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The
Millennium
AuthorsAn Interactive Comedy
for Adolescents and
Adults
WORKPACK
LEVEL B2, C1 and C2
(It’s quite recommended to check this out before watching the play)
Synopsis
Novels, plays, characters or even simple quotes can make a deep scar in our minds,
which might change a person forever. And that’s why a working knowledge of literature
and drama is so important. THE THREEFOLD PURPOSE OF LITERATURE IS TO
ENTERTAIN, TO EDIFY, AND TO EXALT THE HUMAN SPIRIT.
But… we understand that in this age of digital devices and instant information, new
scholars need an overview. A rundown. An abstract. A conspectus.
We will get Homer’s the Iliad condensed by Achilles himself (or myself?) all of
Cervantes’ Don Quixote with (sort of/kind of) Spanish subtitles, Wagner’s The Ring
of the Nibelung and Dickens’ A Christmas Carol performed and retold with the help
of the audience and, of course, there's Shakespeare’s King Lear, which got turned
into some kind of GAME to achieve a portion OF Lear’s THRONES.
The original books
The Iliad is an epic poem traditionally attributed to Homer. Set in the Trojan War, it
tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon
and the warrior Achilles.
The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha is a novel written by Spanish
author Miguel de Cervantes about Alonso Quixano, a retired country gentleman who has
become obsessed with books of chivalry
King Lear is a tragedy written by Shakespeare about an elderly King who is deciding to
give up his power and divide his realm amongst his three daughters, Cordelia, Regan,
and Goneril. Lear's plan is to give the largest piece of his kingdom to the child who
professes to love him the most
The Ring of the Nibelung is a cycle of four German-language epic music dramas
composed by Wagner. The plot revolves around a magic ring that grants the power to
rule the world.
A Christmas Carol is a novel written by Charles Dickens where a stingy businessman
called Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts and is given one last chance to
change his ways and save himself from the grim fate that otherwise awaits him.
CHARACTERS
ACHILLES
A TROYAN GUARD
DON QUIXOTE
SANCHO PANZA
KING LEAR
GONERIL
REGAN
CORDELIA*
ALBERICH
SIEGFRIED
FREIA*
BRUNHILDE*
EBENEZER SCROOGE
GHOST OF THE PAST*
GHOST OF THE PRESENT*
GHOST OF THE FUTURE*
* This is a highly interactive play. Some characters might be represented by an audiencemember…
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ACTIVITIES
For teachers:
This workpack is divided into different levels, taking into account
learners’ age and level oflanguage acquired.
As you may notice, the same play may cater for an ample age range.
This is due to an important innovation meant to suit different students’
needs and interests.
This means that while different age groups may be viewing the same
play the various pre and post language activities in the workpack attend
to a different level.
This play is suitable for students whose level of English is equivalent to
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ALL LEVELS BEFORE GOING TO
THE THEATRE
(in addition to reviewing plot and characters)
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Activity 1 – How much do you already know?
Divide these names into two groups – Authors and Characters- (you can ask around,
or use the internet). Circle the ones you could clearly recognize without help.
(*note- you can work in groups, and choose one circled author or character to talk
about, and then share it with the rest of the class to learn a little about the ones you
were unfamiliar with)
OSCAR WILDE
ISAAC ASIMOV
C.S. LEWIS
JANE AUSTEN
CHARLES DICKENS
LEWIS CARROLL
EMILY BRONTE
DANTE
HOMER
MARK TWAIN
ULYSSES
VIRGINIA WOLF
J.K. ROWLING
SHERLOCK HOLMES
JAY GATSBY
DORIAN GREY JEAN VALJEAN
ELIZABETH BENNET
HAMLET HOLDEN CAULFIELD TOM SAWYER
ELIZA DOOLITTLE
Activity 2 - Divide your class in groups
Each group should do some research about one of the books mentioned in the play,
and report the results to the class
You can use these questions as a guide.
1. Who wrote each book?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. In what year was it written?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Where is the story set? Where is the author from?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. Are there plays or movies inspired by this book? Name some.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
5. Briefly retell the plot:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Activity 3 Vocabulary Many idioms that we use in modern English, originate from the work of William Shakespeare, but constantly appear in literary works.
• Complete the table below by adding the correct definition
Idiom in context Definition 1. Sarah was in a pickle when she realized that she hadmissed the last bus home.
2. I went on a wild goose chase around the supermarkettrying to find my favorite cheese. No luck!
3. Sue always has me in stitches. She’s just so funny!
4. I hate the sound of someone sharpening a knife. It sets my
teeth on edge.
5. When my brother comes to visit me, he eats me out ofhouse and home but I still love him!
6. Although my hometown is as dead as a doornail, I stillenjoy going back in the holidays.
7. My keys have vanished into thin air! Where are they?
8. I always know if Jack is feeling sad because he wears hisheart on his sleeve.
9. Robert’s got a heart of gold because he always does hiselderly neighbour’s shopping.
10. I like to do my homework all in one fell swoop and relax
afterwards.
