Nadia: The Silent Girl: An Original Play for KS4

“The night they took me and my sister, I had to kill my cousin with a gun.”

Nadia, a young girl, is found wandering St Pancras International station alone. How she got there and where she came from is a mystery to everyone except the audience. Nadia symbolises the brutal treatment of child soldiers.

A 20-minute, one-act original play written specifically for KS4 students studying Drama and Performing Arts. The play is suitable for 7 or 8 actors. The script is accompanied by useful notes on:

  • how this play helps students meet their Assessment Objectives
  • tips for students when delivering the play
  • suggestions for drama warm-ups
  • A powerful, thought-provoking and stimulating resource

    M McGrath, HoD & Peer Reviewer
  • off-text work
  • further research material to really engage the students with the subject matter of the play

Also includes AQA specific guidance on how this script can be used.

Excellent stage directions and a clear, episodic structure which makes the piece fast moving and engaging for students

M McGrath, HoD & Peer Reviewer

What do teachers say about this resource? (4909)

An excellent resource; appropriate for GCSE & A Level. It could be used both as a scripted piece or as stimulus material for students when devising their own pieces linked to the theme. This is an excellent research topic dealing with an issue, in my experience, not normally explored by students. I think it would encourage students to research further into the issues raised. The layout was very clear with excellent stage directions and a clear, episodic structure which makes the piece fast moving and engaging for students. The piece demonstrates a range of dramatic conventions such as multi role-playing, physical theatre and monologue. A powerful, thought provoking and stimulating resource

M McGrath, HoD & Peer Reviewer

Quite impressive! I liked the variety of forms used within the play itself, the helpful links to the exam specifications and the explanatory back-up. Some excellent contrasts between the horror of what Nadia had witnessed and her 'present' plight. Variety of forms used will certainly offer plenty of presentation experience to anyone involved in a production as well as opportunities for some powerful acting. I'd certainly recommend it

M Haining, HoD & Peer Reviewer

I liked Nadia: Silent Girl. The piece had a cinematic feel to it and as an ensemble piece it clearly has potential, and should be on every drama teacher's shelf. The text would work as one to be studied or one to performed. I cannot wait to use it with young people. As a play that awakens young minds to the realities of the world, and how lucky most of us are, I feel that it would have a strong impact. The scene where Nadia has to kill her cousin is haunting, and would make anyone think about the tragedy of child soldiers. The piece clearly fits the requirements of several level 2 specifications and, as such, could be used to secure grades for students

N Phillips, HoD & Peer Reviewer

This is an excellent original script for developing both drama skills and global citizenship in pupils. I liked the opening montage which sets the scene simply and effectively and could form the basis of a lesson on semiotics. I liked the simple, concise snappy dialogue which isn't going to burden pupils with overly long pieces of dialogue to learn. Also the style of the play would allow you to expand or contract the cast depending on your pupils and the text is flexible enough to be edited and adapted to your group. I thought the inclusion of exam specs and suggested music was very useful

K McLoughlin, Drama/English Teacher & Peer Reviewer