PERFECT COUPLES

 

TITLE:  Perfect Couples

LEVEL

Level 3 (1st-2nd ESO bilingual oradvanced programmme)
LEVEL 4 (34^TH ESO)

 SYNOPSIS

The most widely watched Tv Quiz show is "Perfect Couples"; in it, three couples have to prove their members are made one for another; each of them have to answer three questions about their partners routines, likes, hobbies and fobias, and the winner is ... the couple that gets more points: every time their answers are the same they get two points, but every time one fails, they have to pay $1,000.

The prize is a trip to the country of their choice, all included: travels, luxurious retaurants , exclusive resorts and  $50,000 to spend in whatever they want and whenever they want it.

CHARACTERS

Charles Madison is the TV presenter; he tried to become an actor but had no luck at all; now, he has his chance to be famous and get a huge contract and -who knows- maybe a role in a TV serie. He thinks he is the star of the show

John and Lisa Edwards have been married for 3 years; they are in their late twenties and met at university; they really get on well, but John is a bit forgetful and absent-minded, something that really annoys Lisa. They have no children and want to wait for some more years before trying to have one.

Mike Rendel and Jessica Prior are a fake couple; they are not even friends; they met at an internet café and decided to enter the show just for the holiday. They have been preparing for the show for two months and have plenty of information about the other. However, little by little they are falling in love and they don’t know how ot tell the other one.

Luke and Millicent Wolf have been together since they were at highschool; they got married two years ago and entered the quiz because of a bet; their friends challenged them and their “private” prize is a month in Corfu, as one of their friends has a villa there and has promised to let them stay there for a month every year until  they get divorced, died or he sells it.

Ronald Donaldson is the owner of the villa in Corfu.

CHARACTER OBJECTIVES

Charles Madison wants to be rich and famous, and uses the quiz as another step in this career; he thinks he is great and wants everybody else to know it. 
John and Lisa Edwards want to win the holiday and travel to New Zeland before they have kids.
Mike Rendel and Jessica Prior  want the holiday; their problem is the destination: He wants to go to the USA but she want to go to Russia; and after two months working together to  get to know each other, they start to feel "something" for the other.
Luke and Millicent Wolf wants to win the  trip to China and  mock Ronald because they know he haad to sell the villa because he lost all his money at the stock market. They are the new owners of the villa  in Corfu.
Ronald Donaldson wants to mock on his friends, because he has already sold the villa.

SCENE 1 

The action takes places two days before the quiz show; the programme rings each of the couples to tell them thay are going to be the contestants in the next programme, and all of them are really happy. Mike and Jessica insist on going on practising their roles while we learnt about Luke and Millie’s bet and their new house in Corfu.

 SCENE 2
It's the day of the show; the action takes places in a studio in Channel 4.
Charles Madison introduces himself and the three couples; Charles asks them some basic information about them: names, ages, professions, where they live, family members and routines.
He also reminds the audience of the wonderful prize for the winner couple: a travel to the country of their choice, all included, plus some "pocket money": $50,000.
Then, the men are sent out of the studio.

 SCENE 3

Charles asks three questions to the each of the women; one about their likes and hobbies, another about their partner's likes and hobbies and another one about their relationship.

They answer them and go out out of the studio.

SCENE 4

The men come in and Charles asks each of them three questions and they answer them. Then the women come back and the quiz starts.

SCENE 5

 John and Lisa are asked and answer their questions; as John is a bit forgetful, they missed some of them, so they get 9 pointsand have to pay $1,500

SCENE 6

 Now, it's Luke and Millie's turn; they do the same and get 10 points, so they have to pay $1,000

SCENE 7

Mike and Jessica do the same and get 12 points; they win the show, but are "caught" in the end when Charles asked them "When did you realize you were made one for the other?" Then Mike  answers “Just right now” and asks Jessica to marry him; she says "yes, I will"; they confess their plot and John and Lisa got the prize, because Luke and Millie rejected the prize and reveals they are rich and have their new house in Greece.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

The scenery is really easy to get: some desks and chairs are enough to pretend a tv studio; and the students can be dressed with their own clothes; maybe we need a tie and a jacket for Charles, some envelopes for the questions and answers and that’s all.

I think it’s not difficult to organize spaces and as most of the action is going to be questions and answers, it’s really useful for their grammar practice. Even with more advenced  groups you can introduce reported questions.