Year 10 BTEC Drama Students Explore Characterization with Professional Actor
On Thursday, Year 10 BTEC Drama pupils had the exciting opportunity to attend a workshop led by a professional actor, where they explored key drama devices and how to bring characters to life through physical performance. The session focused on Blood Brothers, a well-known play by Willy Russell, and provided pupils with valuable tools for enhancing their portrayal of characters using body language and facial expressions.
The workshop began with an overview of essential drama devices that actors use to engage audiences and develop characters. These devices include monologue, soliloquy, freeze frame, gesture, and dramatic irony. Through practical exercises, students learned how these tools help tell a story beyond just spoken words.
One of the core focuses of the workshop was on how to convey characterization through non-verbal performance. The professional actor emphasized that body language and facial expressions are powerful tools for conveying the emotional depth of a character without relying solely on dialogue.
To demonstrate this, the actor led the class through a series of exercises where pupils embodied different characters from Blood Brothers. Each pupil was asked to perform a short scene while paying particular attention to their posture, movement, and expressions. The professional actor offered personalized feedback, showing how slight changes in stance or facial expression could dramatically shift the way a character was perceived. For instance, shifting from an open posture to a closed, defensive position can instantly reveal a character's internal conflict or insecurity.
The actor used scenes from Blood Brothers to bring these techniques into context. In particular, they looked at how the characters of Mickey and Eddie, as well as their mother, Mrs. Johnstone, are portrayed through both physicality and dialogue. For instance, Mickey’s physical transformation—from a cheerful, energetic young boy to a more frustrated and defeated adult—was explored in depth. By adjusting his posture, movements, and facial expressions, pupils were able to understand how to reflect these changes in their own performances.
By the end of the workshop, Year 10 BTEC Drama pupils had gained a deeper understanding of how to use body language and facial expressions to bring characters to life on stage. The professional actor’s expert guidance helped pupils to see beyond the script and focus on how their physical choices could enhance their storytelling.
The session was an invaluable opportunity for pupils to refine their performance skills and gain insight into the professional world of acting. As they continue to study Blood Brothers, the techniques they learned will no doubt prove useful in helping them create more dynamic, engaging portrayals of the play’s complex characters.
