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THE ONLY WAY IS CHELSEA’S

EDUCATION

PACK

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THE ONLY WAY IS CHELSEA’S

BY FRAZER FLINTHAM

A Root Theatre and TakeOver Festival co-production

Education Pack Contents

Introduction/Education Offer p.3

The Team/Play Summary p.4

Characters/Interview with Chelsea p.5

Interviews with the Playwright and Director p.6

The Design p.7

Themes/classroom activities and discussions pp.8-10

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Tour dates

York Theatre Royal/TakeOver Festival 15th-19th October 2013

Live Theatre, Newcastle 25th-26th October 2013

Soho Theatre, London 6-9th November 2013

TakeOver Festival

Every year York Theatre Royal hand over the reins to a group of young people aged 11-26 who are responsible for running everything from the programming of shows to managing backstage. Thanks to our funding from the Arts Council and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation for the past two years, TakeOver has offered the chance for theatre companies to apply for our Residency Award, where we commission a brand new piece of theatre. This year the winners were Root Theatre who pitched their vision for The Only Way is Chelsea’s.

The whole TakeOver team, as well as York Theatre Royal staff members, have been involved with TOWIC. Specific thanks to the Creative Engagement team.

Root Theatre

Root Theatre discover and nurture playwrights at the earliest stage of their careers and aim to produce writers that have something to say, put their heart on the line to say it, and say it with a distinctive voice.

Our Education Offer

This pack is designed to be used by schools and youth groups to compliment the production. The play and pack are aimed largely at Key Stage 3 and 4 (ages 11-16) and cover issues studied in Media Studies and PSHE, as well as being of great interest to Drama, Theatre and English students. York Theatre Royal can offer a workshop based on the themes of TOWIC for school groups booking to see the play in York (One free teacher ticket with ten students at £6 each). There will also be a Q&A after each performance. For individual bookers, there will be a free workshop exploring the ideas behind TOWIC at York Theatre Royal on Friday 18th October at 5.30pm. Box office: 01904 623568. This pack has been compiled by TakeOver Associate Director Claire Morley. For more information on TOWIC or to enquire about a school’s workshop please email claire.morley@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk or julian.ollive@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

NB: Any quotes from the play in this pack are property of Frazer Flintham and may not be reproduced outside of the classroom.

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The Team behind The Only Way is Chelsea’s Writer – Frazer Flintham Director – Jane Fallowfield Producer – Charlotte Bennett Designer – Mila Sanders Sound Designer – Becky Smith Lighting Designer – Ziggy Jacobs DSM – Sarah Stott Production Manager (TakeOver) – Simon Bedwell Assistant Director (TakeOver) – Charlie Miles Assistant Director (TakeOver) – Charley Kirkpatrick Actors: Chelsea – Laura Elsworthy Lee – James Cooney Dionne – Tanya Vital

Development Workshops TOWIC has been informed by research with 10-19 year olds who live in York. Since April 2013 there have been workshops and discussions with school groups, youth theatre, Guides, and youth groups to find out what young people really feel about Reality Drama and the blurring effect of 'Facebook fame' on their expectations of everyday life. You can experience some of the activities that the team ran on pages 8-10.

Play Summary

Blurb: TOWIC is the story of three friends who create their own reality drama in a desperate attempt to reinvent themselves and escape their lives. A gran's garage becomes their production office as the drama becomes a runaway hit, but soon things start to snowball out of control. It's a play about trying to construct an identity, friendship, and what it feels like to be 14.

