Stretching. Same as Class #1 or any other simple stretches that you normally use.

Review the eight sections of the Pierrot and Columbine Picnic scene. Now they will perform the piece once to each piece of music. Have them stand neutral facing the audience. Explain to them that the piece starts when they hear the music. They should listen to the music for a moment as Pierrot and let the music shape and affect Pierrot’s character and rythmn.

(Note: Emphasize that they should not ‘edit’ their impressions of the music. If they don’t like the music they should use that dislike in their story. You will also note that the students will finish at different times. The ones who finish first should quietly wait or stay in their last pose until the last one is done. You fade the music out when the last person is falling asleep as Pierrot.)

After each piece of music is done discuss with the class what was different. How did the music affect the piece? Was it performed faster or slower? How did Pierrot and Columbine’s character change? Was Pierrot less or more romantic? Was Columbine’s character less or more selfish and so on. You will need to keep emphasizing the need to perform the movements big and to full stretch. Their emotions should be as exaggerated as possible.

Have the class pair up male/female. If there is an odd person out then they can work in a group of three using two Pierrots or two Columbines. Normally female students don’t mind pairing up and playing a male character so you can pair them up if there is not enough male students. Most guys will be reluctant and you can use groups of three or pair them up anyway. (This is a personal choice of the individual teacher, as you know your students best.)

Pierrot is standing stage left of centre and Columbine is stage right standing opposite their partner facing the audience. Review for them and emphasize that the pantomime actions in the scene represent a ‘conversation’ and so the picnic never actually happens. This is important as some students begin to see it as a mime piece and the Columbine character will actually cross over and join the picnic as if it is really happening. Instruct them to never cross centre stage and infringe on the other character’s area. They must be cheated towards the audience and never turned profile to them even during the picnic scene. They are story telling to the audience not performing a mime piece. They must share their reactions with the audience.

The piece is the same except that Pierrot will do his part and Columbine will do her part. It begins with both of them facing the audience in poses or at least in character. Columbine can be doing something simple or just waiting. Pierrot sees her and tells the audience she’s beautiful. He gets Columbine’s attention and asks her on the picnic. She ‘listens’ to the proposal by watching what Pierrot does and reacting to it. She gives all of her reactions to the audience with small takes and double takes, which should not distract from Pierrot’s performance. Her cue to start is when Pierrot gets up after drinking the wine and says "There or How about it." It is now her turn to ‘speak’ and Pierrot ‘listens’ and reacts with takes and double takes to the audience being careful not to steal focus from Columbine. She performs the piece rejecting all his ideas. Pierrot’s cue is when she says "Never" and stamps her foot and waves her hands. She then ‘listens’ as Pierrot tells the audience he is heartbroken and cries himself to sleep. She can react to this anyway she wants. She is amused, regretful, uncaring, etc.

The students now create their own simple pantomime by creating a modern version of the Pierrot and Columbine proposal. It does not necessarily have to be a date. It is simply one person asking the other to go with them and do something. Restrict the number of movements they use by asking them to express the ‘thing’ in three or for movements. The same for how they travel there. Are they walking, driving, etc. This teaches them to condense their images down to the essentials.

(For example, how can you ‘say’ cinema in a few movements? Draw the screen by describing a large square with your hands, sit down, and eat popcorn and react to the movie. How can you efficiently ‘say’ driving? Open the door, sit down, and operate the steering wheel. You could actually say it in one movement by sitting down and operating the wheel.)

Give them two or three minutes to discuss it. The Columbine character simply rejects each of the ideas and then says no. For example he asks her to drive to the movies. She then describes what is wrong with driving in his car. Is it a clunker? Does he drive too fast? Etc. What goes wrong at the movies? He doesn’t have enough money. The popcorn spills on her outfit. She hates the movie, etc.