3. Set up the Palace and routines
Possible jobs – cleaning, cooking, wine-making, gardening, looking after clothes, guarding.
4. TiR as Minos
OoR: . . . tell me about this man.
5. Observed event
OoR: Here is some other evidence of how King Minos is at this time...
They witness TiR as Minos talking to himself in his sleep. Lie on the floor and then wake up as out of a nightmare.
What if he tells? I must keep an eye on him.
OoR discuss what they have witnessed and what it might mean.
6. Minos has a plan
King Minos addresses his servants:
You are my most trusted servants and I have summoned you to tell you of a spe- cial job I have for you.
You know I have the famous inventor Daedalus working for me. He is working on a special invention for my guests, but I think he is also doing something else, secretly. I want you to keep an eye on him and see what he is doing. You can do that easily as you are in all parts of the Palace at all times. And make sure that he and his son, Icarus, don’t get off the island ... What do you need to do? Report back to me in a week’s time.
King Minos
His concern is to preserve the secrets of the Minotaur which Daedalus knows about (the myth does not feature in this drama except as pre-text. It might be useful to read that story as the drama develops).
Thus he is anxious to keep him and Icarus prisoner and sets up his servants to watch them.
He is played as a clear authority figure but trusting his servants and expect- ing them to be loyal to him.
He interacts with the servants as they work and stresses how important it is that they look after his guests well. Play it as strict but fair.
ROLE BRIEF
Setting context – pupils’ roles
TiR Authority role
TiR raises the tension
7. TiR as Icarus
The servants also have another job. They have to help look after Icarus and they play ball with him.
Set up role as Icarus. Play a game with the servants and then sit down with them.
I’ve got a secret. Can I trust you?
Shows his father’s folder on flight which he does not understand. The ser- vants have to interpret the pictures. (You need the folder of pictures of the drawings by Leonardo da Vinci of his flying machines and drawings of wings, etc.)
8. TiR as Daedalus
They are interrupted by Daedalus looking for Icarus and his folder. Do this by putting down the ball Icarus has and saying:
OoR, The servants are all with Icarus in the room looking at the folder when this happens.
Then pick up the Daedalus role signifier, a metre rule, and walk away from the group. Bang the stick and say:
TiR: Icarus, where are you? I need to talk with you. This place is a maze of corri- dors. I know you are here somewhere, but I can’t find you.
OoR: What does Icarus do? He cannot get out of here without passing where his father is. How should he answer and what should he say to his father?
9. Set up a forum theatre – two chairs facing each other at a short distance and the class seated either side of the gap. They will have the chance to sit on the Icarus seat and try ways of dealing with it. The key issue is whether he should lie or tell the truth about taking the folder of drawings.
How does Icarus handle this?
Possible directions
● How does Icarus get the folder back to Daedalus?
● Does Daedalus find out that Icarus has told the servants the secret?
10. Facing Daedalus
Servants are called to Daedalus. Are they accused of knowing what is in the file if Icarus owns up? What happened to the file?
11. Facing Minos
Servants are called to Minos to report what they have found out. Do they tell?
Possible subsequent directions and teacher inputs to raise tension
‘Daedalus and Icarus’ 115
TiR setting key dilemma
TiR raises the tension
Forum theatre – ownership for pupils
12. Final stage (especially if you do not have time for the above)
Class groups show how they think it would end – two tableaux, one showing success and one failure for Daedalus and Icarus.
Icarus wants the servants to rescue him.
Possible: at any point Minos finds the drawings.
He interviews the servants about them.
Servants have to deal with Minos and cover the escape when he finds out.
Daedalus asks the servants to intercede with Icarus who is not listening to him about not flying near the sun.
If they do not tell – they help build the flying machine.
Daedalus reveals to the servants that he is being forced to invent war machines for Minos and does not want to do it.
Hence his need to escape.
Daedalus approaches servants for help to get to a high tower. The only one high enough is past Minosís private apartments.
How do they help the two get there?
The escape plan … Minos nearby? Has to be through his private rooms. Set up the maze of passages and do a joint description.
OPTIONAL STAGE
A servant brings the measure of the gods and tells of a dream he has had.
Use picture ‘Landscape with Fall of Icarus’ by Pieter Brueghel the Elder.
There is also a message from the gods that the servant has written down The son will fall from the sky
His father will see him die.
What does this mean? We have to tell them they are at risk?
If they tell – Minos locks Daedalus up.
Tableaux possible outcomes
Bibliography and Sources
Minoans
A Closer Lookat ... MINOANS (J. Heath, London, Hamish Hamilton, 1979).
Palaces – Amazing Buildings(P. Wilkinson, London, Dorling Kindersley, 1993).
The Mediterranean(P. Wilkinson and J. Dineen, Limpsfield, Dragon’s World Ltd, 1992).
The Knossos Labyrinth(R. Castleden, London, Routledge, 1990).
‘Daedalus and Icarus’ 117