Year 9 and 10 Drama - Passion Project

Passion Project Subject: Years 9 and 10 Task: Protest Speech ‘The Theatre is a weapon, and it should be the people that wield it’ Research and Planning: As a department we always focus on the experiences of young people locally, nationally and globally. Using the “Rights of the Child” document, read it in detail and choose three ‘Rights’ that’s that you want to research. Find out facts and statistics that identify examples of when rights have been taken away. On the internet, research how theatre can be used a force of change, specifically Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed.

Now write your own protest speech titled ‘If I could change the world!’

This speech could be used in a larger devised performance and should force your audience into considering what life must be like for these children and what they could do to support them. For example, if you chose ‘Article 27 (adequate standard of living) Every child has the right to a standard of living that is good enough to meet their physical, social and mental needs. Governments must help families who cannot afford to provide this’ How can you teach your audience about how can they support the young homeless or children living in poverty in Manchester?

Production: It would be great to record your speech as an audio production; you could create protest placards or even turn it into a piece of protest poetry or a song. If you have family members that would like to get involved, you could write a scene they could perform in with you!