THE STORIES WE TELL
INTRODUCTION
The aim of this module is to introduce the key aspects of Verbatim Theatre – what it is, how to make use of the techniques to tell a story, and why this style of theatre can be particularly impactful.
You will find in this section tasks on Ethics, Interview Techniques and Crafting Scenes. Alongside we have also included discussion questions and resources to help start your students on their journey of exploring this style of theatre making.
We highly recommend starting with our Introductory Workshop (see below), as we have found through our piloting of this resource that it creates a really strong foundation on which to build skills and knowledge in Verbatim Theatre.
This workshop introduces students to the idea of using archival materials to start creating performances. We have found that this is a great way to gently introduce the style of Verbatim Theatre, using resources and materials that are provided to the students. Whilst the link may not be immediately obvious to the students whilst doing this workshop, it certainly allows them to explore creating scenes using existing archival materials and the words other people have written.
Click the links below to download the PDF Teacher’s Guide for the workshop, and all the materials you will need during the session:
Teacher’s Guide ResourcesIntroductory Workshop
Definitions and Links
In this section, we look at what Verbatim Theatre is and can be. We hear from one of the members of Documental Theatre, Lucy Bell, who defines what she believes Verbatim Theatre to be, and how that differs from what you may expect when first learning about this style of theatre. There are also some links to resources that students can use to do their own research on what Verbatim Theatre is.
Teacher’s GuideEthics
It is of such importance that we consider the ethics and responsibilities associated with creating Verbatim Theatre. These are the real words and stories of people, and it is the duty of those creating this style of theatre to be good stewards of this responsibility. We discuss the importance of gaining informed consent before and after an interview is done, and look at some examples of the difference between the law and ethical responsibility.
Teacher’s Guide ResourcesInterview Techniques
One of the most crucial parts of any piece of Verbatim Theatre is the stories you have to tell. Getting the most out of an interview is an art in and of itself. Through this section, we take a look at different techniques and styles of interview, and compare the differences between good and bad interviews.
All the resources for this section are with the Teacher’s Guide!
Teacher’s GuideVerbatim Tasks
Now that we have worked through all the techniques to gather stories in the best way, it is time to look at actually creating the scenes that will tell those stories. We have pulled together a whole host of interview sections and written some tasks to help students get stuck into the creation process.
Teacher’s Guide ResourcesWHAT’S NEXT?
Module B
Now that you have completed Module A, take a look at Module B where we guide students through a process of creating an entire piece of verbatim theatre. We explore some of our experiences creating this style of theatre, and work our way through a workbook to help students to make their own pieces.
Resources Archive
Throughout Module A and Module B, we make reference to videos, interviews and documents that we created as part of our making process. We have included parts of these through the tasks in each module and put them all in one place for safe keeping!
