1. First, read the extract silently by yourself. 2. Talk to your partner about any section that has difficult words. 3. Discuss the following aspects with your partner: tone, pace and body language. 4. Read the extract out loud with a partner. Play one character each: Mrs Alexander or Christopher.
5. Perform the extract together at least twice.
by Mark Haddon and Simon Stephens The Street
MRS. ALEXANDER: What happened to you the other day? I came out and you’d gone. I had to eat all the biscuits myself. I was looking forward to our little chat.
CHRISTOPHER: I don’t do chatting. I don’t like it.
MRS. ALEXANDER: No, I don’t suppose you do. Do you like computers? CHRISTOPHER:
CHRISTOPHER: Yes, I like computers. I have a computer in my room.
MRS. ALEXANDER: I know. I can see you sitting at your computer in your bedroom sometimes when I look across the street.
And I like maths and looking after Toby. And I also like outer space and I like being on my own.
MRS. ALEXANDER: I bet you’re very good at maths aren’t you? CHRISTOPHER:
I am. I’m going to do A-Level maths next month. And I’m going to get an A-star.
I’m the first person to take an A-Level from my school because it’s a special school. All the other children at my school are stupid. Except I’m not meant to call them that, even though that is what they are.
MRS. ALEXANDER: Well I am very impressed. And I hope you do get an A-star CHRISTOPHER:
I will.
MRS. ALEXANDER: And the other thing I know about you is your favourite colour is not yellow.
CHRISTOPHER:
No. And it’s not brown either. My favourite colour is red and metal-colour. Do you know Mr. Shears?
MRS. ALEXANDER: Not really, no. I mean I knew him well enough to say hello but I didn’t know much about him. I think he worked in the National Westminster Bank in town.
