Voice Work Exercise: Apartment Block Part 1

DURATION

10 minutes whole-class set-up.

Sets up Part 2: 10 minutes group prep & 5+ minutes playback.

IDEAL FOR

An older group – aged 12+

Any time of the semester

Focus on using the voice as instrument

Lead in to simple performance work (Part 2)

OUTLINE

Whole group sits in a circle, teacher included. Hand each student a copy of the 18 lines below.

Teacher says:

Okay, we are going to go around the circle, and I want you to have a go at the same line as the person before you. Until I say to someone, NEXT LINE. What I want to hear is how many different ways can we use our voices to perform these lines? With your voice, you create character, emotion, the mood, maybe the age of the speaker. Is the line said seriously, nervously, sarcastically? Let’s play around and see what you can come up with.

EXAMPLE: Will you please put that down. What if the line is whispered? Screamed? Each word emphasised, with a pause between each word. What if speaker is exhausted or exasperated? Crying? Laughing? Etc. Kids love this exploration. You can jump in occasionally with a totally different interpretation.

• Will you be quiet down there!

• Be quiet ya self, you old bag!

• Excuse me, excuse me, can anybody help me?

• Mum! Mum! Mum! Mu-um! Mu-um! Muuuuuuum!!!