Minotaur - Unicorn Theatre

Transcription

MINOTAUR
MINOTAUR
TEACHER RESOURCE PACK
FOR TEACHERS
TEACHERS WORKING
WORKING WITH
WITH PUPILS
PUPILS IN
YEARS1 3-6
FOR
IN YEAR
–3
MINOTAUR
FROM 24 JAN - 2 APR
FOR PUPILS IN YEARS 3 - 6
NO ONE EVER RETURNS FROM THE LABYRINTH...
In Crete, in an impossible labyrinth, lives a fearsome and lonely beast with
the head of a bull and the body of a man. Only his sister Ariadne cares
for him, and she dreams of setting them both free from the rule of their
selfish father, the King.
But when Ariadne sees her chance to escape, she makes a terrible pact
with the enemy’s son that will change everyone’s future for better or for
worse.
A playful, clever and dramatic retelling of the well known Greek myth.
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MINOTAUR - TEACHER RESOURCES
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
5. THE OPENING OF THE PLAY
7. INTERVIEW WITH WRITER - ADAM PECK
4.
PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES
9.
10.
SECTION ONE - Daedalus AND HIS SON, ICARUS
13.
SECTION TWO – ICARUS, HIS FATHER’S SON
17.
SECTION THREE – LEAVING FOR CRETE
20.
SECTION FOUR – KING MINOS’ PALACE
23.
SECTION FIVE – PRESENTING THE PLANS TO THE ADVISOR
25.
SECTION SIX – THE LOCKED ROOM
29.
SECTION SEVEN – QUESTIONS FOR THE KING
30.
SECTION EIGHT - DAEDALUS AND ICARUS: THE REST OF THE STORY
31.
SECTION NINE - MINOTAUR: THE PLAY
33.
MAKING MINOTAUR HALF MASKS
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the resources for Minotaur, for teachers working with children in years 3 to 6.
Greek myths have been the inspiration for stories, paintings, operas, films and plays for centuries.
In the Unicorn Theatre’s retelling of the myth of The Minotaur, Adam Peck has created a fresh
interpretation that will engage young contemporary theatre audiences and provide teachers with a
rich context for further learning.
The play tells the story of the Minotaur - a terrible mythical creature; half man, half bull, who lives
imprisoned in a maze. It is a story of complex relationships between a brother and his sister and
between fathers and sons. It explores the boundaries between love and hatred, imprisonment and
freedom, loyalty and revenge.
These resources aim to help schools to get the most out of their visit to the Unicorn by supporting
teachers in devising learning experiences that will enrich the curriculum and motivate and engage
the class. We create activities that can be used before or after your theatre visit and that use drama,
storytelling and writing as ways of exploring themes and events relevant to the play.
ACCOMPANYING TEACHER CPD DAY: FRI 27 NOV 10AM - 4PM
This free CPD day will be an opportunity for teachers to find out more about the production and to
gain practical experience of the classroom activities before using them in the classroom. The day will
also support teachers’ development in working through drama that can be applied to other aspects of
the curriculum.
SHORT COURSE: DISCOVER WHAT THEATRE CAN BRING TO YOUR CLASSROOM
A short, practical course for teachers who are interested in discovering the learning potential offered
by a trip to the theatre:
• Build your confidence in using drama in the classroom
• Explore using drama to develop writing, particularly with reluctant writers
• Discover ways to develop your pupils’ responses to watching theatre
Thu 21 Jan, 5-6.30pm
Thu 28 Jan, 5-6.30pm (7pm Minotaur press night)
Thu 4 Feb, 5-6.30pm
Thu 11 Feb, 5-6.30pm
Cost: £80 per teacher (includes all sessions, resource pack, your ticket to the show and refreshments).
Schools do not have to commit to bringing pupils to see the show in order to take part in the course.
To book for either course, email [email protected]
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MINOTAUR: THE
OPENING OF THE PLAY
The play opens with a prologue introducing us to four of the main characters: Ariadne; her father,
King Minos; Theseus; and his father, King Aegeus.
‘All I wanted was a son. A son to wear my crown, when I am dead and gone.’
King Minos’ of Crete is angry at the death of his son who was killed during the Games in Athens; he
has just fought and won a war against King Aegeus and defeated the Athenians. As the play opens,
he is parading the defeated Aegeus in front of his people and demanding Aegeus pays a debt to him:
every nine years seven children must be chosen and sent to Crete to be fed to the Minotaur who lives
in the the labyrinth. Half man, half bull, the Minotaur is Minos’ only remaining son.
The defeated King Aegeus of Athens also longs for a son; believing that he has no son to inherit
the throne when he dies. He does not know that he does have a son, Theseus, who is travelling to
find him. Twenty years previously, when Aegeus had been on his travels, he had fallen in love with a
princess in the city of Troezen but, before their child was born, Aegeus had to return to Athens. He
left his sword with the princess and asked that, if the child was a boy, it be given to him when he was
old enough. But that was twenty years ago and no news of a son had ever reached King Aegeus.
Meanwhile, Aegeus cannot face choosing which children to sacrifice, so King Minos offers him a deal;
he will choose the children himself, but it will be fourteen children sacrificed, not seven. King Aegeus
agrees to King Minos’ terms.
Back in Crete, Ariadne enters, carrying the ball of wool that guides her through the labyrinth, she is
searching for her brother; calling out to him to reassure him that he need not hide from her.
Only Ariadne, Minos’ daughter, knows how to get to the centre of the labyrinth and she is the only one
who has ever tried to communicate with the Minotaur, her brother. She plays music to him to soothe
him, tells him she loves him and tries to teach him to say her name.
But she is also disgusted by her brother, the Minotaur and frustrated when he cannot speak her name.
Ariadne longs to free the Minotaur from his imprisonment in the labyrinth and for herself to be free of
Crete and her father, King Minos.
In Athens as the sacrificial children are about to be chosen. Theseus arrives looking for his father, King
Aegeus. He has travelled a long way over land and fought and won many fights along the way. But
when Theseus hears of the sacrifice of Athenian children he immediately offers to go to Crete and
fight the Minotaur himself.
When Theseus and Ariadne meet in Crete they realise that they could work together to be free from
King Minos, his labyrinth and the Minotaur…
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INTERVIEW WITH
WRITER - ADAM PECK
This is a transcription of a conversation with Adam about the process of writing Minotaur, recorded
in March 2015.
Why did you write the play?
It was commissioned by Bristol Old Vic for children in an area of artistic deprivation and low
aspiration. A lot of the children who go to the schools (we were touring to) are born there, get an
education there, get a job there, and they never leave really. It seemed to me that they wanted to stay
near their family, near what they knew. So the idea behind the piece was to explore the idea of home
and leaving home.
Every character in the play has some reason to want to leave home, or to stay at home: Theseus sets
off to find his father; he has to leave his home Troezen to find him. Ariadne wants to leave home
because she feels her father is trapping her, even though he says she is free to go at any time. The
Minotaur lives in the labyrinth and his father says there are no locks or chains, he is free to leave at
anytime but for some reason he chooses not to.
