Educational Resource Pack - Told by an Idiot
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Educational Resource Pack
Contents Introduction 1 About Told by an Idiot 2 Napoleon Disrobed: credits and tour dates 3 Scene list 4 Classroom exercise 1: Reflecting on the production 5 Historical Context: Who was Napoleon Bonaparte? 6 Classroom Exercise 2: Historical figures & contexts 7 Adapting the book The Death of Napoleon by Simon Leys 8 Classroom Exercise 3: Alternative Histories 9 Classroom Exercise 4: Transitions 10 In the Rehearsal Room: Assistant Director Charlie Toko 11 In the Rehearsal Room: Photo Gallery 12 Adventures in Space: The story behind the Napoleon Disrobed set 14 Classroom Exercise 5: Creating the world of the play 15 Useful links 16
Introduction The information in this resource pack has been put together to help audiences gain a deeper understanding of Told by an Idiot’s 2018 UK touring production Napoleon Disrobed. As well as a range of content, such as interviews with the company, historical context, production images and video clips, we have designed practical exercises for use in the classroom with UK Key Stages 3 to 4. However, there is no set way to use any of the resources, and we hope they will be interesting and useful to a range of age groups in a range of settings. Napoleon Disrobed, as a brand-new, devised, collaborative piece that is based on a book – The Death of Napoleon by Simon Leys – would be an exciting live theatre production for analysis as part of the UK GCSE Drama curriculum. The play’s treatment of themes such as power, status, identity and mortality are also interesting jumping-off points for group discussion and critical thinking, as well as offering stimuli for students’ own theatre making. We hope that you find this resource pack useful, even if you don’t get a chance to see the play itself. If you have any further questions, please feel free to email Told by an Idiot’s Participation Manager Natasha Bergg at natashabergg@toldbyanidiot.org. We would also love to hear your feedback, so we can continue to develop the resources that we produce around each of our touring shows. Please do also send us comments, photos and video clips, showing how you’re using this pack, by doing any of the following: Emailing us at the email address above Posting on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/toldbyanidiot93/ Tweeting us at @toldbyanidiot93 Posting a photo on Instagram and tagging us @toldbyanidiot Told by an Idiot 2018 1
About Told by an Idiot
"We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing" - George Bernard Shaw
Founded in 1993, Told by an idiot has established an international reputation for its comic, innovative and startlingly original
productions. Recent collaborators include the National Theatre, the RSC, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, National Theatre Scotland,
Beijing Comedy Theatre and Grand Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg.
Told by an Idiot explores the human condition through theatre that is bigger than life. Our work is rooted in the live event and thrives
on a sense of spontaneity and risk, celebrating the unpredictability of performance. Through playful collaborative writing, anarchic
physicality & a comedic sensibility we create genuinely spontaneous experiences for audiences.
Our Taught by an Idiot participation programme mirrors our work on stage and fosters a sense of openness, curiosity and the desire to
play. We consistently experiment with what art can be and who can be involved, and, in doing so, we blur the lines between artist,
participant and audience. We work hard to make all Taught work as accessible as possible, in regards to age, ethnicity, ability and
experience.
We’re experienced in designing, developing and delivering workshops and other events in collaboration with a range of organisations,
including UK-wide and international work with schools, colleges, universities and other Higher and Further Education institutions, as
well as youth and adult groups. We are also a proud Arts Award Supporter.
If you would like to talk about Told by an Idiot delivering something for your organisation, please get in touch – we’d love to hear from
you! You can also find out more here: https://www.toldbyanidiot.org/taught/
"(A model) which should be rolled out as an example of excellence... The students found the experience to be exhilarating and
empowering" - Head of Creative Arts, Leeds City College
"(The Comedy of Errors) was brilliant. I'd give it a 10 out of 10. There's too many words to describe it." - Joshua, aged 12
Told by an Idiot 2018 2
Napoleon Disrobed – A comic alternative history
Credits and Tour Dates
A Told by an Idiot, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Arcola Theatre production
Napoleon Disrobed
A comic alternative history
Created by Told by an Idiot
Based on The Death of Napoleon by Simon Leys
Directed by TOUR DATES: 25 January – 24 March 2018
Kathryn Hunter The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth
25 January – 10 February 2018
Set and Costume Design by www.theatreroyal.com
Michael Vale
Arcola Theatre, London
Lighting Design by 14 February – 10 March 2018
Aideen Malone www.arcolatheatre.com
Sound Design by Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Adrienne Quartly 15 -17 March 2018
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
The Performers
Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
Paul Hunter 20 – 24 March 2018
Ayesha Antoine www.sjt.uk.com
Production photo by Manuel Harlan
Told by an Idiot 2018 3
Scene-by-scene synopsis
PROLOGUE: UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE A quick quiz to warm up
DRILLING EUGENE Is Napoleon’s double up to the challenge?
