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Lesson 26 of 35
  • Year 9

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

I can explain how Rufus Norris and Helen Edmundson create an emotional impact in the ending of 'Small Island', and consider my own response to the play.

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Lesson 26 of 35
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  • Year 9

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

I can explain how Rufus Norris and Helen Edmundson create an emotional impact in the ending of 'Small Island', and consider my own response to the play.

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Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Norris explains the challenge of staging Queenie’s birth due to multiple technical and emotional factors.
  2. Norris found Queenie asking Hortense and Gilbert to take her baby the most emotionally difficult scene.
  3. Norris chose the final image for its powerful and lasting impact.
  4. Edmundson says Queenie’s decision to give up her baby is a loving act shaped by harsh realities.
  5. Edmundson thinks the ending shows an uncertain future coupled with love and fragile hope.

Keywords

  • Thrust stage - a stage that extends into the audience on three sides, creating intimacy and immersion

  • Sight lines - the audience's view of the stage; directors must ensure all key action is visible from different angles

  • Revelation - a surprising or previously unknown fact that is made known

  • Inhabit - to live in or occupy a space - in theatre, this can refer to an actor fully embodying a character, making their behaviour and emotions believable

  • Stage directions - instructions in a script that guide movement, tone, and staging to support the writer’s vision

Common misconception

The best endings are always neat and fully resolved, tying up every storyline.

While neat endings can feel satisfying, 'Small Island' shows powerful endings often include uncertainty. Edmundson says the play balances hope and love with an unclear future, making it realistic and thought-provoking.


To help you plan your year 9 English lesson on: Watching 'Small Island' Act 2 Scenes 7-11 with Rufus Norris and Helen Edmundson, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

You may wish to consider the timing of this lesson. Each learning cycle can be taught as a standalone lesson if needed. This will ensure there is enough time to watch and fully engage with each of the videos.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need the National Theatre production of 'Small Island', which can be found on the website 'Drama Online'. Scene 7 begins with Bernard on stage (2:18:43), and the production ends at 2:49:07.

Content guidance

  • Contains strong language
  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Language may offend
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Put these plot points from 'Small Island', Act 2 Scenes 2 to 6, in the correct order.

1 - Miss Todd confronts Queenie about her lodgers.
2 - Gilbert is harassed by railway workers at the post office.
3 - Hortense serves Gilbert boiled egg and raw potato, leading to an argument.
4 - Gilbert returns with real fish and chips as a peace offering.
5 - Bernard returns unexpectedly and demands the tenants be evicted.
6 - Hortense is rejected from teaching and is comforted by Gilbert.
7 - Queenie touches her stomach, revealing her pregnancy.

Q2.
What complaint does Miss Todd bring to Queenie’s house in Act 2 Scene 2 of 'Small Island'?

That Queenie is late paying rent.
That Queenie is noisy at night.
Correct answer: That the neighbours don’t accept Queenie’s lodgers.
That Queenie should clean the house more often.

Q3.
In Act 2 of 'Small Island', what does Hortense discover about her job prospects?

She will be promoted immediately.
Correct answer: She must retrain before teaching in England.
She has been offered a teaching position right away.
She is banned from all jobs.

Q4.
In Act 2 of 'Small Island', how does Bernard react when he visits Queenie’s house?

Correct answer: He insists Queenie evicts the lodgers.
He warmly welcomes everyone.
He offers to help Queenie financially.
He ignores Queenie and talks only to the lodgers.

Q5.
What theatrical word, beginning with 'r', describes a rotating stage platform?

Correct Answer: revolve, revolving stage, Revolve

Q6.
In Act 2 of 'Small Island', what role does Elwood play in Gilbert’s mind?

He encourages Gilbert to fight back.
He reminds Gilbert of the dangers of hope.
Correct answer: He questions Gilbert’s acceptance of white authority.
He plans a revenge against the Railway Workers.

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
How do stage directions usually appear in scripts?

in bold text
in underlined text
Correct answer: in italics
highlighted in yellow

Q2.
In the final scene of 'Small Island', what promise do Gilbert and Hortense make when Queenie hands them the baby?

They will raise the baby as their own child.
They will send the baby back to Jamaica.
Correct answer: They promise the baby will be loved and proud.
They will find Bernard and convince him to stay.

Q3.
In 'Small Island', which scene did director Rufus Norris identify as the most technically challenging?

the fight scene in the cinema
Correct answer: Queenie giving birth
Queenie handing over the baby
Gilbert's final speech

Q4.
What does Helen Edmundson say about Queenie’s decision to give up her baby in 'Small Island'?

Queenie no longer loves the baby.
Queenie wants to return to her old life immediately.
Queenie wants to abandon the baby.
Correct answer: It is an act of love shaped by harsh realities.

Q5.
In Act 2, Scene 7 of 'Small Island' what motivates Bernard to insist that Gilbert and Hortense leave the house?

Correct answer: He feels entitled to reclaim his home after the war.
He resents Gilbert and Hortense’s presence due to jealousy.
He wants to avoid responsibility for Queenie’s child.
He is relocating for work and needs the house cleared.

Q6.
Is the statement true or false? Edmundson believes that 'Small Island's' ending offers a clear, straightforward resolution to the characters’ problems.

Correct Answer: false, f, False, F