go over or under to add interest. The rest of the group catches the person up and brings them back into the group creating a new image. You may think about moving the escaped person into the body shape you want them to be in. Make them fit into the group.

You could keep the same person escaping the group or change to different people to show that everyone sometimes wants the confidence to be an individual.

When you escape, what body shape do you do until the group catches you up? Could it be related to something you are interested in (for example, Billy wanted to do ballet).

Think about how all the dancers respond to each other, how do they use looking to communicate the meaning (focus), how and at what speed do they travel to a new place to show intention to the idea of trying to make Billy fit in.

Controller sculpts the puppet into a still shape (to show they are conforming): puppet allows them to do this; repeat this for three times each into a different shape. During this phase, movement should have more fluidity.

Repeat this again but this time the puppet creates some resistance as they get sculpted into the shape and then moves their body out of it before the next shape is sculpted. During this phase, this movement will have more tension.

Repeat again and this time the puppet escapes the shape by moving to a new space, using any travelling action of their choice. The controller must move to them to sculpt the puppet again. This phrase will have a mixture of tension and fluidity and freedom as the puppet escapes. It will travel around more. Consider how the puppet and controller can use the space around each other and in the room to add interest.

What is the resolution? Allow the dancers to decide what happens in the end. Is there acceptance that the puppet can now be an individual? Does the controller accept or deny this and how might you show this in a final moment / an ending position or phrase?

If you want a more upbeat and fun element to this duet you could use the song from the musical Express Yourself which is sung by Billy and Michael. This would create a very different energy to explore.

08

FAMILY AND BEREAVEMENT – DRAMA

CONTEXT

THE IMPACT OF LOSING A PARENT

FAMILY AND BEREAVEMENT – DRAMA

In the 1980s, a large amount of people believed that there should be gendered separation of roles and jobs, with the man in the ‘breadwinner’ role, going to work and bringing home the money, and the woman in a caring role. A study taken by British Social Attitudes showed that this was supported by almost 50% of people in 1984. This meant that for most women their daily life would centre around caring for her children, keeping up the house and supporting her husband. Anything away from this norm was still considered odd and other, especially if the woman had children. In mining villages, women were seen as the silent backbone of the community, keeping life moving forward while the men were working shift hours.

The Elliot family sits outside of this norm, Billy’s mother passed away during his childhood. Billy uses dance to help process his grief, by taking inspiration from a letter his mother wrote to him for when he turns 18, to choreograph his audition for the Royal Ballet. In the letter, Billy’s mother says “I was with you through everything. And please, Billy, know that I will always be proud to have known you.” This letter is particularly poignant at this moment in the story, as Billy feels uncertain about his uptake in dance, and the letter not only allows Billy to feel connected to him mother, but also that she would support his endeavours.

ACTIVITIES TASK 1

STARTER – WARM UP GAME – FAMILY AND FRIENDS GIFTS This warm-up game is an improvisation game where learners work as a whole group to continuously improvise with one another.

Ask the group to stand in a circle and select one learner to start the game by walking across the circle and mime giving a gift to a person of their choice, while saying “I got this for you, *family member*”. They can choose to say any family member they wish, grandmother, brother, aunt, bestie, any relation they choose. When they give the gift, the recipient can improvise, both the character they are receiving the gift and what the gift itself is. This can be very serious, or humours dependant on the age group and stimulus learners are given before beginning. Encourage the learners to embody characteristics of that family member, how they would interact with their family member and what would be their dynamic when communicating.

TASK 2

CREATIVE MONOLOGUE WRITING Below is an extract from the script, where Billy is sharing the letter from his mother with Mrs Wilkinson. Encourage learners to take some time reading and annotating the dialogue and lyrics with their thoughts and feedback. If a starting point is needed, encourage them to specifically focusing on the seemingly everyday actions and feelings that are highlighted.

MRS WILKINSON Dear Billy, I must seem a distant memory...

BILLY Which is...

MRS WILKINSON Which is probably a good thing. And it will have been a long...

BILLY Long time.