So there are sons or daughters who want to leave home and parents who want to keep them there.
These ideas of travelling and where your home is and trying to find the place you belong were the
starting point.
I was also interested in the idea of having a monster that wasn’t really a monster, who was somehow
put upon in some way or was abused for being different.
What in this fresh production do you think will capture the imaginations of the Unicorn Theatre
audience?
Most people will be aware that there is a thing called the Minotaur and that he lived in a labyrinth. It is
an evocative idea; that there is some kind of monster that eats human flesh, and which lives in a maze.
I think that idea appeals to people as a metaphor for life perhaps or a weird wonderful place where
this macabre thing happened.
Who is the Minotaur and what does he represent in your play?
I think he’s the ‘other’, he’s a son and a brother; a son to the King, a brother to Ariadne. But he’s
also different and he’s misunderstood and the people around him use him. King Minos uses him as a
punishment for his enemies and Ariandne uses him as an excuse to free herself. Although it depends
how you read the play; whether she does it for herself or to help him.
He’s not a monster I think, he’s just someone who’s deformed, who’s different from other people; an
outsider who has been outcast. His father King Minos is ashamed of him, but because he’s his son, he
doesn’t want to kill him. He’s also some sort of mascot for Minos; a living myth, something that can be
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used to threaten people.
I’d like people to sympathise with the character of the Minotaur, he’s ugly, uneducated, has been
abandoned and the only person he has any contact with is his sister. He’s a fan of music, that’s the
thing that soothes him. He’s been ignored and locked away; he’s not been able to learn anything.
You hear these stories of children who’ve been abandoned in the jungle or in a flat somewhere and
they emerge and people want to describe them as savage, or animal like - what do you expect if you
are not surrounded by people who educate, care for and nurture you? You become what they fear;
uncivilised. It doesn’t mean they are bad, or monsters, it just means they are not accustomed to the
ways we’re accustomed to. It’s as a result of his father’s actions that he has become the way he is.
Tell us about the relationship between Ariadne and the Minotaur:
She has a little bit of a push pull relationship with him. She associates most closely with him in her
life, as she is also the subject of their nasty father, the King. She has a special relationship with the
Minotaur and she feels safe around him even though he’s dangerous. There’s a relationship of trust
in some way; she trusts he won’t kill her and he is soothed by her, she eases his pain. So they rely on
each other.
But I think ultimately she wants to escape the Island and her father. I think that she wants her brother
to escape too; at one point she says to him, ‘you need to go now, you need to go before father
returns, go on, go, go’, but he won’t move, he just stays there. And the thing that she fears the most
that her father is right when he says the Minotaur stays there because he wants to, I don’t think she
truly believes that.
Ariadne could leave at any point, but as Minos points out she will always be his daughter. The
frustration with her own life is writ large in the life of her brother. I think there is something quite
cathartic for her in having her brother killed, in terms of setting herself free both literally and
metaphorically.
However this is my reading of it and hopefully there are different readings. I’m sure that some people
would say that Ariadne is very manipulative, but other people would say she is very clever, or that she
uses her wits to overcome a very difficult situation.
What about the relationship between Theseus and Aegeus?
I think Aegeus is a bit of a disappointment to his son and when Theseus arrives he is expecting
someone much better, much stronger - the dad that he’s been waiting to meet for a long time.
Aegeus is quite weak. I get the sense that he’s been stronger, but he hasn’t been able to have a son
and as the years have gone by the more impotent he’s become and bullied by the people around him.
You get the sense that Athens has fallen into a state of disrepair and that the walls are crumbling
around him. Aegeus feels impotent and powerless but when his son arrives, as brief as that moment
is, he thinks that this could be a new lease of life and he’s energised by that. Finally this son that he’s
wanted for so long has arrived, but no sooner has he arrived than he’s gone again.
It feels to me that Theseus immediately senses that cowardice from his father and he’s almost the
opposite, he’s been without a father for so long. Theseus wants to prove himself to his father. That’s
why he’s travelled by land rather than by sea and fought off three monsters on the way, to show his
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dad what a great man he is and how strong he is, how good he is with a sword. But when he arrives
he thinks ‘why did I bother to prove myself? I’m already a fitter, stronger, a more natural leader than
my father.’ In terms of character he’s a lot closer to Minos; he’s decisive, he wants to fight, he’s not in
any way weak.
There are a few redeeming features of Aegeus, he reflects and considers things, I think he is quite
sympathetic. I remember in the original production there were children really quite upset about
Aegeus killing himself and the fact that his son has abandoned him.
Why does Theseus make the decision not to raise the sails, to tell his father that he is returning
safely, at the end of the story?
Theseus is very cut throat at the end. You have to make up your own mind about why he didn’t
turn the sails, but it is definitely a decision. That was deliberate on my part; I felt that a choice was
more dramatic than just him forgetting. In the original he is so upset about Ariadne leaving him and
choosing to be left on Knaxos. He was in love with Ariadne and that’s why he forgets to change the
sail, but I don’t think that love affair exists in my version. I think both Ariadne and Theseus use each
other for their own purposes. I think they’ve got other priorities.
In your version it is all about the human story, why did you remove Gods from your play?
I’m not a believer in larger powers than ourselves and I don’t believe in determinism; we forge our
own paths in life and I think that is what the characters in this play do. I don’t like that there might
be some more powerful force than human choice at play or the idea of the Gods serving as puppet
masters that determine how people behave or the decisions that they make.
The backstory is fascinating; Daedalus had designed the labyrinth and because King Minos didn’t
want anyone to find out about it, or find the plans so they could find their way out, he said I’ll take
your son as guarantee or you can both be imprisoned in the tower. Daedalus chose to be imprisoned
with his son in the tower rather than agreeing to have his son killed and walking free himself. In the
end though, the outcome is the same: Daedalus goes free (after flying away), but Icarus dies (after
flying too near the sun).
This theme of sons is very strong; Minos’s son is deformed, Daedalus’ son is imprisoned and then dies
trying to escape and Aegeus loses his son, or so he thinks, and therefore kills himself.
What were the challenges in writing your play?
Firstly how to represent the Minotaur? Do you make him look scary or do you make him look normal?
Or somewhere in between? Is he more human than monster, or is he more monster than man?
A lot happens in the story; everything that takes place on the Island with the Minotaur and Ariadne,
and the stuff that happens in Athens with Aegeus and Minos, and Theseus travelling on his way. It
was a real challenge to know what to include and when to start the story. There is always something
informing the story in Greek Myths; the story before and the story before that.
I also had an issue with the original myth with Ariadne just being rescued; she helps Theseus then he
carries her off and abandons her. I had problems with her being this passive figure who Theseus uses
as a means to an end and then abandons. So I wanted her to be quite strong-willed. She is able to be
quite resourceful; she is able to use people around her in the way that they use her.
