What could be happening in this image?

1. What could be happening in this image? What may be happening in this image? What mood do you think is created? Why?

2. Learning objectives • To explore tension in the opening parts of the play. • To consider the presentation of Gerald and Sheila’s relationship.

3. Success criteria • To define tension and come up with examples in Act One. • Be able to map the tension in Act One of the play. • To effectively describe Gerald and Sheila, as well as their relationships. • To consider how the play can be performed in different ways to achieve different effects.

4. Class & family tensions • Two of the play’s main themes are introduced in the play’s opening pages and, from the outset, there is evidence of strained relationships: there are many moments where tensions between family members reveal themselves. • Similarly, tensions surrounding the issue of class are presented; Birling’s speeches reveal his attitude on the concept of class and society, while his confidential conversation with Gerald reveals his own insecurities and concerns with his personal class and status.

5. tension • Tension is an extremely powerful device that many playwrights use to create suspense and a sense of awkwardness between characters. • But how can a playwright create tension in his play?

6. Tension graph • To check our understanding, we are going to create a tension graph for Act One. • What events create the most tension? Which parts of Act One are less tense?

7. Gerald & sheila • In your books, you now need to write down words you would associate with each of the following: • Gerald • Sheila • The relationship between these two characters.

9. Over to you! • In groups of three, you are going to perform this extract according to one of the versions mentioned previously. • What do you think we need to consider when performing this?

10. Is it love? • What is different in each version? • Which do they think is more in keeping with Priestley’s thinking and why?

11. plenary • Answer these questions in your books: • Name one way that Priestley creates tension in Act One. • Explain how the relationship between Sheila and Gerald is not as happy as it seems. • Write a question you still have on the post it provided, and add it to the question wall. We will try to answer them next lesson.