AND I WILL HAVE MISSED YOU GROWING, AND I’LL HAVE MISSED YOU CRYING...

AND I’LL HAVE MISSED YOUR LAUGH. MISSED YOUR STOMPING AND YOUR SHOUTING, I’LL HAVE MISSED TELLING YOU OFF, BUT, PLEASE, BILLY, KNOW THAT I WAS ALWAYS THERE. I WAS WITH YOU THROUGH EVERYTHING. AND PLEASE, BILLY...

MRS WILKINSON KNOW THAT I WILL ALWAYS BE PROUD TO HAVE KNOWN YOU. PROUD THAT YOU WERE MINE, PROUD IN EVERYTHING. Photography by Marc Brenner

10

FAMILY AND BEREAVEMENT – DRAMA

Set the learners the task of writing a letter to a friend relative or carer that will be read in 10 years’ time. This could be to a parent, carer, grandparent, sibling, a friend or someone else of their choosing. Ask them to address things they hope that themselves and the letter recipient will have achieved during this time, but also to juxtapose this with day-to-day actions and feelings that stand out to them. An example may be; “Dear Grandad, I hope by now I am a qualified vet, I must have been able to perfect your macaroni cheese recipe by now!”

Once learners have written their letters, ask them to practice reading the letter allowed in the style of a monologue. You may encourage them to think about speed, dynamic, internation, emotion and pause / breath while practicing. Offer the opportunity to perform monologues back, either in pairs or in front of the group.

REFLECTION

ASK LEARNERS TO FEEDBACK TO ONE ANOTHER ON THEIR LETTER MONOLOGUES. Ask them to make one performative suggestion that changes the intention of a sentence, an example could be to add an inflection to a sentence to change the meaning.

“I must have been able to perfect your macaroni cheese recipe by now?”

Ask the learner to self-evaluate also, good prompt questions to ask include; • What did you learn about this relationship by writing to this person?

• Did the intention of the letter change between writing it and performing it allowed?

• Do you feel you were able to convey your connection with the individual through a letter?

• What other creative outlets could you use to explore the text you devised? (i.e. poetry, dance, song)

FOLLOW UP An extension or alternate activity could be suggesting the learners write a letter to their future self instead of a friend, relative or carer. Within this, they can add even more dynamic and personable ideas, for example “you better not still be listening to the same 3 songs” or “did you ever tell anyone about who really broke Mrs Smith’s favourite mug?”. When learners perform this as a monologue, playing with the humour of the dialogue and dramatic pause can be interesting to change the intention of the letter.

11

12

CREATIVITY – DRAMA

CONTEXT

FROM INDUSTRIAL TOWNS TO CREATIVE INDUSTRIES Careers in the creative industries have become much more common, and our idea of how we can earn a living from creativity has changed since the acceleration of the internet. In 1984 when Billy Elliot The Musical is set, the idea of earning money as a social media influencer would’ve been an alien concept. Other factors to consider are that it was only in 1970 that the Equal Pay Act was passed, which prohibited any less favourable treatment between women and men in terms of pay and conditions of employment. This was followed in 1975 by the Sex Discrimination Act which protected both men and women from discrimination on the grounds of sex or marital status in employment, training, and education. Prior to this, women who did work were only paid two-thirds of what men were being paid for the same job.

Within towns such as Easington, where the story of Billy Elliot The Musical is set, industrialisation had a significant impact on the career pathways for people living there. Easington began to expand when the coal mine was sunk near the original village. This caused a larger settlement to develop around the colliery as thousands of people moved from all over Britain for work. Boys growing up in Easington, and similar towns, where expected to follow in the footsteps of their families, and when old enough learn to work in the mines. This was the case for Billy, whose father and brother both worked in the mines, and went against the norm to pursue his chosen career rather than what was expected of him. Billy’s decision to follow his dreams to be a ballet dancer meant that he was changing the landscape of career pathways, and almost four decades later, the creative industries contributed over 115 billion pounds to the UK economy in 2019. As a growth industry, it is worth exploring.