NAPOLEON BOARDS THE SHIP ‘Eugene’ joins the crew
ON THE SHIP Life is hard as a cabin boy!
BELGIUM HOTEL Not as quiet as promised
WATERLOO COACH JOURNEY Napoleon joins a tourist trip to the battlefield he was defeated on
EDMOND THE VETERAN Edmond has a lot of battle stories to tell...for a tip
COACH TO FRANCE Napoleon receives some new instructions
PARIS - OSTRICH’S HOUSE Napoleon is looking for an old friend...and makes a new one
BERATING DOUBLE Napoleon discovers the real Eugene has let him down...by dying
PAN PONG – MELON BUSINESS SUCKS When your business is going down the pan...play pan pong!
WATERMELON PLAN Napoleon saves the melon business
THE AUCTION Ostrich buys a bed
“I AM NAPOLEON!” Napoleon reveals his identity to Ostrich - which doesn’t go as planned
LES TROIS BOULES Having a pint with the Doctor
“I AM NAPOLEON!” 2 Napoleon becomes desperate to convince Ostrich of his version of the truth
ASYLUM An eerie episode with a crowd of Napoleon copy-cats
OSTRICH’S HOUSE Ostrich and Napoleon make a deal
TRYING TO LIVE NORMAL LIVES Napoleon and Ostrich take a holiday
ENLISTING THE AUDIENCE Napoleon tries to involve the audience in a secret plan
FEVER DEATH Napoleon tries one more time to tell Ostrich who he really is – and dies
Told by an Idiot 2018 4
Classroom Exercise 1: Reflecting on the production
This simple exercise is a great way
Curriculum links: Drama, Art & Design, Music
to draw out students’ initial
Length of exercise: 15-20 minutes responses to the production, and
Space needed: Can be done in the classroom can also act as a useful starting
Materials needed: Flipchart paper and pens point for more in-depth work,
depending on what themes emerge.
Organise the class into groups of four or five and give each group a sheet of flipchart paper and some pens. Assign each group an area of the
production to explore, such as:
Each group should write their chosen area of the production as a heading on their flip
The set and staging Props chart paper. Each group then has five minutes to brainstorm thoughts and comments
around their assigned area of the production, noting them in a spider diagram on their
Costume Music and Sound
flip chart paper. After five minutes, each group must pass their paper onto the next group
Themes of the play Movement and repeat this process until every group has commented on all areas of the production
listed by the class.
Lighting Use of voice
These sheets can then be photocopied and handed out. You could also put the sheets up
in the classroom for inspiration when continuing discussions about the production.
Told by an Idiot 2018 5
Historical Context: Who was Napoléon Bonaparte?
Napoléon Bonaparte was born Napoleone di Buonaparte to an Italian family in Corsica, an
island belonging to France, on 15th August 1769.
Napoléon joined the French army, and was serving as an artillery officer when the French
Revolution began in 1789. As an ambitious young soldier, he took the opportunities offered by
this major event to move up through the ranks and in 1793, he became a General at the age of
24. He seized political power in France in 1799 during the 18 Brumaire, which triggered the
end of the French Revolution. He then went on to lead successful military campaigns against
Austria, Italy and Egypt and was crowned Napoléon I, the first ever Emperor of France in 1804,
aged 35.
After conquering much of Europe over several years, Napoléon’s armies were defeated during
an invasion of Russia in 1812 and his reputation as a brilliant military strategist was damaged.
Napoléon agreed to abdicate as Emperor in 1814, and negotiated terms as part of the Treaty of
Fontainebleau that resulted in him being given Elba, an island 6 miles off the west coast of
Italy, with a population of 12,000, as a miniature kingdom. However, it is thought that
Napoléon never intended to stay on the island permanently, and it wasn’t explicitly stated that
he wasn’t allowed to leave the island - although this was well understood.
