Trailer

In the starter, recap with students what information they know about the characters Rita and Frank. In groups of four, ask students to divide Act One scene one between them, so that each student works on a different section. Ask students to find and highlight quotations from their section which give hints about either character. Students should then create two spidergrams, on for Rita, one for Frank, of all the information the group has found about the two characters, and including the quotations from which they inferred their ideas.

As an extension, students should pick out the key words from the quotations, and add extra notes explaining the effects of this word(s). During feedback, emphasise the importance of close analysis of key words from quotations, in order to attain high grades in critical essays.

Main Attraction

Read Act One scene one with the students. Explain to students that students need to analyse how writers achieve effects by their use of dramatic devices, as well as the lines spoken by the characters. Recap what dramatic devices are, and ask students to make a glossary of dramatic devices and their meanings. Ask students to spend two minutes scanning Act One scene one for any stage directions that are important/ dramatic devices used which inform the audience about Rita or Frank.

Remind students that the play is a two-hander, and that the scenes take place in Frank's room in the play. Ask students what Lewis Gilbert has chosen to do in his film that makes it very different to the play. Introduce the clip by explaining that Gilbert has chosen to include these scenes in between what would be Act One scene one and Act One scene two of Russell's play. Explain that the film clip features scenes which show the audience the lives of Frank and Rita outside the university, and that they will be noting the dramatic devices/stagecraft Gilbert has used during their viewing of the clip.

Their main area of focus during the viewing should be exploring what the audience learns about Frank and Rita through the dramatic devices used to show: locations, characters (actions/appearance etc.), relationships. Pupils should feedback their notes in their groups, focussing on Rita (but as an extension, ask the students to produce more detailed notes on Frank also).

Ask student to write a commentary explaining what the director has done to flesh out the characters of Rita and Frank on film.

End Credits

Ask students to spend two minutes discussing how Lewis Gilbert has 'solved' problems of rendering action/setting and character in the extract from his film, in contrast to how Russell wrote the scene. Ask students to discuss what would have to be changed from the film if the play was to be performed on the radio. Play the clip again, covering the screen so that only the sound is heard, and ask students to think about what a radio audience would not understand that seeing the film changes. Ask students to discuss in their original groups how they would solve these problems.