Pandora's Box

This section contains guidance on teaching drama, using the classical myth of Pandora's Box. These sessions include activities for individuals and small groups.
Session length

* Two one-hour sessions

Aims

* To reinforce freeze frame, rôle play, thought tracking, reflection and evaluation.
* To introduce mime/gesture/realism and story.
* To introduce polished improvisation.
* To continue the drama diary.


Synopsis or outline for these sessions

The students practise mime skills. Then they use these skills in their improvisation work which is based on finding a box which they are not allowed to open. A moral dilemma is introduced, whether or not to open the box. The story of Pandora's Box is told and the class have to make up a modern day version of the story.
Resources

* Copies of the story of Pandora's Box.

Room layout

* The tables pushed back and the chairs in a circle.


Pandora's Box - session 1

Whole class discussion in a circle. The teacher introduces this with some such statement as:

“Remind me what you did in Drama last week. What did you learn?”

The teacher now introduces the mime:

“I would like each of you to mime an object; it must be small and you must be able to pass the mimed object on to the person on your left. That person has to guess what it is, copy the mime and then change it into something else. If your neighbour cannot guess what is being mimed the rest of the class can try to guess. I will start the mime.”

If no one guesses the mime just ask what it is. Try to avoid making a big issue of it. This is supposed to be a confidence builder not destroyer! Again praise the good mimes i.e. those that are clearly defined and easily recognized.

Extending the mime skills

The teacher continues:

“I am going into the centre of the circle and I will pace out a large treasure box. I want you all to try and remember as much of my mime as possible. For instance what size is the box? Is the lid heavy? What size key did I use to open the box? If you can guess what I have taken out of the box, put your hand up, don't call out, and I will choose someone to answer. If the person is right I will give them the key.”

In mime you pace out the box - say two paces by three - take a key out of your pocket, unlock the box and lift a large heavy lid which you allow to thump to the floor. You root around in the box and take out a crown which you put on your head. You take it off and put it back in the box. Then you ask a person who has guessed the mime correctly to come into the centre of the circle and give this person the key. The student has to repeat the mime of opening the box, keeping the same shape and size, and take something new out of the box. The person in the middle invites someone from the circle to tell him/her what the mime was. Repeat this three or four times.

Rôle play with the emphasis on good mime and gesture

Bring students back in the circle. Now introduce the next stage:

“I would like you to work in groups of three. Imagine you find a box. You have to show clearly by mime, how big/how heavy it is/what it's like. You have three minutes to practise. Remember to start your rôle play with a Freeze frame. I want to see the 30 seconds before the moment that you find the box. Take a few minutes to discuss who you are, where you are and where exactly the box is. You have to give clues in your rôle play that there is something very special/strange about this box. There is an instruction on it saying: DO NOT OPEN.”

Go round the room checking that everyone understands the task and is getting on with it. If in doubt ask the group you are worried about to show you their freeze frame and thirty-second improvisation. If necessary give them advice on how to present their work better. When you have given them enough time to prepare their rôle play, choose a couple of groups to show their work.

Remember to get the freeze frame absolutely still before counting down, “3, 2, 1, GO!” You are reinforcing the control necessary for good drama.

Reflection and evaluation/preparation for the next session

Get the class back into a circle. Ask:

“What have you learned in this session? What makes a successful mime? Is a rôle play effective for the same reasons? Remember to find as much as possible to praise.”

Read the story of Pandora's Box ready for the next session. Think how you can make a modern day version of the Greek myth. What does the box represent? What might be released from the box today?

Pandora's Box - session 2

Recap on last week's session:

“What do you remember from last week? This week we are going to take some time to develop a modern version of Pandora's Box, using some of the ideas we discussed at the end of the last Drama session. What might be let out of the box today?”

List suggestions on the flip chart. Allow students to discuss them.

Planning the drama

Introduce this, as appropriate:

“In groups of four, plan your drama for this week. Take your time. I shall be looking for examples of good improvisation and an imaginative story line. You will need to discuss the improvisation in detail. Start your drama from the point at which you are deciding whether or not to open the box. There should be a great deal of tension at that moment, and then plan and practise what happens next. Each improvisation should last about a minute.”

Go round and question the groups to make sure that they are focusing on the drama. If you are in doubt about a group, make them Freeze frame, and then Thought track them. This helps to keep them on their toes.

Performance of polished Improvisation:

Get each group to perform their polished improvisations. Make sure every piece begins and ends in a freeze frame. Count all the groups in with, “3, 2, 1, GO!”

Discussion and evaluation

Get the class back into a circle and discuss the moral issues raised within the stories the children explored in their drama. Ask if there were any other stories/ideas that the groups discussed but chose not to use. Discuss why they were not chosen. Start to get the students to understand what the basic requirements for a good piece of drama. For example, some stories work well in writing but not as drama, why? This might be because drama needs tension, conflict and contrast to work well.

Give out the Drama Diary sheet.

The Story of Pandora's Box

Zeus, the father of the gods, was angry that humans had been given the gift of fire by Prometheus, making them far more powerful than he wished. To take the humans down a peg or two he sent his daughter, Pandora, to earth to cause trouble.

There she married Epimetheus, half brother of Prometheus. Epimetheus was given a box by Zeus. Unknown to Pandora, it contained all the diseases which could bring suffering to humans. Pandora's curiosity overcame her desire to obey her husband and to keep the box locked. She opened it and out flew all the diseases and sorrows which trouble humans. However, at the bottom of the box was Hope, who would help humans to overcome their suffering.