In February 1815, Napoléon, believing that the current political situation in France was
becoming unstable, prepared a ship painted in English colours and set sail for France in secret.
Napoleon Crossing the Alps (Jacques-Louis David 1801-5)
By March 1815, Napoléon had reached Paris and regained the French throne, without a shot being fired against him – although he had been declared
an outlaw and Austria, Prussia and the United Kingdom had pledged to end his rule through military force. He was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo
by a joint British and Prussian-led army on 18th June 1815, abdicated for a second time and was this time sent into exile to the remote island of St
Helena, over 1,500 miles off the coast of Angola. This marked the end of the ‘Hundred Days’ between Napoléon’s return to France and the crowning
of King Louis XVIII, as well as the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Napoléon died on the island of St Helena on 5th May 1821, aged 51.
Told by an Idiot 2018 6
Classroom Exercise 2: Historical figures & contexts
Curriculum Links: Drama – characterisation, devising What happens when you throw a
Length of exercise: 30 - 45 minutes character into a world that they
don’t usually inhabit? This exercise
Space needed: Room for students to move around in small groups
sparks creativity through creating
Materials needed: None
unexpected combinations.
In small groups, give students a few minutes to think of a famous figure from history. Coming back together as a whole group, ask each smaller group
to reveal the person they have chosen, and establish why that person became well-known, along with any other facts students know about this
person. (Alternatively, assign a historical figure to groups and discuss each one in turn as a whole group).
Give the groups ten minutes to discuss and explore how this person might behave – for example, how they move, speak and interact with others, and
how others behave towards them. It might be useful for them to reconstruct a famous scene from this character’s life.
Then ask the group to suggest some everyday situations or scenarios and write them on the board, e.g. in the supermarket, making dinner, cleaning
the house.
Ask each group to choose a scenario and give them another five to ten minutes to devise a short scene featuring their chosen historical figure in this
scenario. Encourage them to choose a scenario that it seems unlikely that their chosen historical figure would be found in.
If there’s time, the groups could choose another scenario to experiment with, and/or another historical figure. The groups can then share their
devised scene with the rest of the group and feed back on what they found interesting or challenging.
Told by an Idiot 2018 7
Adapting the book: The Death of Napoleon by Simon Leys
The Death of Napoleon was written in 1986 by Simon Leys and is one of his most famous fictional works. It also
inspired a film, The Emperor’s New Clothes in 2001, starring Ian Holm, although Leys didn’t seem impressed by this
interpretation of his book, saying that Leys said Holm’s performance “made me dream of what could have been
achieved had the producer and director bothered to read the book.” We like to think that Simon Leys would have
enjoyed and approved of our production...
Leys’ book proposes the idea that a secret network of loyal followers enables Napoleon to swap identities with an
ordinary soldier and therefore escape being thrown into exile. This premise allows the author to explore some
interesting questions and themes, such as what someone becomes once they have lost the status and purpose that
they have become used to, and whether a character like Napoleon, apparently destined for military glory, could
survive and be happy as an ordinary man.
Paul Hunter, Artistic Director of Told by an Idiot, was first given the book as a get well present by TBAI co-founder
Hayley Carmichael, having broken his foot dancing naked with some bananas in Told By An Idiot’s first show On The
Verge Of Exploding in 1993.
Paul explains, “There was a notion at the time that we might have tackled this story as our second show in 1994, but
on reflection it felt that we were too young to take on the themes of identity, faith, and death. However over the years
this captivating novella has continued to resonate with us, and from time to time when I set off on tour it would find
its way into my suitcase.
It is a wonderful mix of the comic and poignant, the ludicrous and the philosophical. What
inspired us to adapt the book for the stage were these delightful juxtapositions, and a sense
that we really weren't sure how we would realise it in a theatrical form.”
For me the story is not just about Napoleon but about how we define ourselves or allow
ourselves to be defined. It also examines the ludicrous pursuits we sometimes undertake, in
Napoleons case the futility of trying to retrieve time and glory.”
From L-R: Kathryn Hunter, Paul Hunter and Ayesha Antoine in
rehearsal for Napoleon Disrobed
Told by an Idiot 2018 8Classroom Exercise 3: Adapting a book - Alternative Histories
Curriculum Links: Creative Writing It’s interesting to look at historical
Length of exercise: 30 minutes events and ask the question, “What If?”
