‘Drama is conflict’ – or so Anna Sher of the Islington Theatre Group told me. I would say, ‘Conflict and resolution’, as it’s the outcome that moves the story forward and ultimately brings it to an uplifting end.
Here are some drama exercises you can try based on ‘Swallows and Amazons’. I’ve added soliloquies, as students often need these for auditions. There should be enough variety here for everyone to get a chance at playing their favourite character. Props needed: Treasure chest and green parrot.
1. A soliloquy for one actor or an exercise for two to five actors:
The conflict: Titty and John go though internal conflict wondering how they can persuade their father to let them sail out to an island and camp there.
The resolution: Their mother agrees after they receive a cryptic telegram
2. For two actors:
The conflict: Nancy and Peggy think of different ways of getting their uncle Jim away from his type-writer in the houseboat.
The resolution: Blaming each other for the fuss caused by letting off a firework.
3. For a group of six actors:
The conflict: Nancy and Peggy confront the four Swallows camping on ‘their’ island and give them a number of reasons why they should leave.
The resolution: The parley and plans of what to do next.
4. For two actors:
Conflict and disbelief: John approaches Captain Flint to deliver the charcoal burner’s warning, but Captain Flint thinks that John set off a firework on his cabin roof.
Resolution: the apology from Captain Flint.
5. Soliloquy for one actor:
Internal conflict: Titty hears an owl hoot, so expects the Swallows only to see the Amazons arriving in Secret Harbour. What is she going to do?
Resolution: The Swallows come across Amazon at anchor only to find Titty inside.
6. For two actors:
Conflict: John has to go and apologise to his mother for sailing at night. She is upset that he left Titty alone on the island and his responsibility is questioned.
Resolution: He promises never to sail at night again.
7. For seven actors and a box:
Conflict and disbelief: Titty tries to tell Captain Flint that she knows where his treasure is hidden. He doesn’t believe her. John and Susan think she was dreaming or made it up.
Resolution: Titty and Roger find the treasure. Nancy and Peggy, Titty, John, Susan and Roger present Captain Flint with the chest containing his treasure, and punish him for his disbelief, bringing the story to an end when Titty is rewarded with the green parrot.
Run all these exercises together with eight actors and see if you get a synopsis of the whole story that you can mould into a performance.
This could be accompanies by simple sea-shanties (which being written in about 1795 are out of copyright) opening with ‘Farewell and Adieu to You Fair Spanish Ladies’ Here’s a different version on Youtube:
and closing with a rousing chorus of ‘What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor’.
What will we do with a drunken sailor?
What will we do with a drunken sailor?
What will we do with a drunken sailor?
Early in the morning!
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Early in the morning!
Shave his belly with a rusty razor
Shave his belly with a rusty razor
Shave his belly with a rusty razor
Early in the morning!
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Early in the morning!
Put him in a long boat till his sober
Put him in a long boat till his sober
Put him in a long boat till his sober
Early in the morning!
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Early in the morning!
Stick him in a scupper with a hosepipe bottom
Stick him in a scupper with a hosepipe bottom
Stick him in a scupper with a hosepipe bottom
Early in the morning!
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Early in the morning!
That’s what we do with a drunken sailor
That’s what we do with a drunken sailor
That’s what we do with a drunken sailor
Early in the morning!
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Early in the morning!
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Early in the morning!
Sophie Neville 
Good morning, what a great new post, I love it. Hope you are having a good day and there aren’t too many thunder storms!
Thanks so much! Let me know if you can think of some easy musical pieces to accompany this. I thought perhaps ‘What shall we do with the drunken sailor’ and ‘Spanish Ladies’
How about something from these: ‘Blow the Man Down’, ‘Shenandoah’, ‘Haul Away, Joe’, ‘Rolling Down to Rio’, ‘Away to Rio’ (which, as you have reminded me, Wilfred Joseph used in his music to the 1974 film) and ‘Leave Her, Johnny’?
I think it has to be ‘Away to Rio’. I love Shenandoah but it’s a bit to American.
You made some great selections. A couple came to mind, but you had both of them. I particularly like the scenes where the children are not believed. That is such a common experience for children, and often their first realization that adults are actually not omniscient. I imagine most adults remember that feeling. Should be fun to act.
You are right. The fact that Captain Flint doesn’t believe John and questions his integrity is key to the whole book. I wonder if Ransome went through a similar stinging experience as a boy? Then, in the film, Captain Flint, John and Susan disbelieve Titty, which shifts everything into her court. Can you think of any other such examples – in the other books?
Big Six is obviously entirely around that idea. I feel like there must be a place where Nancy is disbelieved and feels like John, but I cant think which it is. Maybe P &M? I do feel like all of them should have been in deep trouble after Winter Holiday. That was dangerous. I canimagine them night sailing in that cold with the clothes of the day. The Ds could have been seriously injured or gotten hypothermia. I will have to reread the end.
And in Swallowdale, John had to deal with Swallow sinking. That was a different situation than being disbelieved, but also important for children to learn how to cope with their own fallibility. That you can actually make mistakes that are forgiven, but you still feel awful.
Swallow’s sinking is a great example
I thought you might say that, about ‘Away to Rio’. There is also the famous poem from Treasure Island. I know it’s been used in the Pirates of the Caribbean but it had already been expanded in the early 20th century (I remember my grandad singing about the marlin spike long before Jack Sparrow was heard of). If we could get it set to music I can just hear the Amazons singing it.
‘Spanish Ladies’ has been used in so many other films that I’m thinking of writing a blog post on it. Can you think of any? One is ‘Jaws'(1975).
Not offhand, but I will give it some thought.