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
INTRODUCTION
The Minotaur CPD day and these accompanying activities aim to prepare teachers, and through
them their classes, for seeing the play. One of the most exciting things about coming to see a play is
being in the presence of live performers and being drawn into what is being created on stage. These
activities will provide teachers with ideas and approaches that link the visit to the performance of
Minotaur, to classroom curriculum work, not by explaining the play, but by engaging with background
to the events that happen on stage so that that the individual responses to the performance can be
expanded and deepened.
Many children will have already encountered the Greek myth of The Minotaur before coming to see
the play and will expect all of the elements of the story to be there. And of course they will be! The
Minotaur - the half human, half bull son of King Minos - imprisoned in the centre of the labyrinth, his
defeat by the hero Theseus and Ariadne with her ball of wool that guides Theseus out of the maze.
But as has been the case over the centuries, each retelling of The Minotaur is a re-imagining. Each
time the story is retold by artists, writers, musicians, poets and playwrights, such as Adam Peck, it has
been interpreted in a new way and for whichever art form they work in. Teachers may find it helpful
to discuss with the class how myths and stories have been told and retold in different ways for many
centuries and that each writer brings their own interpretation to the narrative. The interview with
Adam, included in this pack gives insight into his approach to this ancient Greek myth.
The Greek myths are a web of stories where characters’ lives are interwoven and no myth stands
alone. These pre-show activities explore the myth of Daedalus and Icarus, who designed the labyrinth
where the Minotaur is held, and focuses on the relationship between a father and his son, echoing
one of the main themes of the play. We also learn about King Minos, his two sons and the palace of
Knossos with the labyrinth underneath it. So when the play begins, we have contextual knowledge
and can understand why King Minos is longing for a son.
Whilst the main aim of these resources is to enable teachers to make connections to the play, they
also set out to enrich children’s learning through purposeful activities that have a meaningful and
engaging context. The activities use drama, storytelling, and writing as ways of exploring themes
and events. They do not take an objective led approach; however, teachers will be able to establish
links to the relevant curriculum objectives for their year group and can adapt them for their particular
educational setting.
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MINOTAUR - PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES
SECTION ONE:
DAEDALUS AND HIS
SON, ICARUS
INTRODUCTION
The complex relationships that can exist between fathers and sons is one of the key themes of the
play. At the opening we see two kings, King Aegeus and King Minos, both longing for a son. These
activities enable the class to explore this theme through the relationship between Daedalus and his
son Icarus, creating understanding and experience to draw on which is relevant to the father and son
relationships in the play.
Stage 1: Enables the class to consider the abilities and qualities it takes to become highly skilled at
doing something.
Stage 2: Introduces Daedalus - an architect, engineer, sculptor and inventor.
Stage 3: Introduces Icarus, Daedalus’ son, and considers what hopes Daedalus might have for him.
TIMING
Approx 1 hour
STRATEGIES
Exploratory talk; reflective discussion; still image; teacher narration; improvisation; discussion.
RESOURCES
Flip chart or IWB with images of ancient Greece (can be found by searching Greek tools/architecture/
inventions/sculptures online), a cloth that can be folded to represent a baby.
STAGE 1
-
Explain that you are going to be exploring the relationship between a boy and his father. The father is called Daedalus and he is a skilled architect; designer; sculptor; inventor and engineer and in ancient Greece he was renowned for his skills and expertise in all of these areas. He has a son called Icarus.
- Ask the class to think about people they know who are really skilled at something – it could someone in their family; in sport, music, politics etc. The class might also want to discuss their own skills and expertise.
- Out of the discussion choose two or three examples and ask the class to consider: what do they think it took for that person to become as good as they are at what they do? What did they have to do? How did they have to behave? How do they think the people around them behaved?
- During the discussion make a list of the qualities and dispositions that the class have identified.
Extend the discussion, building on the particular points the class has raised, to consider: how do we discover that we have a talent for something? What makes other people notice that someone
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has a talent for something?
- Remind the class that Daedalus’ skill is as an architect, engineer, sculptor and inventor in ancient Greece. Show some images (on the IWB or printed out) of the kind of inventions, sculptures, engineering and architecture that would have been around in Athens at the time.
- Explain that this activity is about Daedalus – engineer, inventor, sculptor and architect - and that we are going to imagine what kind of a man he might be. Ask the class to walk around the space, listening out for instructions.
- Explain that when you say STOP they should stop as still as a statue and when you say GO they should move off again.
- Now add in that when you say STOP you will give them a count of three to create a still image (freeze frame) of Daedalus at work on one of his jobs. For example: Daedalus, the sculptor, working on a marble sculpture of a horse.
- Explain that sometimes you might ask them to get with a partner or small groups to make a still image. For example: Daedalus and a carpenter working together to lay the floorboards.
- When the class are holding their still image comment on what they have created, linking the images to the understanding of skills and dispositions that were listed earlier.
Ideas for the still images:
Daedalus, the sculptor, working on a marble sculpture of a horse
Daedalus, the architect, drawing the final plans for a new building
Daedalus, the engineer, examining the cogs on a machine that has stopped working
Daedalus showing someone his new invention for looking at the stars
Daedalus and his assistant hauling a new water tank into place
Daedalus and a carpenter working together to lay floorboards
Daedalus sketching a javelin thrower
Daedalus the architect, inspecting the work his builders have done on the foundations of a new palace
STAGE 2
- You will need a cloth wrapped as if it holds a baby to represent Daedalus’ new born son, Icarus.
- Gather the class into a circle and start by discussing what hopes and expectations parents might have for a new born son.
- Holding the folded cloth as if it is a baby, introduce Daedalus’ son Icarus to the class. The teacher’s belief in this moment is important and teachers can draw on the class’ experience of holding babies to help ensure that the baby is being held safely.
- Remind the class of the kind of man they imagined Daedalus might be; his qualities, abilities and disposition and ask them to think about what such a man might want for his son as he grows up.
- Teachers could ask the class to work in pairs to discuss their ideas at this point.
- Explain to the class that everyone in the circle is Daedalus and when they hold the baby Icarus they can speak out loud his hopes for his son.
- Discuss what has been said with the class and the sort of father that they think Daedalus will be.
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WRITING
Teachers may want the class to record this moment in writing as a letter from Daedalus to his son that
he can read when he is older. If teachers are considering extending the work on Daedalus and Icarus
further to include an exploration of their imprisonment by King Minos, such a letter would take on a
new significance in the drama.
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SECTION TWO:
ICARUS, HIS FATHER’S
SON
INTRODUCTION
This section explores how the young Icarus grows up and begins to show some of the same skills,
qualities and dispositions as Daedalus, his father. When he reaches age 16, Daedalus is considering
taking Icarus as his assistant on the most important and prestigious job of his life: the design of a
maze that is to be built underneath King Minos’ palace in Knossos. But first Daedalus sets him a
challenge solving maze problems in order to test whether or not he is up to the job.