This exercise explores the genre of
Space needed: Can be done in a classroom
Alternate Histories with a simple group
Materials needed: Writing materials
writing activity.
Both Napoleon Disrobed and the book The Death of Napoleon are based on the premise that Napoleon does not go into exile and die on St
Helena, but escapes by swapping identities with an ordinary soldier, Eugene Lenormand, allowing him to once again begin his journey
towards Paris.
Ask students to think of some newsworthy events that have happened in the last one hundred years, and to identify the key people involved in each.
Introduce the idea of Alternative Histories as a literary genre and elicit some possible examples from the group – these could be films, books or plays
that they know of, or they can think up their own new ideas.
Further the discussion by encouraging the group to think of examples where an alternative story wouldn’t be interesting for the reader, eliciting the
need for the usual conventions of good writing, such as: well-developed characterisation, tension/conflict, a quest, comedy and plot twists.
Divide students into groups of five or six and give them five minutes to choose a historical event and start to come up with an alternative history
story. They can quickly feed this back to the whole group before their group assigns one person to be the writer and they then have a further ten to
twenty minutes to write the full story. These could then be read back to the group and critiqued in the next lesson.
Told by an Idiot 2018 9Classroom Exercise 4: Adapting a Book - Transitions
Curriculum Links: Drama - devising
In books and films, it is easy to segue from
one scene to another without losing your
Length of exercise: 30 minutes
audience. In live theatre, linking scenes in
Space needed: Space for students to move around in small groups
a convincing way can be a challenge. This
Materials needed: Small pieces of paper with locations written on
exercise looks at how to create transitions
them, e.g. beach, school, mountain
between scenes.
Lay the pieces of paper with the locations written on them face down on a table, or put them into a hat. Divide the students into smaller groups of
five or six and ask each group to take three pieces of paper without looking at what is written on them.
This exercise looks at one of the
Give the groups five minutes to quickly devise a short physical scene (no text) for each location, which they feel will show the audience what the
locations are. Not everyone in the group has to perform in every scene. Then ask thechallenges of live
groups to perform theatre
their three scenes,–andhow
ask theto take
other students
to guess which type of location they are attempting to show the audience. the audience from one scene to another.
Next, challenge each group to find different ways to link the scenes to each other. They can use the following ideas for inspiration:
- Using a narrator
- The use of natural elements, e.g. a storm
- Involving or distracting the audience
- Creative use of space, e.g. different levels
- Using sound or music as a linking device
- Use of props and costume
Leave time for groups to perform to the rest of the group, or talk the group through how they would link the scenes, and why they made the
decisions that they did. They or the rest of the group can also come up with a name for their newly devised piece.
Told by an Idiot 2018 10In the Rehearsal Room: Charlie Toko, Assistant Director
As an Assistant Director, my role is to facilitate rehearsals, take notes, support the actors and focus
on the smooth running of the production process, alongside the Director.
This my first show with Told by an Idiot, but I’ve been aware of their work since seeing their
production of I’m a Fool to Want You, which I saw at the Battersea Arts Centre in 2004. I remember
being so impressed by this exciting and unique style of theatre, I was inspired and entertained by
the performers. I remember thinking about if I ever had my own company I would create similar
work! I found the company’s work exciting, funny, physical and very playful. That was my first
encounter, then years went by, drama school and real life…and early in 2017 I was reintroduced to
TBAI as I took part in the ‘Director in the Devising Process’ workshop, which was run by Paul
Hunter. This was a week-long workshop learning how TBAI approach devising and creating work
for performance.
Working in a devised show is exciting, unpredictable, intense, focused, I could go on… but seriously
it’s such a rollercoaster of fresh ideas, constant communication, trial and error of different ideas.
You really can’t afford to be too precious about anything because that amazing idea you discovered
today might be gone in the morning! I guess working in a devised process is different in a sense
because your primary source is the idea, concept or in this case the novella The Death of Napoleon,
which is our starting point. Everyone comes to the room with that subject in mind. With a scripted
rehearsal room, you would approach the work from what the writer has prepared for you, that’s
the starting point. With devising, your ideas and play creates the work.
