3. Narration
It was late on a winter afternoon and the sun was setting. The village families were getting ready for the end of the day. There was the threat of heavy snow to come.
In groups, pupils create still pictures of the villagers finishing their work.
4. TiR as Villager
He rushes in, rings the bell (or other signal) and calls villagers together.
He speaks to his family (whom you have chosen beforehand while they are making the tableaux).
I am sorry I am late but I should have been here an hour ago. I was slowed down on my return from mending the walls in the fields below. I have just met a girl travelling on the road over the mountains. She seems to have come a long way and is very tired. That’s why I was so slow coming up. She is in need of shelter and I asked if she wanted spend the night with us. I am sure that she will die out on the mountain if the threatened snow comes. What makes it worse is that she has a child with her, a baby, who will also die. I know this is sudden and I wanted to let you know that I want my family to take her in. I for one cannot leave her to her fate. She says she will come if I can bring something to her to show her our good faith and kindness.
OoR: What has happened here? How do they show their good intentions to her?
Gifts? A symbol?
5. The girl (Maria) comes to the village
Choose a volunteer from the class to take the role of Maria.
The class as villagers prepare questions to hot-seat the role. How is she made welcome? What is said?
Prepare the villagers for hot-seating her.
The family who take her in would talk to her, but for the drama, you are all going to gather round her and talk to her as though you are in the house where she is staying. How would they talk to her as she is so tired? Now think of what you would want to try to find out.
I am going to brief [name of volunteer] who is going to be Maria. While I am doing that I want you to draw up a list of questions to ask her. One of you can write these down.
Narration
Villager
A villager returning from a day spent in the lower pastures.
The purpose of the role is to bring immediate focus on the key situation of the woman in need of help. He must not ask if they want to bring her in, but emphasise how serious her situation is and how it is his and their duty.
When she is brought in and the role taken by a volunteer pupil he must be with her and support her in the hot-seating.
ROLE BRIEF
TiR stimulus
Pupil takes lead role
Teacher briefs the pupil taking the role separately.
The girl is called Maria. She is fleeing from the capital with the Governor’s son, Michael. She is running from the rebellion where the Governor has been killed by the rebels. She was the maidservant to him and looked after his baby son, whom she has rescued from the soldiers. His mother ran away. But she needs a story to tell the villagers because she cannot tell them the truth … She must not tell them this or they will not take her in and they might tell others. She must be very quiet and answer only in one word. Her cover story is that she is fleeing with her baby over the mountains from the fighting in the capital city. She is going to her brother’s house over the mountains, to safety because of the riots in the city. Her husband was killed in the fighting.
You can own up to the truth if you feel you need to at any point, but remember you don’t have to answer every question. If you are not sure, just stay silent.
Set up Maria with the baby entering the village – representing the baby by folding and rolling a cloth in front of the group. It is important to negoti- ate the meaning of the roll directly in this way.
6. The entry of Maria
Use your drama eyes. How would the girl look? We will create the idea of her entry together. She goes to the house of her host’s family.
7. Hot-seating Maria
You must help handle the hot-seating, stopping to discuss with her if she needs help.
8. Sociogram of attitudes to her
The class as villagers take position according to how they feel.
9. Narration
They all settle down for the night and it passes peacefully. The next morning as Maria is preparing to leave and continue her journey, and the villagers are getting ready for the day, something happens.
10. TiR enters as the Villager (rings the bell)
I have just been to the pass to check if it is possible for Maria to get over and it is possible despite the snow-fall. As I returned I saw armed soldiers, two on horse- back, approaching from the valley, heading up the track to the pass. They are riding fast and look as though they may turn off for the village.
OoR: What is happening? What do the villagers do to save her and the baby from the soldiers?
The class usually decide to hide the girl and behave as if they have not seen her.
‘The Governor’s Child’ 145
Sociogram
Narration
11. TiR as the Soldier
Who is in charge here? I need to speak to everyone.
The villagers gather.
I am searching for a girl with a baby. I know you up here in the mountains, so far from the capital, have not been affected by the rule of the old Governor of the Province, the high taxes, the killings by his soldiers, but he is dead now and the revolutionary guards have taken control. We want the Governor’s nurse-maid and his son that she has saved and taken with her. They were reported coming in this direction. You must realise how we suffered and we want no one left who could return the province to the old ways.
OoR: How do they get him out of the village so they can decide what to do?
The Soldier shows belief in them and says he’ll carry on searching further up the mountain, but if he finds no bodies, he will be back. He leaves and gives time to think as he is going to seek her on the trail, but if he does not find her and the baby, he will be back.
12. Sociogram about Maria Compare to the first.
What can they do now?
Villagers decide what they are going to do.
Action leading to consequences.
13. The Soldier returns
TiR: I have not found her. You must have seen her. I think you are lying.
Responds to whatever the children offer at this point.
If they offer good ideas a novice group can be allowed to win and get the Soldier to leave.
OR
Starts to search ... threatens to burn a house.
OR
I will take the children one at a time and kill them.
This last is only used to push a very strong and experienced group.
14. Group tableaux
Each group prepares two tableaux: one of the ending the villagers would want and one of the ending the villagers fear.
Share and discuss the endings.
Sociogram
Possilble endings TiR stimulus and tension creator
‘The Governor’s Child’ 147
Structure summary
Split the drama over two or more sessions 1 Negotiate doing drama.
2 Drawing and setting scene.
A village in the mountains where life is fairly primitive but comfort- able.
3 Narration.
It was late on a winter afternoon and the sun was setting. The village fami- lies were getting ready for the end of the day.
4 TiR as a Villager.
Returning from a day spent in the lower pastures, he rushes in, rings the bell and calls villagers together. News of Maria.
OoR:What has happened here?
5 The girl (Maria) comes to the village.
Brief the volunteer to take role of Maria. Class plan questions.
6 The entry of Maria.
7 Hot-seating Maria.
8 Sociogram of attitudes to her.
9 Narration.
The next morning as Maria is preparing to leave ...
10 TiR enters as the Villager and reports the impending soldiers.
11 TiR as the Soldier.
Enters the village and demands Maria and the baby.
12 Sociogram about Maria.
What can they do now?
13 The Soldier returns.
14 Group tableaux.
Possible endings good and bad.