Actor Training Through Physical Theatre

There are two major schools of thought in actor training, focusing on either the psychological process, or on physical technique. Practitioners of physical theatre place an emphasis on the latter, but this physical engagement often leads to a heightened emotional responsiveness, and improves the performer’s ability to project (rather than simply experience) a character’s psychology.

“Physical theatre” developed out of a revolutionary re-evaluation of the theatrical form in Europe, and intensive investigation into the expressive potential of the actor’s body. Jerzy Grotowski, Antonin Artaud, Jacques Lecoq, and more recently Complicite, DV8 and Frantic Assembly have developed the form and refined training methodologies for their actors that carry over to all genres of performance. Led by a theatre professional from London now working in Hong Kong, these workshops will enhance your physical expressivity and explore new ways into exploring a role from the outside in, using the body to its full potential to act and interact. Through exercises and explorations into movement, musicality and ensemble performance, participants will come to understand more about their own body, and learn how to apply movement techniques and physical theatre actor training methodologies.

Dates: 20/1, 27/1, 3/2, 10/2, 24/2, 3/3, 10/3, 17/3/2015 (Tuesdays, 8 sessions) Time: 8:00-10:30pm Venue: We Draman Studio (3/F, Cheong Tai Industrial Building, 16 Tai Yau Street, San Po Kong) Fee: $1,800 Quota: 14 Target: This course is aimed at people with previous performance experience Tutor: Ivor Houlker This programme is conducted in English, with basic Cantonese translation available on request. Discount 1: Full time students - $300 off (fee: $1,300)* Discount 2: Former students will get a10% discount* *These discounts may not be used together.

Course Content

• Grotowski , Barba, Gardzienice – working with the body, mutuality, voice and musicality
• Lecoq, Suzuki– mask, chorus, ensemble
• Meyerhold, Commedia dell’Arte, Stanislavski – physical approaches to character