Rehearsals are a lot of fun, you can’t be too serious when creating but you have to work. We’ve been working hard and enjoying what is being
created. Kathryn Hunter, the director, makes it so easy for everyone in the room to feel like they’re a part of the process by allowing everyone’s
voices to be heard, which is unusual in comparison to most rehearsal spaces I’ve been in! Everyday there’s a rehearsal call and Kathryn sets out
certain scenes to work through and a possible outcome. We then run through the plan and find the best version of an idea, and things can sometimes
take a long time but it’s all part of the process, as long as you’re moving forward.
January 2018
Told by an Idiot 2018 11In the Rehearsal Room: Photo Gallery
The bust of Napoleon used
On the Ship: Paul and Ayesha in the auction scene
Each rehearsal starts with a competitive
game of keepy-uppy
Told by an Idiot 2018 12In the Rehearsal Room: Photo Gallery (continued)
A close-up of the underside of the set "Eugene, what have you done??" Scene board
Told by an Idiot 2018 13Adventures in Space: The story behind the Napoleon Disrobed set
The rocking stage reflects the
constant instability of Napoleon's
own situation and the instability
of identity and existence itself ...
it also provides opportunities for
comedy.
Michael Vale, Designer
Rough set design model Model of the set, showing the
potential for action around it
The rocking ‘see-saw’ set for Napoleon Disrobed was designed by Michael Vale. As well as designing sets for previous Told by an Idiot
shows, such as Heads Will Roll and My Perfect Mind, Michael has designed sets and costumes for over 180 theatre and opera productions,
both across the UK and abroad. He has worked in a wide variety of theatres and spaces, ranging from small rooms above London pubs to
The Royal Opera House and The National Theatre.
If a play has a script, a set designer might use this as a resource, do some research around the play’s themes, and talk to the director about what they
want the set to look like, before coming up with a rough model that will then be developed further. In the case of Napoleon Disrobed, Michael used
the book that the play was adapted from, The Death of Napoleon by Simon Leys, as inspiration.
The set needed to be in place at the beginning of the devising process, so that the performers could play around with its range of movement, and find
creative ways to incorporate it into the story. Two trapdoors were built into the final version of the set floor and the Tricolore was created out of red,
white and blue curtain fabric.
Told by an Idiot 2018 14Classroom Exercise 5: Creating the world of the play
Curriculum links: Drama, Art & Design, Design & Technology This exercise encourages
Length of exercise: 45 minutes
students to think about how set
design and the creative use of
Space needed: A large space for everyone to move around
space can enhance an
Materials needed: Pen, pencils, rulers and paper (cardboard, glue and scissors if
you would like the students to create their own model boxes) audience’s experience of live
theatre.
Warm-up: Islands Game (approx. 15 minutes)
Place pieces of newspaper on the floor like islands: not touching and leaving plenty of room to move around. Ask students to think of a monologue
that they know well and to start ‘swimming’ around the room while performing it. When they hear the word “shark!” they must quickly move on to a
newspaper island, so that no part of their body is touching the floor. Once everyone has made it safely on to one of the ‘islands’ (you can have more
than one person on each), ask them to start moving around again, and take away one piece of paper. Keep doing this until it is impossible for
everyone to have no part of their body touching the floor! Then ask students to feed back how it felt to perform a monologue while also having to
focus on space and dealing with this particular restriction.
Thinking more closely about the way space is used in Napoleon Disrobed, divide the class into three groups and give each group one of the following
aspects to discuss. They should think about all the different ways that these features could be used in a production, being as creative as possible.
- A rocking set (which can also be secured on a level, or at an angle)
- Three large curtains at the back of the stage
- Two trapdoors
Drawing on the ideas generated, ask each group to start thinking about a scene or short piece that they might perform using these elements. They
could start to sketch out what this might look like, or write a short monologue or dialogue with stage directions.
Told by an Idiot 2018 15Useful links
More information on Napoleon Disrobed, the creative team and the production photo gallery
https://www.toldbyanidiot.org/productions/napoleon-disrobed/
Rehearsal Diaries: short blog posts from members of the creative team at different stages of the rehearsal process
https://www.toldbyanidiot.org/productions/napoleon-disrobed/Rehearsal-Diary
Interviews with the company and video footage from the rehearsal process
https://youtu.be/O7ViG2FFHK4
More footage from rehearsals and how the audience reacted to the production
https://youtu.be/Cz5fN6rgX5I
Boomerang clip showing how the set moves
https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/943433562765832192
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