Summary: Life isn’t looking good for Chelsea. She and her dad have moved in with her Nan in while her dad is unemployed and suffering from a mental health problem. This means a change of school for Chelsea, so just as she is moving into Year 10 and starting her GCSE options, she has the added pressure of having to make a new group of friends. Then she and media obsessed Dionne have an idea to create her own Reality Drama on YouTube to impress her cousin Danielle who goes to a private school, hoping it will help her street-cred. But the video leaks and soon everyone wants a piece of Chelsea’s ‘reality’ thinking it’s her real life. The friends have to think of new ways to keep up the pretence and they start to run into problems…

Laura Elsworthy

James Cooney

Tanya Vital

Frazer Flintham with Osbaldwick Guides

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The Characters

Chelsea: Chelsea is 14 and has just changed schools from Archies to York High, having moved from Tang Hall to her Nan’s in Acomb with her unemployed Dad. She becomes the star of her own Reality Drama series ‘York Rocks’ to try and impress her new classmates and show her old ones and cousin Danielle just how popular she is. Lee: Lee is 14. He spends a lot of his time in the gym and at McDonalds. He boasts a lot about all the girlfriends he has and pretends to be Chelsea’s boyfriend in ‘York Rocks’. Dionne: Dionne is 14. She goes to Archies with Lee. She is obsessed with Reality Drama and her favourite subject is Media Studies, although her strict Mum thinks she is studying RE. She becomes the producer of ‘York Rocks’. Chelsea and her friends Lee and Dionne are the only characters we see in the play but we hear about many more, for example Chelsea’s Dad, Nan and cousin Danielle, the Guides and Scouts, and her new schoolmates Michael Tarrington, Devon and Billy-Ann.

Interview with Chelsea

The actors in TOWIC have the exciting challenge of making playwright Frazer Flintham’s characters come to life. We talked to Laura Elsworthy (left) who is playing Chelsea to see what it’s like being an actor and to get her thoughts on the play. What were you like at 14? How similar were you to Chelsea? I was a bit of a geek at school but luckily had some brilliant friends, like Chelsea. I also had a bit of a temper on me at times like Chelsea can and

could be quite bossy but it fortunately never got me in as much trouble as it does Chelsea. Why do you think Chelsea is so obsessed with reality drama? I wasn't a fan of reality drama before I started this process and had hardly watched any of it, so decided to sit down and watch some for research. And probably, unsurprisingly, found myself getting hooked. I can really understand how people can enjoy watching other people lives and aspiring to them. Chelsea's life isn’t going the way she expected it to so she uses the reality drama as a form of escape, which works; for a little bit at least. What has been the most fun thing about being Chelsea? Having a strop! And being a bit of a diva! How did you become an actor? I auditioned for drama school for four years, and unfortunately did not get a place. As I was about to give up I got a call from Jane (Fallowfield, TOWIC Director), saying she was a director looking for someone to play a 14 year old girl from Withernsea near Hull. I auditioned, got the part and have been lucky enough to carry on working since then!

Activity! Create your own biography for one of the main or minor characters. Use information from the play and your imagination. Think about their age, appearance, school or job, hobbies, personality, family members, dreams and aspirations. Or get creative and create a new friend for Chelsea.

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Interviews with the Writer and Director

It’s not just the actors that help a play come to life. The process from initial idea to production involves many people with all different kinds of skills, from a director and producer to lighting and sound designers. We talked to the playwright Frazer Flintham and director Jane Fallowfield to find out a bit more about their jobs and how they came to work on TOWIC.

Frazer Flintham – TOWIC Writer Why did you choose to write a play about reality drama and its effects on young people? Reality TV is a new phenomenon, and as a young person I used to aspire to fiction on TV. But now kids can watch programmes they aspire to and say, and think, 'it's real'. It has blurred the lines between fiction and non-fiction, and I'm interested in exploring that effect on young people. What did you discover from the workshops and talking to young people in York? That there is social inequality in every area of the UK which affects young people’s outlook and possible aspirations. Also that young people always face the same pressures of wanting to fit in, but these pressures have been intensified due to social media. How did you become a playwright? I studied performing arts at University, and started to explore writing though my course. I spent a long time writing short pieces for competitions and scratch nights - honing my skills - and continue to do so now in a professional capacity.