CREATIVITY – DRAMA

ACTIVITIES TASK 1 CREATIVE ROLES

Ask learners to list jobs where the ability to be creative is essential, from the list work together to describe what creativity is in practical terms. How do you monetise it? How do you measure it? What is important? Imagination? Innovation?

Constructing content/ideas? Influencing change?

TASK 2

HOW DO YOU EARN A LIVING FROM CREATIVITY? At the theatre, there are many roles that go unseen that all require creativity. Click on the links below to open up a PDF for each role. You could work in four groups and ask each group to look at one of them and then share back. Ask learners to read through each one and consider: 1 – What other skills does the role require apart from creativity?

2 – Why did this person decide to do this job?

3 – What are the benefits of the job? What do they enjoy about it?

THEATRE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

STAGE MANAGER

THEATRE TECHNICIAN

PERFORMER

14

CREATIVITY – DRAMA

TASK 3 Creativity is often described in other ways and linked to our sense of happiness. The psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discovered that human beings find a state of ‘flow’ when they use their creative abilities, they get so absorbed in the activity that they do not think about anything else. Billy describes this as ‘electricity’. Take a look at the song below where Billy tells us about the feeling he gets when he dances: “Just one more thing. Can I just ask you, Billy, what does it feel like when you’re dancing?”

I CAN’T REALLY EXPLAIN IT, I HAVEN’T GOT THE WORDS IT’S A FEELING THAT YOU CAN’T CONTROL I SUPPOSE IT’S LIKE FORGETTING, LOSING WHO YOU ARE AND AT THE SAME TIME SOMETHING MAKES YOU WHOLE IT’S LIKE THAT THERE’S A MUSIC PLAYING IN YOUR EAR AND I’M LIST’NING, AND I’M LIST’NING AND THEN I DISAPPEAR AND THEN I FEEL A CHANGE LIKE A FIRE DEEP INSIDE SOMETHING BURSTING ME WIDE OPEN, IMPOSSIBLE TO HIDE AND SUDDENLY I’M FLYING, FLYING LIKE A BIRD LIKE ELECTRICITY, ELECTRICITY SPARKS INSIDE OF ME AND I’M FREE, I’M FREE Ask learners to use the song as a springboard to create a series of images in freeze frame from the words that are HIGHLIGHTED. From the five images, start to add words, allow the images to spark new scenes, where does the improvisation go? The images can form a five scene structure to create a new story that is more personal to the learners.

Ask learners what activities make them feel this way? Do they have a hobby or ambition that they can share?

Ask permission to use this to help develop each of the five images.

This can be a non-verbal exercise through imagery and can also be sketched or designed as an animation.

REFLECTION

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE CHALLENGES OF WORKING IN A CREATIVE ROLE? How do you think the theatre creatives got their roles? What kind of questions would you need to ask in an interview to know if someone has the right skills and attitude for a role in the creative industries?

Following on from this, ask learners to discuss what makes for a good interview; this may be prompted with ideas such as insightful questions, approachable conversational delivery, relaxed environment.

Once learners have discussed both points, ask the group to write their own interview questions they would choose to ask the cast and creative team of Billy Elliot The Musical.

Ask learners what activities make them feel like Billy does when he dances? Do they have a hobby or ambition that they can share?

FOLLOW UP Ask the group to reflect on the question “How is individuality important to your work?”

Ask learners to identify ideas of their future career aspiration, and then to think about why individuality may be important to that job role. This can stem further discussion or set as an independent writing task.

Photography by Marc Brenner

15

16

PROTEST AND ACTIVISM – DANCE AND MOVEMENT

CONTEXT Mining was a significant part of industrialisation across the United Kingdom. A miners job role was to travel underground down lift shafts and excavate tunnels to find coal. Coal is a fossil fuel that is burned to make heat and subsequently power.

Due to the increase in power needed in the United Kingdom, coal was in high demand. Within towns where there were mining pits, minors were required to work shifts round the clock to not only supply coal, but also to ensure the dangerous and volatile working environments remained safe. Mining is a dangerous job with high injury and mortality rates.

