The Beauty Manifesto by Nell Leyshon

Antony Taylor
Wednesday, May 1, 2019

The Beauty Manifesto by Nell Leyshon was originally commissioned for National Theatre Connections. The play is set in a dystopian future of extreme physical conformity, where teenagers celebrate their sixteenth birthdays with cosmetic surgery. This scheme is aimed at Year 9 students and aims to introduce students to a play in a similar way to how they might approach a set text at GCSE. Written exercises and homework tasks are suggested that build and develop students’ ability to write about how drama can be interpreted practically. In today’s selfie-obsessed culture, the play’s themes resonate strongly with teenagers, making this an ideal bridging text between KS3 and GCSE.