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JUST A MINUTE: TEN SHORT PLAYS & ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR CLASSROOM
Irene N. Watts
Reviewed by Pat Bolger.
Volume 20 Number 2
Watts has worked with children at the Neptune, the Citadel and Stratford, written eleven plays for young people, and taught drama and creative writing. The plays in this collection are based on legends and folk stories from cultures that range from Inuit to Punjabi. Flexibility is a key factor: the plays vary in length from three to twelve minutes, casts may be reduced or expanded, and any space can be adapted for a production. Helpful - and surprisingly simple - suggestions will spark young people's own ideas for effective props, costumes and staging. Watts emphasizes the multicultural theme in a wealth of suggested activities for each play: discussion, role playing, warm-ups, improvisation and mime, for individual and group work. These activities and the permission extended to teachers to copy the plays for classroom use will greatly enhance the book's usefulness in elementary schools. The author's commitment to drama as a "unifying force, celebrating both our differences and the things we share" is fully realized in Just a Minute. Public libraries will find it a useful source of short plays for children, and it deserves a place in any elementary school language arts program. Highly recommended. Pat Bolger, Renfrew, Ont. |
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