Stage 1: The development of rehearsed scenes showing how Icarus reveals qualities that make him
‘his father’s son’, based on his life between the ages of 3 and 15.
Stage 2: With teacher and pupils in-role as Daedalus and Icarus; Daedalus tests Icarus to see whether
he is ready to be his assistant. The test is to try a range of mazes, and to understand how they work,
how people can solve mazes and consider how to create an impossible labyrinth; a maze no-one
could find their way out of.
TIMING
Approx 50 minutes
STRATEGIES
Whole class discussion; rehearsed improvisation; presentation; script writing, teacher in-role.
RESOURCES
A scarf or in-role signifier. Copies of mazes with different levels of difficulty on A4 paper rolled into
scrolls. There should be more than enough for all of the class and they should be in three levels
of complexity with each level held in a different container to make choosing possible. Each level
should include two or three different mazes. The containers should be labelled: Challenging; Very
Challenging; Exceptionally Challenging. There are many websites from which teachers can download
mazes for free. For example: www.krazydad.com/mazes
STAGE 1
- Begin by discussing the work the class has already done and the understanding they have of Daedalus and Icarus. Remind the class about the skills that Daedalus has and what he hopes his son might become.
- Explain that they are going to be imagining Icarus growing up because by the time he is sixteen he will have become very skilled and he will be working with his father for the first time as an inventor and architect.
- They will be working in small groups to create the moments when Icarus began to show some of the abilities his father had hoped he would have when he was born.
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-
Have a whole class discussion to animate ideas: what moments might there be when Icarus shows that he has particular abilities? Does he surprise his parents in any way? What challenges and pressures might there be? Does everything go smoothly as Icarus grows up? What do people notice about Icarus that mark him out as his father’s son?
- Divide the class into small groups and allocate each group with an age range to explore: they will be thinking about Icarus’ life between the ages of 3 and 6; 7 and 11; and 12 and 15.
-
Ask each group to imagine an event that could have taken place when Icarus shows that he is ‘his father’s son’. Remind them that they are drawing on what they already know from the previous activities and that Daedalus can, but does not have to, appear in the scene. They may want to include other family members, workers or friends in their images.
-
-
Ask the class to create a short scene with both action and dialogue that shows what happens. Each scene should start and finish with a still moment.
Give the class 10 minutes working time and ensure that each group is focused and on task, offering what support necessary.
- Share the scenes with the whole class. As groups will be focused on Icarus at different ages, the sharing sequence can follow his development over time. Ask the groups to make sure they think about where and when the scene is taking place as this will have an influence on what they create.
- Lead the class in responding to each other’s work and encourage the class to reflect on how the group has presented their scene as well as what they have shown.
WRITING
To develop this work, teachers might wish to ask the class to write the scene as a piece of script. This
could be done as a piece of collaborative writing with each group working together to write down the
dialogue they have created and to work out what other stage directions are necessary. Teachers might
want to ask the groups to perform each other’s scripted scenes once they are finalised or to recreate
the scene in another medium.
STAGE 2
- Explain to the class that for the next activity they are all going to be in-role as Icarus and that you will take on the role of Daedalus.
-
Icarus is now 16 and his father thinks he is ready to work alongside him on his next commission
Ask the class to work in pairs to think about where Daedalus might choose to have this conversation with his son. Would Daedalus ask Icarus to come to see him somewhere? Would he go to meet Icarus? Would it be casual or a very formal encounter? It could be in a range of different places.
- Hear some of their ideas and discuss the reasons for the decisions the class have made.
- The class could be on the carpet or at their desks. Ask everyone to sit in their places as if they are Icarus, ready to hear what their father has to say, choosing one of the settings which had been suggested.
- Tell them that when you put on the scarf (or put on whatever signifier you have chosen) you will be talking to them as if you are Daedalus and each of them are Icarus. The containers with the scrolls of mazes should be nearby.
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Teacher in-role – these are the points of information that teachers will need to get across in-role:
• You think that Icarus is ready to work alongside you at last.
• You have been granted a commission to design and oversee the building of a special
structure.
• You trust that he can rise to any challenge but you need to make sure because this is an
important job for a King who is known for his ruthlessness.
• This is the most important job of your life and you need the very best people with you. The
job is to create a design for a maze that will be built underneath King Minos’ great palace
at Knossos on the island of Crete. It must be a maze so complex that no one can get to the
centre unless they have been taught how and no one who is taken into the centre can find the
way out.
• If they are to take on the job they will be away from home for a long time, a year at least,
maybe more and in that time will not be able to return home.
• If they take the job they will have to swear to keep the King’s secrets and tell no one about
their plans.
• King Minos is very wealthy, they will be handsomely rewarded and it is a very prestigious job.
- When working in-role teachers need to make use of all the detail about the lives of Daedalus and Icarus that have been created in the work so far and they need to respond to the contributions the class make in-role.
- The final request that Daedalus makes to Icarus is to show that he is willing to join him in preparing for this commission by taking on a final challenge of his skills and ability:
Teacher in-role:
• I need your help Icarus and I need to know that I have taught you well. If you are willing, test
your skills against the trials of the best mazes that have ever been created. I want you to find
your way in and out of the maze. And I need you to be able to explain to me how you did it the way your mind worked to solve the puzzle.
• I understand you may be apprehensive about the task so I have given you a choice – in this
container the mazes are Challenging; in this one: Very Challenging; in this one: Exceptionally
Challenging. Have you any questions, Icarus?
- Teachers will be able to ensure, in-role as Daedalus, that if there are children in the class who have specific educational needs, they get a maze with an achievable level of challenge.
- Other children should be encouraged to set their own level of challenge and ‘Daedalus’ can reassure them that they can come back for another if they find that the one they have chosen is either too complicated for them to solve or provides very little challenge.
- It is not just the solving of the maze but the strategies used to be successful that the class needs to be able to be aware of.
- Teachers can either give pupils working time in class or set the task as homework.
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STAGE 3
This activity can be done in-role, as Daedalus posing the questions to Icarus, or as an out of role
discussion.
- Remind the class that the task is not just about finding a way through the maze, but also reflecting on the strategies they used. These are some questions that will help to focus their thinking:
• Do they think they chose a maze that had the right level of challenge for them? How do they
know?
• Did they begin from the middle out or from the entrance in? Why did they choose the starting
point they did?
• Was it the same level of challenge getting out as it was getting in?
• What did they do when they took a turn that didn’t lead anywhere?
• What kept them going? What do they think would keep Icarus motivated?
• How did they feel when they got to the centre?
• If they swap mazes with their partner and they can follow the route they took to the centre, is
it still a maze?
• What piece of advice would they give to someone who was trying to get to the centre of a
complicated maze?
• What advice would they give to Daedalus and Icarus when they are designing the maze for
King Minos?
- Ask the class to share their maze with a partner and to discuss the questions.
- As a whole class, gather the advice that they would give to Daedalus and Icarus as they begin to design the maze that will be built underneath King Minos’ palace.