The National Union of Mineworkers were a representative body for the minors, and much like rail unions today, would call strike action to help protest unfair treatment or inequality. In the story of Billy Elliot The Musical, Billy’s father and brother are both striking miners. The Miners’ strikes in the 80’s took place as a protest towards the government’s planned closures and privatisation of coal mines across the country. The strikes Billy’s family are part of began in March 1984, when the National Coal Board announced that the Cortonwood Colliery in Yorkshire would be closed, causing the 850 miners there to lose their jobs. Only days later, the National Coal Board announced plans to close 20 coal mines, with a loss of 20,000 jobs.

ACTIVITIES

THROUGH THESE DANCE TASKS, YOU WILL: Use visual images to inspire actions related to the idea of a protest.

Choreograph as a small group to use protest actions in unison, canon and contrast.

Explore a variety of group choreographic relationships responding to picket lines and mining underground.

Structure movement phrases which communicate visual interest, varied use of space and a clear intention to the dance idea.

Music suggestion: Shortwave by Shackleton.

PROTEST AND ACTIVISM – DANCE AND MOVEMENT

TASK 1 PROTEST

PREPARATION FOR INSPIRATION: Look at photographs of crowds protesting. These can be of the miner’s strike and in relation to any protests or marches young people are aware of today.

Discuss the body shapes and actions you see in the photograph.

The physicality of the protesters and what this evokes emotionally. Do facial expressions support this?

Each dancer creates 3 protest actions. These need to be direct and staccato. They should last 1 count each. Think about each one being at a different level, or in a different direction to provide interest.

Action 1 is taught by the leader and should be in unison – suggestion strong punch into the air, stance is solid, legs stamp one foot out as punch into the air.

Decide on the order of your 3 actions and perform together – 1 (punch up), 2, 3, 4.

Come together in a close group (The size of the group can vary. It could be anything from 4 people to a whole class/group).

Perform your phrases at the same time as each other. Count 1 will always bring you into the unified action.

Repeat this a number of times and create variety by using pauses, canon and unison in each person’s phrase. This does not always have to be at the same time as each other.

Suggestions: • Unison – all moving on all four counts.

• Canon – all perform one of their actions following on from each other.

• Hold & Action – stop and start dancers at different times, or each person decide on their own timing.

For example Action 1, hold, hold, hold, Action 2, Action 3, hold, Action 4 (The dance leader can direct this, or dancers can explore and set it themselves in groups, providing different levels of challenge for learners).

Decide how long this goes on, how many times you repeat. Could you change formation or your spacing in the group?

All of these will add choreographic interest and challenge and can be tailored to your group’s experience.

Photography by Marc Brenner

18

PROTEST AND ACTIVISM – DANCE AND MOVEMENT

TASK 2 BARRIERS In small groups find as many ways as you can to create a barrier responding to the idea of ‘a picket line’.

You can be in contact with other dancers while you do this.

It should be static and tense to avoid anyone moving through your barrier.

It can be at any level.

How many varieties of barrier can you make as a group?

If you have more than one, you could devise transitions to get from one barrier to the next.

(Adding on each of these steps to this task, provides new levels of challenge).

In small groups or as a class group choreograph 6-8 actions responding to miners work actions. Here is some information to inspire ideas: • Miners had to be low to the ground, they worked in tunnels. (crawling, sliding, pulling yourself along, crouching) • It was hot.

• Lifting, carrying and passing along the coal.

• Stacking blocks.

• Shovelling, extracting coal rocks from walls.

• Pushing machinery.

• It was dark.

• The work was demanding and needed a lot of physical strength.

(For further challenge more experienced dancers could look at a professional dance work like Coal by Gary Clarke (2016), where you can see some actions and phrases taking inspiration from working in a coal mine).

Here is an example of a short phrase we created in response to this task.

Now structure the sections together. This can be led with the whole group or solved as a creative task by the dancers. (These provide differing levels of challenge and problem-solving to learners.)

Here are some ideas you could consider: • Half the group could be barriers and the other half miners.

Can you explore the going under, over or through the barriers with the mining phrases?

