Book Reviews

Recommended books on primary and secondary drama, directing, Shakespeare and more

Featured Articles

In-depth articles, tips and tricks

Drama Videos

A selection of drama videos for all age groups.

Featured Articles

12 Tips for Learning Lines

12 Tips for Learning Lines
Learning lines for plays or speeches is not always easy - here are twelve tips to help!
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3D Living Pictures

3D Living Pictures
Bring pictures to life through freeze frames, thought tracking and improvisation.
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Anti-Bullying Drama Unit

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Using drama to explore bullying issues, giving pupils the opportunity to try out anti-bullying strategies.
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Books on Drama for Language Teaching and Learning

Books on Drama for Language Teaching and Learning
Recommended books on teaching and learning language through drama games and activities.
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Bringing Fairy Tales to Life through Drama

Hansel-Gretel-Stamp
Ways to develop fairy and folk tales into rehearsed performances, improvisations, tableaux and oral storytelling.
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Commedia dell’arte Drama Unit

Commedia dell'arte Drama Unit
Commedia dell’arte began in the marketplaces of 16th-century Europe as improvised theatre which was rude, funny and satirical.
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Devising Theatre

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Devising Theatre - links, exercises, practitioners and inspirational quotes
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Dorothy Heathcote – Pioneer of Educational Drama

Dorothy Heathcote - Drama Pioneer
The ethos of drama in education today owes an enormous debt to the inspiration of one woman - Dorothy Heathcote
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Drama Across the Curriculum

Drama Across the Curriculum
Drama strategies can be used as everyday teaching tools for a wide range of subjects. (Extract from 'Learning Through Drama
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Drama for Language Teaching

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Drama is an effective way of helping students to learn languages including English as a Foreign Language (EFL), as it uses
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Drama For Writing

Drama For Writing
Drama can provide children with a meaningful purpose for writing. (Extract from 'Learning Through Drama in the Primary Years').
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Forkbeard Fantasy – Multimedia Theatre of the Absurd – 1

Forkbeard Fantasy - Multimedia Theatre of the Absurd - 1
Key theory, ideas and practices Forkbeard Fantasy are pioneers of cross-artform multimedia theatre. Their subversive performances are a seemingly anarchic
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Forkbeard Fantasy – Multimedia Theatre of the Absurd – 2

Forkbeard Fantasy - Multimedia Theatre of the Absurd - 2
Key productions Forkbeard Fantasy have produced dozens of shows ranging from On An Uncertain Insect  to The Barbers of Surreal, The
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Forkbeard Fantasy – Multimedia Theatre of the Absurd – 3

Forkbeard Fantasy - Multimedia Theatre of the Absurd - 3
Practical exercises exploring the Forkbeard approach Through the Looking Glass To explain Forkbeard's extraordinary melding of film and live performance,
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Forkbeard Fantasy – Multimedia Theatre of the Absurd – 4

Forkbeard Fantasy - Multimedia Theatre of the Absurd - 4
Educational programme Forkbeard Fantasy run regular workshops and residencies as an integral part of their artistic programme. Courses range from
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Keeping Control in the Drama Lesson

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Classroom Management for Drama Lessons The challenge of managing the classroom during drama could be why some teachers are reluctant
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Key Stage 1 Drama Lesson Ideas

Key Stage 1 Drama Lesson Ideas
A dozen fabulous ideas and helpful books for teaching drama at key stage one.
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Key Stage 2 Drama Lesson Ideas

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Ten brilliant ideas and worthwhile books for teaching drama at key stage two.
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Music for Drama Workshops

Music for Drama Workshops
A playlist of music for drama workshops, rehearsal or performance, including warm-ups, movement pieces and atmospherics.
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My Favourite Drama Teaching Books

My Favourite Drama Teaching Books
These books are ideal for practical ideas to use right away. The first two cover secondary as well as primary
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Plays for Children

A selection of plays by Alison Chaplin
In this interview Alison Chaplin talks to David Farmer about her plays for children and how she got into writing
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Podcasts and Webinars with David Farmer

Podcasts and Webinars with David Farmer
Podcasts and Webinars about drama teaching featuring David Farmer
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Seven Levels of Tension

Seven Levels of Tension
An approach to acting that enables performers to explore different levels of tension.
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Shortened Shakespeare

Shortened Shakespeare
Recommended shortened versions of Shakespeare playscripts for children and young people to perform.
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Story Books for Drama Teaching

Tales of Wisdom and Wonder by Hugh Lupton
Stories can provide the launch pad for a one-off drama session or several weeks of work. Drama strategies can be drawn
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Teaching Gold Mining in New Zealand through Drama

Teaching Gold Mining in New Zealand through Drama
These five incredibly simple methods for drama teaching inspired a teacher in New Zealand to bring to life her social
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Teaching Literacy Through Drama

Teaching Literacy Through Drama
Drama is a close ally in the development of literacy, especially speaking and listening.
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The Tiger Child Drama Unit

The Tiger Child Drama Unit
A range of drama and storytelling activities based on a traditional Indian folk-tale for KS1 and reception.
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TheatrED Buenos Aires

TheatrED Buenos Aires
The second TheatrEd Theatre in Education Congress took place at the Pablo Picasso Theatre in Buenos Aires in May 2018.
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Top 5 Books for Teaching Shakespeare to Children and Young People

Top 5 Books for Teaching Shakespeare to Children and Young People
These days Shakespeare can be taught to children and young people in very exciting and active ways - and there
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What Are Drama Games?

What Are Drama Games?
Children's natural tendency towards make-believe play can be utilised at school through structured play and drama.
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Whoosh! Bringing Stories Alive through Drama

Whoosh activity: Teaching Shakespeare | Royal Shakespeare Company
An interactive technique in which participants become characters and objects in a story as it is told.
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Why Teach Drama to Primary School Children?

Why Teach Drama to Primary School Children?
Children's natural tendency towards make-believe play can be utilised at school through structured play and drama.
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Book Reviews

100 Acting Exercises for 8-18 Year Olds by Samantha Marsden

100 Acting Exercises for 8-18 Year Olds by Samantha Marsden

Samantha Marsden provides a practical tour through the leading approaches to acting used on the stage today.
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100 Great Plays for Women

100 Great Plays for Women

An introduction to 100 varied plays for female casts with synopsis, cast breakdown and a short essay about each play.
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101 Drama Games and Activities

101 Drama Games and Activities

A collection of highly effective games and exercises suitable for children, young people and adults.
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101 More Drama Games and Activities

101 More Drama Games and Activities

Inspirational games and exercises suitable for drama lessons and workshops as well as during rehearsal and devising periods.
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A Beginner's Guide to Devising Theatre by Jess Thorpe and Tashi Gore

A Beginner’s Guide to Devising Theatre by Jess Thorpe and Tashi Gore

An inspiring guidebook for planning to produce contemporary devised work with young people (or adults).
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A Midsummer Night's Dream - Globe Education

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Globe Education

Another brilliant volume from Globe Education which is perfect for students at Key Stage 3 and 4.
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A Practical Guide to Ensemble Devising

A Practical Guide to Ensemble Devising

A thorough and practical guide to the making of ensemble collaborative performance.
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A Practical Guide to Shakespeare for the Primary School

A Practical Guide to Shakespeare for the Primary School

A highly practical and original approach to exploring Shakespeare with primary-aged children.
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