Designs for the labyrinth
The class may want to design the maze that Daedalus and Icarus take to Crete and teachers may
choose to encourage them to do so. It could be a homework activity or set up as an activity that the
class could choose to do at a time when there is an opportunity during the week.
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SECTION THREE:
LEAVING FOR CRETE
INTRODUCTION
This activity explores the moment when Daedalus and Icarus leave for Crete, an island far away
from their home, where the father and son will be working for a King known for his great wealth and
ruthlessness.
Stage 1: A story whoosh telling the story of Daedalus and Icarus creating their plans for the labyrinth
and preparing to leave home for King Minos’ palace.
Stage 2: Asks the children to consider what it means for the plans to be kept secret and how
Daedalus and Icarus might protect the plan.
TIMING
Approx 40 minutes
STRATEGIES
Story whoosh; still image; reflective discussion; writing in-role; teacher narration.
RESOURCES
Hall space; large scroll of paper for each group to represent the plans for the labyrinth.
STAGE 1
-
Gather the class together as a whole group and explain how the story whoosh works: the class will be in a circle, the teacher takes the role of narrator and as each event is told a group makes a physical representation of the moment that shows what is happening. As the narration moves on the group is ‘whooshed’ out of the way and the next part of the action is portrayed as a ‘freeze frame’ by the next children in the circle.
- Organise the class into to a circle and narrate the story whoosh which details the events that lead up to the moment Daedalus and Icarus left for Crete:
• Daedalus and Icarus work day and night in the workshop on their secret plans for the
labyrinth.
• They carefully measure and draw each twist and turn, planning each dead end, in the maze.
• When Daedalus’ wife (Icarus’ mother) brought them food, she would first knock on the door
and wait. Daedalus and Icarus would roll up their plan before opening the door and taking
their food. When she had left they could unroll the plan and start again.
• Finally after many weeks of hard work the plans were complete.
WHOOSH
• And so King Minos’ representative arrived in Athens to see the plan for the labyrinth.
• Daedalus, with Icarus at his side, showed him the plan and he was very impressed, saying
‘You must now accompany me to Crete and present the plans to King Minos himself who
will have the final say. If King Minos agrees the plans you will have to stay on Crete until the
labyrinth is completed, but he will reward you well.’
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• Daedalus and Icarus agreed to the terms and shook hands with the representative.
• King Minos’ representative told them to be packed and ready to leave the following
morning.
WHOOSH
• Daedalus and Icarus packed their bags with all their special tools and equipment and
prepared to leave home the next day.
• They carefully rolled up the plans and stored them safely for the journey.
WHOOSH
• That night neither Daedalus or Icarus could sleep, they lay awake thinking about what lay
ahead of them tomorrow.
• Finally they both fell asleep and dreamed of themselves (ask children to act as Daedalus and
Icarus in the dream) meeting the great King Minos and bowing down before him.
WHOOSH
•
•
•
•
The next morning Daedalus and Icarus stood at the shore, ready to board the boat for Crete.
Friends and family came to say goodbye and wish them good luck.
Daedalus and Icarus, with King Minos’ representative, boarded the boat.
The sailors raised the sails and they were ready to set off across the sea to the island of
Crete.
WHOOSH - the end
- Hold the final image of the story whoosh and ask the class to think about who the people on the shore waving goodbye to Daedalus and Icarus might be.
-
Explain that you are going to thought track some of the people in this final image. When you place your hand on the character’s shoulder people in the audience are invited to speak the thoughts of that character. Take a range of thoughts for each of the characters. Encourage the class to think about the complex range of feelings that might arise in this situation.
- While you are thought tracking you can also ask the class to think about a number of questions which will help deepen this work:
• What might be the advantages and disadvantages of the father and son going away to work
for King Minos?
• Would all family members and their friends feel the same way about them leaving?
• What kind of events might they miss if they are away from home for over a year?
STAGE 2
- Still in a circle, show the class a roll of paper and ask them to imagine that it is the plans for the labyrinth that only King Minos and his representative can ever see.
- Ask the class to think about the plans for the labyrinth and to discuss with the person next to them: How would the plans be kept safe on the journey to Crete? Who would carry them? Would Daedalus trust Icarus to carry them? Would King Minos’ representative want to be in charge?
- Pass the ‘plans’ round the circle and ask each pair to share their ideas.
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WRITING – WHAT I WISH I COULD SAY
Ask the class to choose a person from the still images and to write the letter that says the things
they wanted to say at the docks. It could be written from the perspective of Daedalus or Icarus, or a
member of the family left behind in Athens.
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SECTION FOUR:
KING MINOS’ PALACE
INTRODUCTION
This section allows pupils to imagine and create what greets Daedalus and Icarus when they arrive
at King Minos’ palace. Androgeous, Minos’ son died in a horrible accident at the Athenian games
(because of this King Minos will declare war on Greece and ultimately defeat King Aegeus, which is
where the play begins). These activities allow the children to learn about and understand King Minos’
loss through creating the courtyard with the memorial statues to his dead son.
Stage 1: A brief discussion about the palace at Knossos and how Daedalus and Icarus would respond
to its grandeur.
Stage 2: A quick fire ‘stop and show’ game where the class are asked to create slow motion images of
Androgeous winning the competitions at the Athenian Games.
Stage 3: Asks children to imagine the courtyard of statues King Minos has built in memory of his dead
son, and allows pupils to find out about the loss that Minos has suffered and the reasons behind his
war with the King Aegeus of Athens.
TIMING
Approx 1 hour
STRATEGIES
Class discussion; physical representation; improvisation; listening hand; reflective discussion;
improvisation; teacher in-role.
RESOURCES
Images of the palace of Knossos and Greek art work on pottery depicting the Athenian games
(images are easily be found online).
STAGE 1
- Begin by showing the children some images of the palace at Knossos where Daedalus and Icarus arrive. The palace would be considered particularly beautiful and grand.
- Ask the class to think about what Daedalus and Icarus’ responses to the palace might be. Ask them:
• What do you imagine Daedalus and Icarus might be impressed by? Remember Daedalus is a
respected architect, sculptor and engineer and Icarus has learnt much from his father.
• What do you think the palace would tell them about King Minos?
-
Now explain to the class that, at the very centre of the palace, King Minos has created a courtyard in memory of his beloved son, Androgeous, who was killed in the Athenian games. Talk about the way in which the Athenian games were the beginnings of our Olympic Games. At the time, people would come from all over Greece and beyond to compete against the other city states.
STAGE 2
- Introduce the class to the images of Greek sports represented in the sculptures and on the black pottery.
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- Ask the class what they notice about how the ancient Greek artists and sculptors depicted the athletes. How did they make them looked skilled at what they were doing?
- Explain to the class that they are going to play Stop and Show creating slow motion clips of
Androgeous, before he was killed.
- Tell the class that Androgeous was an exceptional athlete and he competed in many different sports. You will tell them which sport you want them to show each time.
