Drama Strategy: Rumours and eavesdropping

‘Rumours’ enables participants ‘in role’, to generate and spread ideas and suggestions about characters, events and situations.

A teacher might use ‘Rumours’ when an incident has occurred in the drama which would stimulate gossip. Rumours within the drama might be spread openly (e.g. in the market place) or secretively (e.g. behind closed doors), depending upon whom the conversation is between and how risky it is that they might be overheard.

For example:

Whole class ‘Rumours’ need not last more than a minute or two. It produces many rumours quickly. The activity starts and stops at a signal from the teacher.

The teacher could use Teacher as Narrator to start the activity, for example: ‘The people of Camelot had all heard about the Lady in the tower and often talked about her, amongst themselves…’ (then the teacher gives a ‘start’ signal).