feeling hopeful and positive about the future

a problem where people from the Caribbean, who had lived in the UK for years, were wrongly treated by the government

a group and movement that works to stop unfair treatment and violence against Black people

British English CC

How was the stage adaptation of 'Small Island' developed?

What is it about 'Small Island' that makes it stageworthy?

Rufus Norris on directing and adapting 'Small Island'

English

An introduction to the play 'Small Island'

Helen Edmundson on adapting 'Small Island' for the stage

'Small Island': from page to stage

'Small Island': reading the start of Act 1 Scene 1

'Small Island': exploring the theme of power through Little Hortense

'Small Island': tracking the events of Act 1 Scene 1

'Small Island': the significance of the hurricane

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 1 Scene 1 with director Rufus Norris

'Small Island': reading Act 1 Scene 2

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 1 Scene 2 with director Rufus Norris

'Small Island': reading the beginning of Act 1 Scene 3

'Small Island': reading the end of Act 1 Scene 3

Watching 'Small Island' Act 1 Scene 3 with Rufus Norris and Helen Edmundson

'Small Island': reading Act 1, Scenes 4-6

'Small Island': reading Act 1, Scenes 7 and 8

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 1 Scenes 4-8 with Rufus Norris

'Small Island': exploring Act 1 through the context of Windrush

Exploring and evaluating the importance of Act 1

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scene 1

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 2 Scene 1 with Helen Edmundson

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 2 to 4

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 5 to 6

Watching and discussing 'Small Island' Act 2 Scenes 2 to 6 with Rufus Norris

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 7 and 8

'Small Island': reading Act 2, Scenes 9 to 11

Watching 'Small Island' Act 2 Scenes 7-11 with Rufus Norris and Helen Edmundson

Tracking characters and tension in 'Small Island'

Helen Edmundson on the context, characters and themes of 'Small Island'

Understanding questions and writing thesis statements on ‘Small Island’

'Small Island': creating topic sentences and using quotes in essays

Essay writing: using context in responses to ‘Small Island’

Introductions and conclusions in a 'Small Island' essay

Planning and writing a 'Small Island' essay

Refining and improving an essay on 'Small Island'

In 'Small Island', pupils explore the ways in which transferring Levy's novel onto the stage enables both the playwright and the director to powerfully evoke its ideas about race, identity and belonging. In 'Leave Taking', pupils build on their learning about the Windrush Generation to explore the cultural and generational conflicts, that can arise as a result of migration. 

In 'The Tempest', pupils examine the roles of Caliban and Ariel and how they are treated as outsiders, questioning who has a rightful claim to the island. In 'Small Island', pupils look at the play in the context of the Windrush generation and through the lens of key themes, including identity and belonging.  

In this unit, pupils explore the playtext adaptation of Andrea Levy's novel 'Small Island'. They first explore the transition from novel to stage, before reading the playtext in full and exploring key scenes in detail. They then plan and write an essay on the theme of 'hope' in the text.

'Small Island'

The Black Lives Matter movement and Covid-19

The introduction of new theatre technology

Which two major events does Rufus Norris say affected the second 'Small Island' production?

It was far from the central axis of Britain–Jamaica.

In the stage version of 'Small Island', why was Bernard’s story in India reduced?

Is the statement true or false? Rufus Norris describes Small Island as a hopeful play, but not “rose tinted.”

She worked for the National Theatre already.

She was Jamaican and part of the Windrush generation.

She had adapted many classics and was loyal to source texts.

According to Rufus Norris, why was Helen Edmundson chosen to adapt 'Small Island'?

The play was moved to a new theatre space.

Social distancing made rehearsals more fragmented.

According to Rufus Norris, why was the rehearsal process for 'Small Island' more difficult in 2022 than 2019?

The scandal mirrored the themes of the play.

The scandal inspired Levy to write the novel.

The scandal meant the play could not be staged.

What does Norris mean by a “poetic parallel” with the Windrush scandal and the production of 'Small Island'?

to change the author’s original message

to bring a story from a book to life on stage

to make the story only about one character

What is the main purpose of a stage adaptation?

to allow characters to connect directly with the audience

Which of these best explains the purpose of direct address?

to focus on central conflicts and relationships

Why might a director choose to focus on only a few characters when adapting a novel for the stage?

It allows the audience to feel closer to the character.

It hides the character’s true feelings.

It creates distance between audience and specific characters.

Which of these is an effect of using direct address in theatre?

A group of British politicians in the 1940s.

People who moved from Britain to Jamaica after World War II.

People who moved from the Caribbean to Britain after World War II.

By focussing on the daily lives and struggles of Windrush migrants.

By focussing only on life in Jamaica as part of the British Empire.

By focusing on British government policies only.

By focussing on pre war attitudes and values towards Britain.

How might the play 'Small Island' help the audience understand the Windrush generation?

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Rufus Norris on directing and adapting 'Small Island'

Lesson outcome

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.