- Ask the class to find a starting place in the room and, when you are sure they are ready, to move slowly round the space.
- Ask the class to show in slow motion (on a count of 5):
• Androgeous the runner beating the Athenian runner to the finish line.
• Androgeous the boxer in training.
• Androgeous the wrestler who has just won his bout against the Athenian wrestler.
• Androgeous the javelin thrower just about to throw a javelin.
• Androgeous the discus thrower throwing his discus.
- This time, ask the class to get into a group of three and to create a frozen picture of: Androgeous the athlete with his father King Minos and his sister Ariadne celebrating his victory in all the sports he has competed in against the Athenians.
- Ask the groups to imagine what the people in their image might be saying to each other. Bring all the images to life for a moment then freeze them in position again and then ask the class to relax and sit down.
- Choose one of the images to look at and ask the class to create a caption for it that they think best sums up the how King Minos, Androgeous and Ariadne are feeling at this moment of victory.
STAGE 3
- Tell the class that they are going to create another part of the palace where Daedalus and Icarus discover more about the King. This time it is a courtyard of statues at the centre of the palace.
- Ask the class to imagine a great courtyard in the style of the palace they have created in the previous activity. At one end is the corridor that leads to King Minos’ throne room, at the opposite end is a large closed door.
- Daedalus and Icarus are surrounded by finely made marble statues and black figure vases in niches and on shelves. Tell the class that they are going to make the sculptures that Daedalus and Icarus see in the courtyard.
- Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5 and give each group the title of their sculpture:
• My son Androgeous the wrestler
• My son Androgeous the javelin thrower
• My son Androgeous the charioteer
• My son Androgeous the runner
• My son Androgeous the boxer
• My son Androgeous the discus thrower
- Once the groups have created their statues, set up the courtyard with all of the fine marble statues placed around the edge. Reflect on the great athlete that Androgeous was and how King Minos would feel about such a son.
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-
Explain that Androgeous had just one more competition to win to be the overall champion and beat all others in the games. But in the final event he was gored to death by a huge bull. And for this Minos blames the Athenians and their King Aegeus. It is not completely clear what happened and whether King Aegeus was responsible in any way, but King Minos was clear that the Athenians had made this happen to win the games and as a result his son was dead.
- Now explain that in the centre of the courtyard is the finest, biggest statue which Minos had made in his son’s memory and that around the bottom of the statue there are words which Minos had had inscribed to remember his son.
- In groups of five ask the class to each imagine what that statue might look like and what the inscription around the statue would be.
- See each of the final statues and ask the children what this tells us about King Minos and how he felt about his son Androgeous.
WRITING
Teachers may want to extend this work through writing. Daedalus and Icarus might write a letter
home or a postcard with a picture of King Minos’ palace on the front. Or they could write the opening
entry in a journal with illustrations that could be added to as the work progresses.
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SECTION FIVE:
PRESENTING THE
PLANS TO THE ADVISOR
INTRODUCTION
In this activity the whole class will be in-role as Daedalus and Icarus and the teacher in-role as the
King’s advisor. The class will rehearse the way they present their design to the King by rehearsing
the presentation first to the advisor. This will enable them, in-role as Daedalus and Icarus, to discover
more information about King Minos. They will also explore how important it is to use appropriate
language register for such a meeting.
Stage 1: Children in pairs as Daedalus and Icarus will prepare for meeting the King and presenting
their plans for the labyrinth - deciding what to say and how to say it.
Stage 2: The teacher, in-role as the advisor to the King, will give the children (as Daedalus and Icarus)
the opportunity to rehearse their presentation; trying out what they will say and how they will say it.
TIMING
Approx 50 minutes
STRATEGIES
Paired devising; teacher and students in-role.
RESOURCES
A roll of paper for each pair; a garment to wear when in-role as the advisor.
STAGE 1
- Explain to the class they are all going to be working in-role as Daedalus and Icarus. They have been informed by King Minos’ advisor that they are going to be presenting their plans for the labyrinth to the King the next morning.
- Organise the class into pairs and give each pair a roll of paper that represents the design for the maze. Remind the class about the work they did where they explored how to create a maze and how to design one that is difficult to get in and out of.
- Ask each pair to decide who is going to be Daedalus and who will be Icarus and explain that you will give them time to work out how they will present the plan to the King the next day.
-
Explain that when they, as Daedalus and Icarus, have had a chance to work out the best way present their plan, they will have the opportunity to try out their approach to make sure they will impress King Minos. You will be taking on the role of the King’s advisor who knows what King Minos expects.
-
Give them time to rehearse their presentation. Ask them to consider the following:
How will they behave? How will they address the King? What language or vocabulary will be appropriate to use? Can they explain their plans clearly? How will they ensure that their design for the maze is complex enough, to stop anyone getting in or out? What building materials will they
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need the king to provide? How long will the maze take to construct?
STAGE 2
-
Ask the class to help you set up the space so that it has the feel of King Minos’ throne room. How do they think it would be best organised? Make sure there is room for everyone to sit and watch what happens. They can offer advice and support when invited by the advisor. Make sure there is an appropriate ‘throne’ for the advisor.
-
Tell the class that you will be taking on the role of King Minos’ advisor who will be pretending to be King Minos to make sure that Daedalus and Icarus know how to behave in front of the King and that they can answer all the questions he might ask. Tell the class that you will be wearing a robe to show that you are in-role as the advisor.
- Choose a pair to go first and ask them to wait ‘outside’ until they are called in. Teachers might wish to have two children in-role as servants who will open the doors for Daedalus and Icarus.
- Take on the role as the advisor and summon Daedalus and Icarus.
- In-role as the advisor:
• Make sure Daedalus and Icarus use an appropriate language register for speaking to King
Minos.
• Ask what they have enjoyed about the palace so far? Mention the courtyard to remember the
King’s son who has died and ask whether they have seen it yet.
• Ask questions about the maze they have designed. Are they sure that no one who is in the
centre can get out easily? The King will need to know that it is right for the purpose.
• Tell Daedalus and Icarus that the labyrinth they have created is to hold the Minotaur who is
half man and half bull. Will it keep him secure?
• Ask them about building it - how long will it take, what materials do they need and how many
people will be needed to build it?
• Are Daedalus and Icarus sure no one else has seen the plans? How will they prevent the
builders from seeing the full design?
• Explain that the Minotaur is the King’s other son. The Gods made him half bull and half man
when King Minos failed to sacrifice a bull when he should have. The King also has a daughter
called Ariadne.
• Ask Daedalus and Icarus if they have any questions.
• Tell them that in the morning they will wait in the Courtyard of the Statues until summoned
by King Minos.
• At the end of the presentation to the advisor discuss with the class what they imagine the
impact the meeting with the advisor might have on Daedalus and Icarus.
