Passionating draws on the Elizabethan acting practice of playing emotions, which they referred to as passions. Using a contemporary understanding of emotions, this tool allows learners to explore the text through emotion.
Firstly, assign each learner an emotion from the following list:
• Fear
• Sadness
• Disgust
• Surprise
• Anticipation
• Trust
• Joy
This can be an emotion you feel is right for the scene or one at random. Then instruct learners to perform the scene with a representation of that emotion.
Please note this is a representation of the emotion, not a truthful presentation of the emotion.
Make clear to learners that this does not need to be a developed and truthful presentation of that emotion.
Following this initial performance, assign learners an opposing emotion from the list and ask them to repeat the scene with the new emotion.
Follow this with a discussion of what, if any, discoveries were made during the tool. Focus on what was found through playing opposing emotions.
Tray One : The First Encounter