Drama Discovery: Deep Dive

About

Drama Discovery is offered as a Deep Dive for its potential to explore so many ideas and topics in ways that resonate with Waymakers consent-based, interest-led approach. It is led by Barry Evans who has worked in drama education and the home education community for many years.

Here’s how he describes his sessions…

There are many different approaches to drama. Some practitioners use lots of props and costumes, some create immersive worlds through storytelling and role-play, and some work towards public performances. In these sessions, we explore a range of experiences rather than following one single approach. This means that different activities may appeal to different children at different times, and that the atmosphere and focus of a session can shift quite quickly.

What is drama?

This is an important question and harder to answer than it first appears. Usually children say drama is acting, singing, dancing, performing or pretending — and sometimes it is all of those things. But at its heart, drama is collaborative play: using bodies, voices, imagination and senses together.

Participation can look very different from person to person. Some children love performing, some prefer imaginative games or storytelling, some enjoy observing before joining in, and others are happiest creating characters, ideas or atmosphere. All of these are valued forms of participation.

Taking part in drama is not the same as acting, and children do not need to want to perform in front of others in order to enjoy and benefit from it. Drama includes games, exercises and creative explorations that help develop skills such as speaking and listening, collaboration, empathy, instinct, confidence, imagination and communication. Some activities are simple and playful; others are more thoughtful or complex. Above all, drama is about shared experience, creativity and connection.

Parents and carers

Drama works best when children are able to build relationships and confidence within the group itself. Having parents or carers in the room can sometimes change the dynamic for the whole group, making children more self-conscious or less able to settle into collaborative play independently.

We also recognise that separating can feel difficult for some children and parents, particularly when starting something new. We aim to support this transition gently and collaboratively. Some children may need time to build trust, observe first, remain near the doorway initially, or agree a plan for taking breaks if needed.

If you feel your child may need additional support with this transition, please feel free to speak to myself or Helen beforehand so that we can work together to help them feel safe and comfortable.

The groups

The groups are broadly organised by age, experience and social dynamic, with each offering different kinds of creative exploration and collaboration. While many children enjoy being with peers at a similar stage, we recognise that everyone develops differently and that children engage in different ways. We are always happy to discuss where a child is likely to feel most comfortable and able to participate.

Playfulness, respect, curiosity and being present together sit at the centre of all the groups.

Each session usually begins with ‘news’: an opportunity for each young person to share something if they would like to. This might be a story, an experience, an idea, an object they have brought along, or simply something they have been thinking about since we last met. Others may choose simply to listen, especially when they are still building confidence within the group.

In the younger groups we often use a fun timer to help everyone have space to speak without feeling rushed or interrupted. As groups become more confident and connected, these conversations naturally become more fluid and collaborative. ‘News’ time helps develop trust, focus, speaking and listening skills, confidence and connection within the group before the activities begin.

Youngest drama group

The youngest group focuses on exploring what our bodies, voices and imaginations can do while becoming comfortable within a group environment. Sessions include playful speaking and listening games, movement activities, sensory exploration and exercises involving different energy levels.

We often use picture books and stories as creative starting points, bringing them to life through movement, sound, role-play, improvisation and collaborative storytelling. Sometimes we work together as a whole ensemble, while at other times children may split into smaller groups for short activities.

The emphasis is on exploration, creativity, confidence-building and enjoyment rather than performance or “getting things right”.

Middle group

The middle group builds further confidence in collaboration, communication and creative decision-making. Sessions often involve working together from a stimulus such as a line of dialogue, an image, a theme or a dramatic technique. Groupings may vary: sometimes children choose who they work with, while at other times groups are mixed to encourage new connections and experiences.

This group also explores a wider range of dramatic and theatrical techniques, including improvisation, physical theatre, role-play, character work and storytelling structures.

As children become more aware of themselves and others socially, there is also a growing emphasis on mutual respect, consent, cooperation and understanding how different needs and perspectives can exist within a shared space.

Older group

Many members of the older group come because they feel a strong sense of belonging within the space, a connection with drama itself, or both. By this stage, participants are often increasingly aware of one another’s similarities and differences and are encouraged to value these as strengths within the group.

Speaking and listening skills become more nuanced as trust and confidence deepen, and the group develops into a space where ideas, creativity and discussion can be explored with curiosity and without judgement.

More advanced dramatic and theatrical techniques may be introduced, including stagecraft, improvisation, status, subtext and ensemble work. Themes may also become more complex and mature, with drama explored as a way of examining relationships, identity, culture, emotions and aspects of the human experience through stories, scripts and collaborative creation.

While some activities may occasionally lead towards sharing work with others, the emphasis remains on process, creativity, collaboration and exploration rather than polished performance.

Final thoughts

Drama workshops are Barry’s passion and my primary creative interest. He believe strongly in drama’s ability to bring people together, nurture confidence and empathy, and help young people better understand themselves and others. He believes in the joy, playfulness, creativity and connection it can offer, as well as the sense of safety and belonging that collaborative spaces can create.

Drama has something to offer everyone, even if the timing, group or approach may not feel quite right immediately. Children’s confidence, interests and needs change over time, and drama can become meaningful in many different ways and at many different stages.

We understand that children engage differently and that needs can vary from session to session. Participation does not always look the same for everyone, and children are supported to engage in ways that feel manageable, safe and meaningful for them.

Please do put as much detail as possible on your booking form to help us understand your child’s needs and preferences. Please do also talk to Barry directly before and after classes whenever you wish regarding your child’s participation or to share anything that may help them feel comfortable, included and able to engage fully within the group.