Imaginary Friends

Karen Hart
Wednesday, May 1, 2019

The following scheme of work explores the themes of friendship, isolation, and what the function is of an imaginary friend. The play used here, Invisible Friends by Alan Ayckbourn, acts as a perfect springboard to further discussion and work on these themes. The play is both simple and short, not too challenging for struggling readers, and with a total of just seven roles to cast, it lends itself well to small group work. There are various drama techniques used in this scheme as ways for students to tap into their characterisation skills and find alternative pathways for their stories to follow. The play itself is light-hearted and fun, with a little bit of a darker side, and I have found it to work well with drama groups at KS3 and KS4. Each session is based on a one-hour lesson, but they can be mixed and matched as you please.