Workshop Plan 5: The 'Unpacking' Process: Reflecting on the Production
A guide to taking your group on the reflective journey (pdf 210 KB)
After the Show
You've all been to see the production together and the responses are rolling in. The participants might have "loved it" or "hated it", found it "funny" or "boring".
This section is all about 'unpacking' those surface responses and using the skills of critical thinking to develop more informed and objective responses. As well as a detailed workshop plan to guide you through leading this process, here you will find guidance from professional theatre critic, and lecturer in theatre criticism, Dr. Karen Fricker. You will also find some examples of the insights achieved by past participants in the Youth Theatre Ireland Young Critics programme.
PDF Resources
Video Resources
Advice from the Critic
Recording of 2013 Young Critics Panel at the Dublin Theatre Festival
Audio Resources
Audio recording of Young Critics Panel
Additional Links
Resources for primary school teachers
- Imaginate: A Scottish website that includes resources for primary school teachers to develop critical thinking on theatre with their students
Four Values for Constructive Critique (pdf)
- The Wonderful Freedom of Not Being Finished: Four Values for Constructive Critique: An article by John Borstel describing how the critical response process works and how it can be used to enrich and develop the creative experience.
