Drama Workshops

Over 150 talented pupils from 5 Westminster primary schools took to the stage when they participated in the Charles Darwin drama workshops.  The workshops use a Charles Darwin Drama resource (free to download from this website) developed for the project by City of Westminster Archives. The resource focuses on 7 scenes from Charles Darwin’s life.

The pupils were split into groups of 5 and worked with a drama facilitator; freeze frame techniques were used to create and develop each scene.  Once the pupils had spent 30 minutes practicing their scene and have a full understanding of who their character is, they then bring their scene to life when the narrator taps them on the shoulder and each character explains who they are and what they are feeling.  At the end of the session each group performs their scene back to the rest of the class in scene order, in this way they get to see the whole play performed back to them.

The drama workshops are a fun way to enrich the delivery of the History curriculum; engaging the interest of pupils and teachers by giving them the opportunity to identify with the story of Darwin and to see him not just as a major historical figure but as a man who on a personal level dealt with many conflicting issues.

Peter Daniel - Education Officer, Camilla Bergman - Project Officer, Goldsmith graduates - Megan Vine and Phillipa Spark and students - Kristen Gray, Nadine Schlegel and Latasha Brade, lead the workshops.

“I learned that Darwin was the smartest man in the world!”

“I found out that in the olden days people went to the barbers instead of the dentist and the barber took your teeth out without it being numb!”

“Darwin didn’t like slavery and argued with Captain Fitzroy (Hot Coffee) about it in Brazil”

Scene 6 - The Huxley debate. In this scene Lady Brewster (from aristocratic heritage) faints when the idea is put to her that she may be descended from apes! Pupils from Burdett Coutts act out scene 2 - Darwins decision . In this scene Darwin has just received a letter from Professor John Stevens Henslow, offering him the opportunity of travelling to South America aboard HMS Beagle. Darwin is reliant on his father's financial support and needs to convince his father that it is a great opportunity. Scene 6 - The Huxley debate. In this scene John Stevens Henslow chairs the debate Oxford debate to discuss Darwin's theories as published in 'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection'. Soho Parish pupils watch as they are given a demonstration by the drama facilitators, showing them how to do freeze frame drama. St Barnabas pupils read and discuss their scene with drama facilitator, Phillipa Gray.
Soho Parish pupils show great dramatical technique as they act out scene 5, the Marriage debate St Barnabas pupils act out the final scene - Darwin's final moments. Here Emma Darwin is comforted by an equally upset servant as Charles Darwin passes away on 19th April 1882. Drama facilitator Megan Vine and St Matthews pupils act out the Huxley debate. Here 'Soapy Sam' Wilberforce Bishop of Oxford, points an accusing finger at Thomas Huxley as Huxley says that 'he wouldn't be ashamed to have a monkey as an ancestor, but he would be ashamed to be connected with a man who used his great gifts to obscure the truth'. This line wins the debate. Pupils from Burdett Coutts watch their class mates, as they perform their Charles Darwin scene back to them.