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SECTION SIX:
THE LOCKED ROOM
INTRODUCTION
This activity explores Ariadne’s relationship with her brother, the Minotaur. It creates a moment of
suspense when Daedalus and Icarus see Ariadne entering the locked room in the courtyard where
the sculpture of Androgeous is. One of the challenges of the myth of the Minotaur is his half man –
half bull appearance and he is often presented as being entirely monstrous. There is no doubt that
he is not fully human but neither is he completely animal and, in the play, Ariadne consistently treats
the Minotaur as her brother. As with all siblings, this means that her relationship with him is caring,
patient and full of humour as well as complex and frustrating. It is this perception of the relationship
between the Minotaur and Ariadne that this activity sets out to develop.
Stage 1: Creates suspense as the class imagines the possibilities of what might be happening inside
the locked room, as they witness Ariadne entering. This is a whole class scene making activity, with
the children in-role as Daedalus and Icarus.
Stage 2: Using key props, the class stage what it is they imagine Daedalus and Icarus see through a
crack in the door.
Stage 3: A pairs scene making using props, followed by a conversation between Daedalus and Icarus
about what they have seen.
TIMING
Approx 60 mins.
STRATEGIES
Whole class scene making; using props as stimulus for rehearsed scene making; reflective discussion.
RESOURCES
Hall space; masking tape; a scarf for Ariadne; a water jug and an image of the Minotaur; scarves,
Minotaur masks and cups (to represent the jug) for each pair.
STAGE 1
- Tell the class that Daedalus and Icarus are still in the courtyard waiting to be summoned in to see Minos.
- Remind the class of the sculptures they have created and the inscriptions engraved round the plinth.
- Tell them that at the end of courtyard there is door. A big heavy door and unlike any of the other doors that open off the courtyard it is shut tight.
- Ask the class to think about how they could make the doorway and arrange the class into groups of 6-8. Ask them to very quickly create the doorway that they imagine could be at the end of the courtyard with a door that could be opened by someone who had a key.
- Choose one of the groups and ask them to recreate their doorway opposite where the sculpture has been placed and ask them to practice opening the door when someone unlocks it and pushes it open.
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- Tell the rest of the class that someone is going to be opening the door and the person who takes on that role is going to have to learn one line of dialogue very quickly. The line is: There, there, it’s only me!
- Teach the line to the class and ask everyone in the class to say the line to a partner. Ask them to practice saying it in different ways.
- Choose a child to say it aloud so that everyone can hear and ask the class whether the way the line is said gives a sense of the relationship between the person saying the line and the person being spoken to.
- Tell the class that when Daedalus and Icarus are looking at the statues in the courtyard they hear footsteps and see a girl coming into the courtyard. She is looking around her and it is clear she doesn’t want to be seen. She doesn’t see Daedalus or Icarus.
- As soon as they see her Daedalus and Icarus hide behind the sculpture and watch what happens.
- Ask the class to imagine they are Daedalus or Icarus and to find a position behind the sculpture so that they can’t be seen but they can see everything that goes on in the courtyard.
- Ask the ‘doorway’ to practice opening and closing smoothly.
- Choose one girl who will take on the role of Ariadne and give her the scarf to put on. Give her a jug to carry. Explain that she is going to walk into the courtyard as if she is being careful not to be seen. She is to go to the door, take a key from her pocket, turn it in the lock and push the door open, saying there, there, it’s only me. Once she is inside the door closes behind her.
- Run the scene – starting with Daedalus and Icarus in their hiding positions watching Ariadne walking cautiously through the courtyard, opening the door and saying her line as she goes inside the room, closing and locking the door behind her.
- This scene can be rehearsed and developed. Two children only could take on the roles of Daedalus and Icarus with the rest forming an audience for the scene.
- Ask the class what they think makes Daedalus and Icarus curious when the girl with the jug goes into the locked room? What do they think is in the jug? How do they think they will respond? What would they advise Daedalus and Icarus to do? What would they say to each other? How can they find out more about what is happening inside the room?
- Out of this discussion create a scenario for Daedalus and Icarus to add to the scene, letting them improvise their own dialogue. Finish the scene that the class agrees is the moment of most suspense.
- Play the whole scene with the rest of the class as audience.
- Ask for responses from the audience - what did they enjoy watching? Do they have any comments for the actors? Do they have any advice for them?
- Play the scene again. (Teachers may find that other children want to have an opportunity of taking on the roles of Ariadne, Daedalus and Icarus.)
STAGE 2
- In preparation for this activity teachers will need to create a half mask that represents the Minotaur. See page 33.
- Explain to the class that in this session they are going to be imagining what might be happening
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inside the room.
- Create a ‘room’ by marking out a large rectangle on the floor with masking tape, indicating where the door is. Inside the room place a chair and on the chair place the half mask of the Minotaur.
- Ask the class to imagine that Daedalus or Icarus can peep in to the room through a gap in the door to see what is happening.
-
Show the mask to the class and explain that it will represent where the Minotaur is in the room. Place Ariadne’s scarf and the jug on the floor near to the chair – these show where Ariadne is. Ask the class to look at where they have been placed and to think about what the two characters might be doing. The position of the chair cannot be moved, the Minotaur could be sitting or standing.
Ariadne could be wearing her scarf or she may be doing something else with it. She could be holding the jug or it could be on the floor - but it has to be upright.
-
Work collaboratively with the class to decide what Daedalus and Icarus see in the locked room. Would they hear anything? Create an image of what is happening in the in the room with two volunteers, using suggestions from the class to position them. Ask Ariadne to say the line – or part of the line - and discuss how the Minotaur might respond. Play the moment.
- Discuss the relationship they have created between Ariadne and the Minotaur at this moment. Have they thought about what might be in the jug?
-
Place the mask, the jug, the scarf and the chair in new positions: the chair upturned, the jug tipped over; the scarf in a corner; the mask in front of it. Ask the class again to work in pairs to image what it is that Daedalus and Icarus are seeing. How does the position of the props give them ideas about what might be happening? As before, use ideas from the class to create the moment and discuss what new insight they have into the relationship between Ariadne and the Minotaur.
-
Discuss with the class the different ways in which people behave with each other, using the different responses that have been created as examples. Are we always patient and gentle? What makes people get angry and frustrated with each other or with themselves? Do they think Ariadne can get frustrated with the Minotaur? Could the Minotaur get frustrated about anything? Can the way people respond to what is happening sometimes be unexpected?
STAGE 3
-
Ask the class to work in pairs and to devise two moments that they imagine might happen between Ariadne and the Minotaur. One moment that shows patience and gentleness; the other anger and frustration. They have to decide where to place the scarf, the chair and the jug in the room and where Ariadne’ scarf is, where Ariadne is and where the Minotaur is. Remind them that the mask will always show where the Minotaur is, but Ariadne’s scarf need not be on her. The pairs can use the whole line: There, there, it’s only me. Or any part of it. Each pair will need a scarf, a Minotaur mask and a jug (or cup).
- Give the class time to discuss and then to create two moments that they imagine Daedalus and Icarus might have seen. Each moment is just a glimpse of what is happening but it will have movement so the pairs will have to consider what any movement they make contributes to the scene.
