Drama Workshop: The Flying Trunk

The Flying Trunk

Age Group: 8-11 years
Duration: 60-75 minutes
Focus: Storytelling, Imagination, Movement, and Character Work

Workshop Objectives:

• Explore imaginative storytelling through movement and role-play.
• Develop character expression using voice and physicality.
• Create a collaborative performance inspired by The Flying Trunk.
• Encourage creativity and problem-solving in a dramatic setting.

Warm-Up (10-15 minutes)

Activity: “Soaring Through the Sky” (Movement & Imagination)

• Ask the group: “What would it feel like to fly in a magical trunk?”
• Have students move around the space as if they are floating, soaring, diving, spinning, and experiencing different weather conditions (wind, storm, sunshine).
• Introduce different emotion-based flying:
  • Excited Flying 🥳 (Waving arms, looking amazed)
  • Scared Flying 😨 (Hiding, clutching onto the trunk)
  • Lost Flying 🧐 (Looking around, confused)
• Freeze and ask them to describe what they felt during their flight.

Character Exploration (15 minutes)

Activity: “Who’s in the Story?” (Role-Play & Character Building)

• Introduce main characters from The Flying Trunk:
  1. The Young Man (playful, adventurous, but careless)
  2. The Princess (curious, lonely, longing for adventure)
  3. The King & Queen (strict but loving)
  4. The Trunk (Personified! 🧳) (excitable, magical, maybe a bit mischievous)
• Divide students into small groups. Each group picks a character and:
  • Creates three key movements that represent their character.
  • Practices one line of dialogue the character might say.
  • Pairs up and introduces themselves “in character” to another group.

Main Activity: Improvised Scenes (25 minutes)

Activity: “Inside the Flying Trunk” (Improvisation & Storytelling)

• Scene 1: The Young Man discovers the flying trunk.
  • How does he feel? What does he say when it lifts off?
  • How does he steer it? What happens when he loses control?
• Scene 2: The Young Man meets the Princess.
  • What does he say to impress her?
  • How does she react to the idea of leaving the tower?
• Scene 3: The Firework Disaster!
  • The Young Man prepares his firework show.
  • The Trunk reacts (it could be nervous, overexcited, or magical).
  • The fireworks go out of control!
• Groups create short 1-2 minute performances based on one of these scenes.
• Encourage dramatic movements, expressive voices, and sound effects.

Reflection & Cool Down (10 minutes)

Activity: “What If…?” (Discussion & Creativity)

• Gather in a circle and discuss:
  • What if the trunk hadn’t burned? Where would it have taken him next?
  • What if the princess had a flying trunk of her own?
  • What would YOU do if you found a flying trunk?

End with a relaxing movement exercise, where students gently sway like floating through the air while listening to soft instrumental music.

Extensions & Variations:

• Soundscape Creation 🎶: Use instruments or body sounds to create the firework scene or the sound of flying through the air.
• Mask or Prop Making 🎭: Have students create paper trunks or crowns for characters.
• Short Writing Task ✍️: Ask students to write a letter from the Young Man to the Princess after he loses the trunk.

https://dramastartbooks.com/andersen-stories-on-stage

More imaginative workshops: Browse the Drama Workshops for Children hub or find more practical resources in the Drama Start resource library.