Role Play
Uses and Benefits
Role-playing takes place between two or more people, who act out roles to
explore a particular scenario.
By acting different scenarios, you can explore how other people are likely to
respond to different approaches; and you can get a feel for approaches that
are likely to work, and for those that might be counter-productive.
You can also get a sense of what other people are likely to be thinking and
feeling in the situation.
by preparing for a situation using role-play, you build up experience and self-
confidence with handling the situation in real life, and you can develop quick
and instinctively correct reactions to situations.
This means that you'll react effectively as situations evolve, rather than
making mistakes or becoming overwhelmed by events.
You can also use role-play to spark brainstorming sessions, to improve
communication between team members, and to see problems or situations
from different perspectives.
Role Play and Drama
This is the act of pretending to be somebody else, of taking on a role. The
role may be from a script or a character you have created. Thinking, acting
and even feeling differently to your ordinary self can help you empathise with
that person and better understand an issue or theme.
Konstantin Stanislavski’s approach:
He took the approach that the actor should inhabit the role that they’re playing.
The actor shouldn’t only know what lines they need to say and the motivation for
those lines, but should also know every detail of that character’s life offstage as
well as onstage
You could use a role on the wall diagram to help you. Divide an outline of a
person in two from top to bottom. Write down what the character thinks and
feels on one side and what other characters think and feel about your
character on the other side.
You can also include factual information about the role you are playing
around the outside of the figure. This will help you understand your character
better.
Characterization
Every person is a unique individual. Your role may have similarities to you but
may also be vastly different. The way a person feels, thinks and the
experiences they have had affect the way they move and speak.
Think about the role you are playing in detail. Consider where the person is
from, what sort of accent they have and how old and how confident they are.
Ask yourself how this affects their pace, weight on the ground and posture.
No two characters are ever completely alike. A skilled actor is versatile and
able to change vocal and physical characteristics to communicate a role
effectively.
Step 1: Identify the Situation
To start the process, gather people/ actors together, introduce the scenario, and
encourage an open discussion to uncover all of the relevant issues. This will help
people to start thinking about the prompt before the role-play begins.
Step 2: Add Details
Next, set up a scenario in enough detail for it to feel "real." Make sure that
everyone is clear about the problem that you're trying to work through, and that
they know what you want to achieve by the end of the session.
Step 3: Assign Roles
Once you've set the scene, identify the various fictional characters involved in
the scenario. Some of these may be people who have to deal with the situation
when it actually happens (for example, salespeople). Others will represent
people who are supportive or hostile, depending on the scenario (for example, an
angry client).
Once you've identified these roles, allocate them to the people involved in your
exercise; they should use their imagination to put themselves inside the minds of
the people that they're representing. This involves trying to understand their
perspectives, goals, motivations, and feelings when they enter the situation.
Step 4: Act Out the Scenario
Each person can then assume their role, and act out the situation, trying
different approaches where necessary.
Step 5: Discuss What You Have Learned
When you finish the role-play, discuss what you've learned, so that you or the
people involved can learn from the experience.
Some Tips
Some people feel threatened or nervous when asked to role-play, because it
involves acting. This can make them feel silly, or that they've been put on the
spot.
To make role-playing less threatening, start with a demonstration. Hand two
"actors" a prepared script, give them a few minutes to prepare, and have
them act out the role-play in front of the rest of the group. This approach is
more likely to succeed if you choose two outgoing people, or if you're one of
the actors in the demonstration.
Another technique for helping people feel more comfortable is to allow them
to coach you during the demonstration. For instance, if you're playing the role
of a customer service representative who's dealing with an angry customer,
people could suggest what you should do to make things right.
