Two by Jim Cartwright

This scheme of work has been designed in line with the requirements of the Edexcel Unit Two practical examination. This scheme allows students of all abilities to explore the relationships and themes within the text and gives opportunities throughout to apply the use of key drama skills.

There are also plenty of exercises on which students can reflect in their written documentation, which will evidence their use of explorative strategies, drama mediums and elements of drama.

The structure of the workshop follows the action of the play, using the episodic style of the work to guide the students through the narrative. I have delivered this scheme as a six-hour workshop throughout one full day, but you could easily divide the activities into segments focusing on a section of the text or particular characters. Before starting the assessment, I have found, it is useful to spend some class time reading the play together. This way you can be sure that all of the students have read the whole play and you have an opportunity to address any misconceptions or answer questions as you go along. It also means that the ‘shock ending’ is revealed to the class together with a chance to then go back and look at the clues that are given throughout the text. I also set the students homework tasks to research the context of the play, Cartwright’s style and his other works, previous performances of Two, create their own set and costume designs, make annotations of a scene or key moment within the text, etc. These tasks, as well as arming the students with a good knowledge of the play before they start their practical exploration, can also be used within the final version of their written documentation.