Role Playing

I remember my language teacher and Shakespeare. He would try to impersonate a victorian theatrical scene with the Shakespearean English that he so stylishly uttered to our bewilderment. Most of us then were amazed by the strange poetic language heard for the first time and few were, of course, dumbstruck because the English was different and difficult. But the excitement only lasted for the first few periods. After that, it was only listening to the teacher, period after period. Even the most promising student slowly drifted away into daydreams.

Thinking about it right now, a role play would have made the whole awesomeness more exciting or simply put, more durable and understandable.

Today students don't have to study Shakespeare. Instead, they have one-act plays, 'Once Upon a Greek Stage' in class eleven and 'Episode in the Life of an Author' in twelve. Going by the teacher's guide, most teachers I know start with a role play. And how they, the students, enjoy their role play.

Today I had to watch the same drama role played four times and each time the drama became more exciting with the characters improving with their dialogues and the acting. Each team is a performing theater group. The teams have leaders, who also take the role of the director. Since they work in groups, they are talking, laughing and discussing which keeps them awake and engaged, even if it is the last period.

Role playing has made my work easy and fun. The students enjoy the role play and enjoying it makes it easier for them to understand the story of the drama. They also pick up basic acting skills and in the future they may make it big with acting, as a career.

But this is the closest we get to a drama class in Bhutan. I wish there was more to it than the short plays and the role playing.