Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket,
but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
matt.5.15




Saturday 29 May 2010

Contemporary Grotowski workshops

24th to 27th of May 2010

In the mornings Przemek Wasilkowski and Magdalena Tuka leads an actors physical “artistic” training using methods pioneered by Grotowski where energetic movement scripts are employed in awakening awareness and the release of inner action.

In the afternoons, building on the mornings training and exploring Grotowski’s “actions” builds performance scenarios working with text from "Attempts on Her Life" by martin Crimp.

“(…) Don’t mistake it for simple muscle training. It’s actors training. One's body should be ready to hold on in the most dynamic energetic moments of a role.

The actor’s job is hard physical work. Acting is also a profession; so one has to train ones instrument with diligence, as a pianist does. One has to train so that the body is complicit during the creative process, and dose not disturb or seek escape from doing.”

An actor can’t work without intuition; but to avoid becoming lost in the foggy intuitive world, one has to begin with the senses, which means with the body.

We need to use our mind as well in order to understand this 'Other Creature' we try to be on the stage. To be it, not to act it.

(Przemek: “States of Shock”)

Jerzy Grotowski (Routledge Performance Practitioners) - James Slowiak Jairo Cuesta

Written by two theatre professionals who worked intimately with Grotowski over the last twenty-five years of his life, this book fills a gap in the published writings about this master director and teacher.

In this book, the writers demonstrate Grotowski’s significance and how his frank rhetoric, his revolutionary theories, his landmark productions, and pioneering cultural projects continue to cause controversy and provide fertile topics for discussion and further experimentation in theatre studios, classrooms, and on stages around the world.

The book introduces Grotowski to a new generation of theatre students, outlining his contributions to twentieth century performance and placing them in context and in perspective.

Sunday 9 May 2010

Michael Chekhov workshop

Michael Chekhov with Sinead Rushe

The Michael Chekhov technique is a psycho-physical approach to acting.

It privileges the imagination as the actor’s source of inspiration and favours an impersonal, objective approach to characterisation. The work is intended to create a real and spontaneous connection between the actor’s physical body and psychology and prepare the actor for what Chekhov calls ‘inspired acting.’

The workshop explored

a) the psycho-physical exercises which form the basis of Chekhov’s work and

b) how to approach characterisation using imagination, qualities and atmosphere.

We draw on the text of Lorca’s Blood Wedding as source material

About Michael Chekhov: Michael Chekhov (St. Petersburg, 1891 – Beverley Hills, 1955) was the nephew of Anton Chekhov and considered by Stanislavsky as his ‘most brilliant pupil.’ He was known as one of Russia’s most outstanding and innovative actors. After his exile from Russia, he worked in Germany, France and England’s Dartington Hall before settling in USA where he worked as an actor and acting coach in Hollywood.

About Sinéad Rushe: Sinéad Rushe is a director and performer (www.sineadrushe.co.uk). She has studied the technique with Sergey Issayev (GITIS, Russia), Sarah Kane and Graham Dixon (Michael Chekhov Studio, London), Lenard Petit (Michael Chekhov Acting Studio, New York) and Jobst Langhans (Michael Chekhov Studio, Berlin). She teaches the technique to students on the BA (Hons) in Acting at Central School of Speech and Drama, London and her latest production, Out of Time, performed by Colin Dunne at The Pit, Barbican, has been nominated in this year's Olivier's awards.as a dancer-percussionist with Franco-Irish music band, D

Really good and intense work. If you will meet her workshop on your way definitely go! Highly recommended.

Friday 7 May 2010

Bulgakov's Table: Etudes from Master and Margarita

Manchester Metropolitan University School of Theatre and Theatr Piesn Kozla - a work demonstration by the MA Acting students.

The demonstration uses a combination of song, movement and text and draws inspiration from the students expedition to Spain, exploring Gypsy culture and Flamenco, and their training with PiesnKozla.

www.theatre.mmu.ac.uk/demo/

Niamh Dowling

Head of Manchester Metropolitan University School of Theatre

Non pretensions, fresh, youth, enjoyable. I tried not to judge the adaptation of Bulhakhov and some style of Pisni Kozla training. That gave me a distance to be there and have fun. It wasn’t performance, but more sharing of work, when all actors was equal, without protagonist. Waiting for more such a AM.