• Do you have some of the group in the barrier/picket line and others protesting on one side of it?

What does this lead on to?

• You can build in new group transitions to create a collage of all the ideas – this might form a narrative, or it could be a collection of responses related to the theme of protest, barriers and miners.

FOLLOW UP • You could also translate this idea to Billy’s story.

The ‘picket line’ becomes his barrier to freedom to be who he wants to be – the dilemma between boxing and dancing.

• Construct phrases in the same way as we did in the Identity Tasks.

• Behind the barrier is one part of his life where he conforms ‘boxing.’

(Can you make this feel restricted and trapped? Is there anger as we see in the story?)

• On the other side of the barrier – escapism and freedom. What actions and dynamics reflect this – turns, elevation, open movements, expansive pathways. Can you make the boxing material more fluid and free? Or, what is your freedom?

When do you feel free? Create a phrase that exhibits this.

19

20

PROTEST AND ACTIVISM – DRAMA

PROTEST AND ACTIVISM – DRAMA

CONTEXT During a large proportion of the 20th century, coal power was the primary power of the nation. Coal is one of three primary forms of fossil fuel, alongside natural gas and oil. Coal is a non-renewable energy resource, which means once it is used it cannot be replaced and there are only limited amounts of it. Coal, along with other fossil fuels are also highly debated as they emit harmful gases into the atmosphere that contribute to climate change.

The whole of Easington as a community felt connected to the colliery. When the coal mine was established, Easington grew from a small village to a town as miners and their families moved to the area to fill the workforce demand. As the new community developed so did the town – new shops, pubs, clubs, and many rows of terraced ‘colliery houses’ for the mineworkers and their families. The colliery was at the centre of daily life and as such when it closed on 7th May 1993 the impact was unprecedented and felt in every aspect of life in Easington.

Towards the end of the 1950s there was competition from cheap oil imports, and in 1957 the coal industry began to decline.

At the start of the 1984 strikes there were 174 working pits. By 1994 there were only 15 working pits left, with thousands of people having lost their jobs. In 2022, there are only three Coal Power Stations left which are all due to be decommissioned by 2025.

TASK 1 As a group, discuss and list points of discussion from the starting point “for and against fossil fuels”. It will be useful to categories these into “for” and “against” lists.

Separate the group into two groups and ask them to move to opposite sides of the room. Give one side the “for” list and the other side the “against” list. Each list becomes the relevant sides debate points. It may be the case that learners hold differing personal viewpoints to the side they are on, however encourage the learners to approach the activity as an actor and debate based on the role they have been given.

Set a “picket line” in the middle of the room separating the two sides. One side are to take on the defensive role – resembling the police trying to hold the peace, while the other take on the protesting side – resembling the minors protesting while on strike. Both the “for” and “against” groups will get a chance to play both the protest and defence roles, so either group can start in either role.

The protesting side take their turn first, to debate their points from the list, the defending side can defend and answer to the protesters, however, cannot put forward their own sides debate points. Once the protesters have concluded their debate points, the defensive side becomes the protesters, and they protest their own list of debate points.

This shall allow both groups a turn in the role of a protester and defender, not matter their “for” or “against” stance. This activity encourages learners in the role of protesters to construct a well-articulated discussion points, while also encouraging the defence side to answer and defend using critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Repeat the activity as above, this time using the starting point of “for and against industrialisation of towns”.

REFLECTION Using prompt questions, get the group to feedback what they learnt from the workshop.

Some ideas of questions you could ask include; • • • • •

What communication methods did you use as the defence side / protest side?

Where you able to articulate your defence without bias to your groups “for” or “against” stance?

Did the “picket line” have an impact on this activity (i.e. literal separation, a non-literal barrier between sides).

Where you able to articulate your protest points effectively?

What other issues could you debate using this format?

FOLLOW UP As a group, discuss what other for and against debates could be discussed in this manor; could this activity relate to other subjects or current political and global events?

Photography by Marc Brenner

Resource curated and authored with support from Melanie Knott

Photography by Marc Brenner