- Before they present their work, ask each pair to think about where they are going to place the props in the ‘room’ before they take up their position.
- Gather the class together round the perimeter of the ‘room’ and see different versions of what they Page 27
imagine Daedalus and Icarus see through the crack in the door.
-
In pairs: Explain to the class that Daedalus and Icarus have moved away from the door because Ariadne is about to leave the room. Ask the class to image the conversation that Daedalus and Icarus have about what they have seen. What do they think about what they have heard and seen going on between Ariadne and the Minotaur? How do they feel about meeting King Minos now that they know who the Minotaur is? What might they want to ask him? Do they now have an idea about what the maze they have agreed to build will be used for?
- Explain that you will be using a ‘listening hand’ to hear what Daedalus and Icarus are saying so that the class can hear each other’s conversations.
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SECTION SEVEN:
QUESTIONS FOR THE
KING
INTRODUCTION
This activity focuses on Daedalus and Icarus and the things they have discovered about King Minos
and his family that they were not aware of when they agreed to design the maze, and raises the
questions they want to ask the King.
Stage 1: In-role discussion with King Minos’ adviser as a final preparation for meeting the King.
TIMING
40 minutes
RESOURCES
A garment to wear when in-role as King Minos’ advisor
STRATEGIES
Teacher in-role; discussion in-role.
STAGE 1
- Explain to the class that now that Daedalus and Icarus have discovered more about King Minos and his family they have questions they want answered.
- The King’s advisor has agreed to meet with them to check in with them before they meet the King the following day.
- Ask the class to work in pairs and to discuss what Daedalus and Icarus know about King Minos and his family and what they are not sure about. Ask the pairs to imagine what questions Daedalus and Icarus would want to ask in order to find out more.
- Tell the class that you will be taking on the role of King’s Minos’ advisor and that, in-role as Daedalus and Icarus, they will be able to put their questions to him.
- Gather the class together and, in-role, welcome Daedalus and Icarus to the meeting and invite questions.
-
In-role, challenge the nature of the questions asked; why would they want to know that? What do they think the answer might be? What has made them ask that question? The aim is not just to give answers but to get the class thinking about what they already suspect and the evidence they have to support what they think. Remind them that they are already contracted to build the maze and that they have agreed to remain on Crete until the maze is completed.
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SECTION EIGHT:
DAEDALUS AND ICARUS
THE REST OF THE STORY
INTRODUCTION
You will want to find a way of completing the story of what happened to Daedalus and Icarus before
the final section which focuses on how the drama work has prepared them to see the play. They will
not encounter Daedalus and Icarus when they come to the play at the Unicorn.
Discuss with the class how the stories in the Greek myths are all interconnected and the story of what
happens to Daedalus and Icarus when they finish building the maze is one of the stories that is linked
to the story of The Minotaur. Teachers can take the opportunity to read this story to the class as part
of the work linked to the Minotaur.
We recommend the version Theseus and the Minotaur by Geraldine McCaughrean.
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SECTION NINE:
MINOTAUR - THE PLAY
INTRODUCTION
The drama work so far has focused on the events leading up to the moment when the play begins.
The work that the class has done will give them an understanding of and an engagement with the
back story of the characters that will create a sense of connection to the action from the opening
moments of the play. In particular, the relationship between Ariadne and the Minotaur.
This final activity introduces the start of the action and who the characters in the play are. The aim
is to engage interest in the possibilities of the way the production has been staged, not to develop
preconceived expectations.
Stage 1: This activity builds an image of the key characters the children will encounter when the play
builds and draws forward what they know about these characters and the questions they will have
when they enter the theatre space.
TIMING
Approx 40 minutes
STRATEGIES
Teacher narration
RESOURCES
Ariadne’s scarf; the Minotaur image; a ball of wool.
STAGE 1
- Start by asking the class to recall what they know about Ariadne. Ask one child to stand and to take on the role of Ariadne and tell the class that she is the first character that they will see.
-
Tell the class that in the first scene the first words they will hear her say are: Brother? Are you there?
Remind the class that we won’t know how she will say that until we see the play. Remind the class of the work that they did using the line there, there, it’s only me! and how it can mean different things depending on how it’s said.
- Experiment with different ways of saying the line - could she be calling out to him? Could the line be whispered as if it’s a secret? Could she sound worried?
- Show the class the ball of wool and give it to Ariadne to hold. Tell the class that the ball of wool is really important because it’s the way that Ariadne can find her way in to the centre of the labyrinth.
- Explain that they will also see the Minotaur. Ask one of the class to take on the role of the Minotaur. Remind the class of Picasso’s representation of the Minotaur. That was one way of creating him. What we will see in the play is another way of imagining how he might look.
- Explain that at the opening of the play there will be two kings. King Minos - ask a child to take on the character of King Minos. King Minos has won the war against the King of Athens. How might a king who has just won a war stand? And King Aegeus, the King of Athens. Ask a child to take on the character of King Aegeus. How might a King who has just lost a war stand?
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- One of the lines we will hear King Minos say is: He has killed my son - the Prince. Now he must pay the price – a son for a son. What do we think that line might mean? What do we know about King Minos’ son?
- King Aegeus will say: I don’t have a son!
-
And that is the beginning of the first scene of the play. Ariadne is calling for her brother, the Minotaur. King Minos has won the war and wants revenge for the death of his son because all he ever wanted was a son to wear the crown. But King Aegeus, the King of Athens, says all he ever wanted was a son to wear the crown but he does not have a son.
- There is one other character that we haven’t met yet. His name is Theseus. He has just arrived in Athens and the first word he says is: Father?
- So all the characters are in place: King Minos, Ariadne; the Minotaur; King Aegeus and Theseus. And we are ready for the play!
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MINOTAUR HALF MASKS - FOR SECTION 6
The idea of a half man-half bull creature who is more human than animal was explored by Pablo
Picasso in many different ways. As with many artists, The Minotaur was a myth that proved to be a
rich source of inspiration for Picasso and there are many examples of his work that reflect his interest,
not all of which are suitable for use in primary school. There are, however, many paintings of the
Minotaur and several drawings of his that teachers can share with their class. Using Picasso’s work
linked to the visit to see Minotaur is a way of widening children’s experience and understanding of
how artists in different fields draw from myths to make new work.
One drawing of the Minotaur in particular, made in 1958, is a strong pencil drawing with a very
distinctive human quality but with all the features of a bull that can be transformed into half mask.
The image can be downloaded from: www.pablo-ruiz-picasso.net/work-2037.php
Teachers will need to enlarge it to the right size; cut the lower section of the drawing off to leave the
eyes and the horns. Pasting it onto card or laminating it would make it more durable.
Page 33
MINOTAUR
A Unicorn production
By Adam Peck
Directed by Tarek Iskander
Resource pack written by Susanna Steele

Minotaur - Unicorn Theatre

Transcription

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