One-off Workshop: The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Learning objectives

• To make an important narrative poem memorable
• To stimulate and deepen thinking and inter-thinking at key moments
• To generate appropriate dialogue and additional narrative.

1. Still image; freeze frame; performance carousel

Read the first two verses. Divide the class into eight groups, each with an allocated line, beginning at ‘They fought the dogs’, ‘And killed the cats’ and ending at ‘And even spoiled the women's chats…’. Ask the groups to create still images to illustrate their line. They should practise moving into the image in slow motion and freezing. Then perform in sequence.

2. Small group play making; performance carousel

Ask each group to create another rat incident. Can they substitute a new occurrence into the poem, telling it in a line that fits the rhythm and metre? These new incidents and lines can then be performed.

3. Teacher in role; improvisation

The teacher as an unsympathetic council official approaches each group and listens to ‘alleged’ rat incidents. He/she plays them down.

4. Rumours; teacher in role

The townsfolk are fed up with the Mayor and corporation. They move around, spreading rumours about incidents and complaining about the Mayor and council. The teacher joins in.

5. Freeze frame; eavesdropping

Freeze the scene. Explain that you will pass through, and when you stand near someone, we will hear what they are saying in role. They should then freeze when you move on.

6. Teacher in role

When the tableau comes alive again, the teacher becomes a provocateur, stirring Hameliners, for example ‘Let's tell the Mayor to get rid of the rats or we’ll get rid of him!’

Then read from ‘At last the people in a body/To the town hall came flocking … ’ to ‘At this the Mayor and Corporation/Quaked with a mighty consternation.’

7. Teacher in role; improvisation; freeze frame; teacher as storyteller

Become the Mayor. The class are now townsfolk confronting you. Eventually, promise to get rid of the rats. Freeze the scene and recount what has happened, for example ‘The people were angry and at last the Mayor promised he would get rid of the rats. When they left, the mayor was relieved, but had no plan.’

Then recite from ‘An hour they sate…’ to ‘One? Fifty thousand!’ – was the exclamation/Of the astonished Mayor and Corporation.’

8. Group movement; freeze frame; performance carousel

Ask students to close their eyes and imagine the scene as you recite the verse about rats following the piper's music and drowning. Share out the verse parts (or sentences below) and ask them to create a slow motion movement piece, depicting it.

• The Piper stepped into the street, smiled and put the pipe to his lips
• The Piper started playing and the rats followed him
• Thousands of rats flooded onto the street
• The people watched, amazed, as the rats scuttled by
• The rats jumped into the river and drowned. Have the groups present their performances in order while you speak the accompanying lines. They should hold their final images for a few seconds, before melting them.

9. Collective role; improvisation; thought tracking

Divide the class into two groups, Mayor and Piper. Improvise a dialogue as the piper arrives for payment. Anyone may speak one sentence as the character, (but not two in a row). Freeze the scene for them to speak their character's thoughts.

10. Voice collage

Students become Hamelin's children playing. The piper plays a new tune. All close their eyes and imagine a very enticing land. Can they each describe something that entices them to go there? While their eyes are still closed, read aloud the verses about the children leaving, up to the mountain door closing.

11. Dance drama/movement; performance carousel

Their departure was witnessed by spellbound townsfolk, who might then have nightmares. Ask students, in groups, to devise, rehearse and perform a repetitive nightmare (twice) in slow motion. Group pieces are then performed as a continuous sequence of nightmares.

12. Tableau; captioning; passing thoughts

Stand the class in a circle. Hamelin erects a commemorative statue. Individuals may enter the circle and form part of the statue. When complete, what might they write on a plaque, at its base? Those not part of the statue can now cross the circle, pass the statue and voice what the plaque might say, such as ‘Never break a promise’. Next, they can pass as townsfolk voicing memories triggered by the statue.

Patrice Baldwin has been Chair of National Drama, President of the International Drama, Theatre and Education Association (IDEA), local authority Arts Adviser and Ofsted Inspector, and has published several books and written for BBC Education. She works internationally as a speaker and workshop leader. www.patricebaldwin.com