improvisation Archives - Drama Resource

Random Sound Stories

Drama Games, Improvisation, Speaking and Listening, Storytelling

A story is told by the group or in pairs, with each person adding one word at a time.

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

Books, Directing, Drama Clubs, Secondary

An inspiring guidebook for planning to produce contemporary devised work with young people (or adults).

Playing the Mask: Acting Without Bullshit by John Wright

Acting, Books, Directing

An expert and entertaining exploration of half-mask, full mask and archetypes with many games along the way.

The Improv Book

Acting, Books, Drama Games, Secondary

For anyone exploring improvisation, wanting to spice up rehearsals of existing material or devise their own work.

Commedia dell’arte Drama Unit

Acting, Directing and Devising, Download - Secondary, Drama Teaching, Features

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

Action Clip

Drama Strategies

Bring freeze frames to life in just a few moments.

Story Books for Drama Teaching

Drama Teaching, Drama Tips, Features, Language Teaching

Stories can provide the launch pad for a one-off drama session or several weeks of work. Drama strategies can be drawn on to deepen the understanding of characters and situations or to explore alternative outcomes. Below is a list of books which provide great...Read more

Whoosh! Bringing Stories Alive through Drama

Directing and Devising, Drama Strategies, Drama Teaching, Features

An interactive technique in which participants become characters and objects in a story as it is told.

Bringing Fairy Tales to Life through Drama

Drama Teaching, Features, Primary Drama

Ways to develop fairy and folk tales into rehearsed performances, improvisations, tableaux and oral storytelling.

Flashbacks and Flash Forwards

Drama Strategies

Performers in a scene are asked to improvise scenes which take place seconds, minutes, days or years before or after a dramatic moment. This enables the exploration of characters’ backgrounds, motivations and the consequences of their actions.The method can be...Read more