Jane Fallowfield – TOWIC Director What’s the difference between directing new writing and a well-known classical text? I've never directed a classical text, and the thought of directing something without the writer in the room is a little intimidating. But I am itching to do it one day soon. How closely did you work with Frazer the writer of TOWIC? Very closely. We've worked together before, and applied to the residency in order to create the piece together. We've run research workshops together and worked very closely together on the redrafting process. Frazer has also been a constant presence in the rehearsal room. Can you talk to me about the casting process for TOWIC? We tried to meet as many talented young Northern actors as possible - including Youth Theatre members. I always look for actors that are quiet and understated, and for this project it was important to have playful actors, as playfulness is the spirit of this production. How did you become a director? I did an English degree and left not particularly knowing what I wanted to do, so started doing some temp work. An old professor of mine recommended that I try for a position in the literary department of the Bush Theatre, and I fell in love with new writing. From them I started to work in literary management, and then got the opportunity to assistant direct Dunsinane with Roxanna Silbert, and found I loved being in the rehearsal room. The logical start seemed to be putting on plays by writers I loved.

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The Design

Another important part in the development of a play is its design. The designer is in charge of how the play looks including set design, costumes and props. Usually on the first day of rehearsals, when the whole team gather to meet everyone and have a read-through of the play, the designer will present what is called a ‘model box’ of the set so that everyone can see what the production will look like. To the right you can see the model box for TOWIC. The play is set in Chelsea’s Nan’s garage and the description is given in the stage directions of the play:

“The garage is full of boxes, stacked high, and there are pieces of furniture. All crammed into the garage with speed not care. The light is on. There is the main garage door, which lifts up to allow

the access for a car, (this is currently pulled down) and a side entrance door, leading out into a garden. The door is currently shut. Chelsea is amongst the chaos – perched on a box.”

How has the designer, Mila Sanders, created that idea? We talked to Mila about her role as designer on TOWIC. Can you talk me through your process of designing a play? First I read the script, looking for all the clues and information about where the action takes place and what kind of mood the play needs. Then I look at the theatre(s) where it will be performed and what kind of stages they have. On this show, as it tours to 3 different spaces, I had to work out the largest possible size our set could be in order to fit into the smallest space. The director and I will meet and talk about ideas and after a few sketches I will begin to work on scale model of the set (above). Where does your inspiration come from? I do lots of research. For this show we looked at real garages in Acomb, mostly using property websites! I also looked at art works which featured lots of junk, architectural drawings of garages and a lot of images of reality TV stars. How did you become a designer? I started designing sets when I was still at school then did a drama degree before doing an MA in theatre design. I also got some great work experience by pestering designers I admired.

The Model Box

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Themes TOWIC touches on many themes and issues relevant to young people living in the 21st century. These include:

Low self-esteem

Creating your own identity

Reality Drama and its implications

Image – body image, fashion etc.

Family issues

Money issues/class divisions

Starting a new school and trying to make new friends

The impact of social media sites including Facebook and YouTube and their dangers

Peer pressure and the pressures of being ‘cool’

Parental expectations

Online reality being different to everyday reality

LEE: “You do know they’re all just pretending to be someone?”

Activities and Discussions

Below are some suggested activities tailored around the production, which are designed to complement teaching of various subjects including Drama, Media Studies, English and PSHE, with a strong focus on personal and social development. Based on the themes of TOWIC, they intend to get students thinking differently about and questioning issues that affect them on a daily basis.

Opinions on Reality Drama Media Studies, PSHE

Find out what everyone thinks about the genre of Reality Drama. Reality Drama includes TV shows such as The Only Way is Essex, Made in Chelsea and Geordie Shore, where the ‘characters’ are real people living real lives but their reality is manipulated by being in front of the camera and the presence of a director.

With one side of the room being ‘I hate reality drama’ and the other being ‘I love reality drama’, everyone places themselves on the spectrum. Choose some students on opposing signs and have a discussion based on their opinions. What is it about reality drama that makes it addictive? Why are some people completely indifferent to the genre?