Definitions
A. To search for something unsuccessfully.
B. To consume so much food that there is very little left.
C. To make someone feel annoyed or uncomfortable.
D. To make someone laugh uncontrollably.
E. To do everything at the same time, or in one go.
F. To disappear.
G. To be a very kind person.
H. Dead, no life, quiet.
I. To be in a difficult situation.
J. To show your emotions.
LEVEL1 AFTER WATCHING
THE PLAY
Activity 4
CRITICAL THINKING Answer the questions and give reasons
a) Did you like the play? Why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
b) Give your opinion about the anachronistic choices in costumes. Justify it.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
c) Do you enjoy classic literary pieces? Why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
d) Do you prefer interactive or non-interactive plays? Why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
e) Which famous authors not included in this play do you know? Why do you
remember them?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Activity 5:
This is a picture from The Adventures of Asterix (a series of French comics). Match it to one of the segments of the play.
Which one, and why?
Retell the actual scene.
Activity 6:
The next segment we presented, featured two characters from Cervantes’ Don Quixote.
1- Write an opposite adjective:
Charming
Skinny
Handsome
Disrespectful
Down-to-earth
Well-off
2- Match two of them with each character
Activity 7:
The following segment was about the first act of Shakespeare’s King Lear.
Reorganize the pictures to retell it properly.
Correct order:
A
B
C
D
Activity 8
Let’s try to concentrate in the characters from The Ring of the Nibelung.
Are these sentences TRUE or FALSE (T or F)?
Alberich was a Nibelung dwarf from the lower level
Freia was small, ugly, deformed, clumsy AND smelly
Siegfried was blond, beautiful, strong, agile, luminous and never grew old
Siegfried and Alberich live in the Walhalla
Wotan was a hobbit
Alberich was small, ugly, deformed, clumsy AND smelly
Brunhilde was beautiful, sweet and smart. She had purity of spirit and love.
Brunhilde killed Freia
.
Activity 9
The last segment was inspired by Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Now, to know more about the author, complete the word search to find
some of his famous novels
.
WRITING
Activity 10
Write a paragraph telling us which other literary work you would have liked
to see in our play
.
LEVEL 2 AFTER WATCHING
THE PLAY
(Some activities from level 1 can be also used
or adapted to this level)
Activity 11 Complete the sentences with ideas you remember from the play
____________________________ is one of the most iconic characters in all
of ancient literature.
Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War and the central character in
_____________________________________________________
Don Quixote is an exquisite story about the power of imagination written by
the great ____________________________________________________
The story opens in ancient Britain, where the elderly King Lear is deciding to
give up his throne and divide his kingdom amongst his ________________
In this opera, humanity is represented at three levels: the underworld, the
earth's crust and the ______________________________________
Probably the most famous ghost story of all time was the one from Charles
Dickens where the miserly grouch Ebenezer Scrooge is __________________
_____________________________________________________________
_
Activity 12
The first segment was about the main character from the Iliad.
Homer’s original Iliad is an epic poem. Here are the first lines translated into English.
Sing, Goddess, Achilles' rage,
Black and murderous,
that cost the Greeks Incalculable pain,
pitched countless souls Of heroes into Hades' dark
And left their bodies to rot as feasts
For dogs and birds,
as Zeus' will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon and…—
According to that, write a short description of how Achilles must have been. You can use some adjectives from the chart:
IMPOLITE RUDE GREEDY GORGEOUS SILLY
STUBBORN EASY-GOING NAÏVE GENEROUS
VINDICTIVE TALENTLESS HONEST SCATTER-BRAINED
AMBITIOUS TALKATIVE BOSSY SILLY DOTTY LOYAL
NASTY SHY CLEVER SENSITIVE SENSIBLE FUNNY
WRATHFUL SMART DISHONEST LOYAL DEVIOUS
HANDSOME HUMOROUS DULL SCARED
Activity 13
The second segment was the first act of Shakespeare’s King Lear, which we mixed up with GOT. Try to remember the scene and complete the dialogs
Activity 14 This is a comic strip from the Don Quixote scene.
Complete the scene with the dialogues (in your own words, of course)
Join me
in my
dream,
to fight
injustice
On his
horse,
Rocinante,
Don
Quixote
rides the
roads of Spain
HE FOUND SOME NOBLE MEN ALONG THE WAY …
HE RODE THROUGH THE SPANISH PLAINS …
Battling
giants, defeating lions, helping maidens in despair, teaching
and
learning
Until his
journey
ends,
when the
beaten
and
battered
Quixote
said…
Activity 15 Now let’s remember The Ring of the Nibelung Search for the name of the characters we talked about in this segment.
Write them down as you find them.
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
Now describe the first and last you’ve found
A N G F N B M A M S D F G H E R T D I L E F N U B E L U G S
A R T A L E X E G H O A L B E R I C H E S T H E F A N U H G T
R W E S T E R O N D A E N E R L E G O L A S I E G F R I E D G
M T R F G H L E G O L A N D E S T Y B A L I S E S O T H R E A
D B R U N H I L D E B R I A N N E R F G H D E L I S E U S D F
A A L B E R T E S C V B S I G M U N D O A S D U R B D EL D S
F F R E S A D E G A L A T E O D F G B N M S D E S D E M O N
A H O B B I T D W A R E R F D E F R E I A B R U N E L L O D E
Activity 16:
The last segment was inspired by Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
To know more about the author, complete the following chart about one of his characters doing
your own research. Pick any character…
