This essay examines learners' understanding of how they use role. It draws upon a semi-structured interview with five Year 7 students, which took place after their first lesson exploring "Darkwood Manor," a gothic sequence of drama. Considering the elements which shape how they adopt roles in the classroom, I interrogate the students' reflections, including ideas about their personal motivations, co-creation of the drama, peer interactions and response to the teacher. I explore how the students use and understand role, and how they are able to articulate their thinking about role-play, pointing towards perceptive reflections on the factors at play when roles are adopted in classroom drama.