- Puppetry enjoys a distinctive position in theatrical art
- It can present ideas with extreme simplicity- without elaborate scenery or costume – yet effectively
- Distracting details are eliminated so that attention is focused on the dramatized experience itself.
- The best puppet shows are simple, direct, and unencumbered by details
- Puppets cost very little in time, costumes, scenery and equipment
- The production can be as simple or ambitious as the class desires
- The puppets may be of any size at all. The teacher can tailor the puppet show to fit the requirements of the learning situation
- For drama and puppet show, proper dress and lighting are essential. While puppet show may be held in daylight or at night, drama is generally performed at night.
Types of puppets
Principles essential in choosing a puppet play for teaching:
- Do not use puppets for plays that can be done just as well or better by other dramatic means. Puppetry is perfectly suitable for dramatizations that cannot be done well or at all by living actors
- Puppets plays must be based on action rather than words.
- Keep the play short. Puppets must be skillfully manipulated.
- Do not omit the possibilities of music and dancing as part of the puppet show. such accompaniments enrich the performance, provided they are done in the same mood.
- Adapt puppet show in all respects to your audience. The age, background and tastes of the audience must be related to the types of puppet used to the play itself.
- Do not hesitate to adapt the puppet play. There is no value in sticking to the text if by departing from it you can add interest and point to the play modern puppeteers sometimes give the observer a chance to participate in performance by having the puppets address words to members in the audience. Such exchange of conversation between puppet-actor and spectator makes the audience part of the play
Why?
- To promote understanding about the situation.
- To promote empathetically ability among individuals.
- Mostly useful to make the individuals understand about the internal behaviour.
The role play may cover the ordinary issues like,
- Difference in receiving a farmer warmly with a smile and handshake and in receiving a farmer without such warm gestures. or
- Covering decision making situation like business meeting about the short fall in sales involving the characters like General Manager, Sales Manager, Production Manager, Financial Manager, etc. or
- About a sensitive problem of dealing with a non punctual employee by the Manager.
The types of Role Play
The role play can be broadly classified into three categories.
- Structured/Rehearsed Role Play.
- Unstructured/spontaneous Role Play.
- Controlled and directed Role Play.
- Rehearsed/Structured/Schemed Role Play :
Without any scripts the participants are told in advance about what action, attitude and behaviour each character should act out. It is a lively visual aid used to portray varying situations in the work field.
- Unstructured/Spontaneous Role Play:
The participants are involved in the role play without any brief or preparation. They act out according to their mind, attitudes and styles. In many situations, the organization or departmental culture in which the trainees work reflects in their speech, gestures and action. Even the trainers are curious to know about the outcome of this type of role play. It is a democratic type of a role play.
- Controlled and Directed Role Play:
The trainer gives directions to the participants of role play also the scripts. The characters are having no choice or freedom except acting according to the wishes of the trainers. They have to memorize the scripts and present it before the audience. It is an effective tool for the trainer to present the audience what he wants to say and the topics which he wants to cover.
Advantages of Role Play
- The trainees are having a feel of real work life situation presented before them. The role play bridges the gap between theory and practice.
- The trainees have opportunities to develop communication skills, interpersonal skills, decision making skills, observation skills through this methodology.
- Since it is an active methodology it can be utilized by the trainers during post lunch session when the trainees feel drowsy and dull. This methodology relieves the monotony and the dullness of the participants in hearing continuous lectures or doing continuous practicals.
- The spontaneous role plays help the trainees to think and analyze the situation independently and logically.
- There are many constructive criticisms and suggestion which serve as an eye opener for other participants and trainers.
The major disadvantages of role plays are that it is time consuming and well developed, experienced trainers are needed to conduct role play sessions.
Socio-drama and role play serve well
- To convey information and facts
- To develop specific skills
- To develop a situation for analysis
- To present alternative courses of action
- To prepare for meeting future situations
- To develop understandings of points of view of others
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Participants