Agony Aunts and Uncles Media Studies, PSHE, Drama, English

Like Chelsea, more and more of us are living out at least part of our lives online. Unfortunately there has been a lot of news recently about teenage depression and suicide sparked by incidents on social media. For example, the case of 14 year old Hannah Smith who experienced bullying on the website ask.fm. Many students will use such sites and it’s important to use them responsibly.

Activity! In small groups, create freeze-frame images that represent each of these issues

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Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of social media sites and what advice you would give to someone who was experiencing hateful messages or so-called ‘trolling’ on a website such as ask.fm, twitter or Facebook, and what you would tell the person doing the bullying.

More on the Hannah Smith story can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-23584769

Find out how to stay safe online on the Beat Bullying website: http://www.beatbullying.org/safety/

Advice about how to deal with online bullying can be found online, such as on the Childline website: http://www.childline.org.uk/Explore/Bullying/Pages/online-bullying.aspx

DIONNE: “She’s never gonna be Facebook Famous with selfies like that. She never gets enough likes. She put a picture of herself in the bath up on Friday. She hasn’t even got any boobs!”

Writing Exercises Drama, English

As well as the character biography exercise on page 5, you can get student’s creative juices flowing with this quick warm up writing exercise. It’s important that the students don’t think too much about what they are writing, the main thing is that they get words down – don’t let the pen leave the paper until the time is up!

Spend 30 seconds writing about what the word ‘reality’ means to you. Spend 1 minute writing about what your home town means to you. Spend 2 minutes writing about what being a teenager means to you.

When the time is up, some students will have ready-made ideas for a play or story, maybe even one similar to TOWIC! At the very least, there will be material ripe for discussion.

If you have been to watch TOWIC, ask the students to write a short review of the play. Remember reviews are not just about personal opinions, although they are important. You need to look at the play from all the different angles: the acting, directing, lighting and design for example. What sort of people would you recommend the play to?

Postcard freeze-frames Drama

In addition to the themes on page 8, you can create freeze-frames based on your home village, town or city. TOWIC is set in York and touches on issues that young people from the city felt important to them.

Imagine you are creating a 3D postcard about where you live. In a group, create three postcards that show the best things about the town and three postcards that show more negative aspects or things you would like to change.

DIONNE: “Now. We need to think, What is York? Coz we know what Essex is, what Chelsea is…”

Ideas! Present your advice as a role-play or written in an agony aunt style column for teenagers.

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Distortion of Reality Drama, Media Studies

In pairs or small groups, create a short improvisation of an everyday scenario out of a teenager’s life. If you like, you can take inspiration from the themes on page 8. It could be anything from clothes shopping, to a birthday party, to a break-up with a girlfriend or boyfriend.

Now pretend that your scene is being filmed for a reality drama and you are in front of the camera. How does your improvisation change? For example, do gestures become more exaggerated and arguments more extreme?

Get more people involved by appointing a director, camera operator, make-up assistant etc. How do they influence how the scene plays out?

DIONNE: “Life’s just better when it’s on film, everyone knows that.”

Reality Drama Advert Drama, Media Studies

Create an advert for your own reality drama. It only has to be 30 seconds long! Think about the title, a theme tune or soundtrack, the main characters and any catchphrases or slang words they might use. Alternatively create the opening credits and the first scene of your drama. Special thanks to York High School, Menwith Hill School, Manor School, Oaken Grove Youth Centre, York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre and 10th York Osbaldwick Guides for their help in developing The

Only Way is Chelsea’s.

Follow Chelsea on @glamgirlchels Follow TakeOver on @YTRTakeOver13

Follow York Theatre Royal on @YorkTheatre www.takeoverfestival.co.uk www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

www.live.org.uk

www.sohotheatre.com

www.roottheatre.co.uk