Directors Acting: 2009

Below are the list of workshops we have planned for this Spring/Summer 2010. If you would like to reserve a place on a workshop or you have any queries, please email Ben on living.pictures@yahoo.co.uk

At the bottom of this page are some helpful ways to afford our workshops.

April

'I am enough...'

Using Andrew's experience as a performer, theatre director and Feldenkrais Practitioner the weekend will focus on you, the participant, enhancing your existing ability to move and bringing about a greater sense of awareness and presence of self. This is particularly valuable for anyone working in theatre.

'I am enough...' will also explore creating original movement, using your own personal memories as the source. No experience is necessary for these non-invasive exercises, taught in a stimulating and enjoyable manner. Whether as a therapist, teacher, performing artist, athlete - or simply as a human being, The Feldenkrais Method^® offers people a simple, and yet a sophisticated and profound means for discovering resilience, strength, and self-possession.

About Andrew Dawson: Andrew is a director, performer, Feldenkrais practitioner and hand model. Performances he has created include, 'Space Panorama', 'Quatre Mains' The award winning 'Absence and Presence.' and Amnesia Curiosa for Rainpan 43 in Washington DC . He choreographed 'Dr Atomic', an Opera by John Adams at the MET in New York and at the English National Opera in London . This year he will choreograph 'The Pearl Fishers' also for ENO. He has recently been awarded a research grant from the Wellcome Trust; in 'The Articulate Hand' he will investigate neurological impairment of the hand, through film, installation and a lecture demonstration. To find out more about Andrew go to: www.andrewdawson.info

May

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.' For directors it will empower them to use these tools with actors who haven't trained in the method. The workshop will explore 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 will draw on the text of Lorca's Blood Wedding as source material (the version by Ted Hughes, published by Faber and Faber). All you need to do is read the play.

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.

In traditional pantomime the baddie always comes on stage left and the good fairy stage right. Why? This was the question that started director Tom Wright on a five year journey, aided by five weeks of workshops with directors on the Young Vic main stage: a study of composition in film, photography and painting and a bit of Laban for good measure exploring the significance of stage blocking and the processes you can use to arrive there. What is the significance of movement on stage? Where should you put the door? How can directors, actors and designers work together to create the most meaningful images and movement on stage? Rather than a set of rules, Tom has developed an approach which will enable you to make your own decisions and train your eye to be more sensitive to the meaning of space.

About Tom Wright: Tom Wright has been assistant director at the Young Vic (on the C4 Director's Scheme), Bristol Old Vic, West Yorkshire Playhouse and the RSC. Directing includes: The Soul of Ch'ien-Nu Leaves Her Body (Young Vic), Tempest (Southwark Playhouse), The Water Engine (Theatre 503/Young Vic), Workplay (TIS, Madrid ), Small Waves (The Powerhouse, Nottingham and Methodica, Vancouver), Ay Carmela! (York Theatre Royal and international tour), The Good Person of Sichuan (The Drum, Birmingham), The Container (Edingburgh Fringe, winner Fringe First and Amnesty International Award and Young Vic) and two short operas in Selfridges' shoe section (The Opera Group). His drama school productions include work at Rose Bruford, Birmingham SA, Guildford SA, Manchester Met, Mountview and Guildhall. His work is dedicated to his mentor, Daisaku Ikeda. More details can be found at http://www.tomwrightdirector.com

An introduction to the famous Meisner Technique as it is taught at the Neighbourhood Playhouse in New York, whose alumni include Robert Duvall, Sidney Pollack and David Mamet. A practical workshop for actors and directors exploring ways of finding truthfulness, freedom and a genuine responsiveness to your partner. This off-shoot of Stanislavsky's method, created by Sanford Meisner, uses three basic exercises to get at the core definition of acting: 'acting is living truthfully under a given set of circumstances'.

About Scott Williams: Scott Williams founded the Impulse Company shortly after he arrived in London in 1996. In the years since, he has led the expansion of the company into a full-time training and performance organisation, and continues to increase the impact of The Company's ideals into the arts world of the UK and beyond. Scott hails originally from California . He began directing at 17. At 19, he moved to New York City to study with Sanford Meisner at the Neighbourhood Playhouse School of Theatre and went on to secure a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master of Arts in Dramatic Literature at San Francisco State University . After his move to London and the founding of The Impulse Company, Scott has continued his multi-dimensional schedule of teaching and directing. In addition to an expanding schedule of teaching for Actors Centres throughout the UK, he has taught in France , Hong Kong, and across the USA . He has also directed for other companies, including original productions of Five O'Clock Angel starring Nichola McAuliffe and the musical Inkle Ôn' Yarico. Recently Scott become associated with the work of New York playwright Stuart Spencer, directing productions of Resident Alien and Alabaster City, and London and New York productions of Painted From Memory. For Scott's full biography click on the link below: http://www.impulsecompany.co.uk/who_we_are.html

August

This summer Workshop is a unique opportunity for actors and directors to gather together, study and work practically with text, movement and some of Stanislavsky's latter discoveries. Guest lecturer Liz Ranken (RSC / Shared Experience Movement Director and Co-founder of DV8) and will join founder directors of Living Pictures, Robert and Elen Bowman.

In this two week process, Directors and Actors will receive guidance from these practitioners on areas such as active analysis, character creation, Psycho- physical response to text plus NLP and yoga. Actors and directors will sometimes train together and also train separately. Both will be able to experiment and get to grips practically with the work explored. The course work will be focused by using scenes from Wedekind's Spring Awakening. Directors will be allocated actors to work with and this process will culminate with an informal showing on our final day.

For Biographies of Robert and Elen please go to: www.livingpictures.org.uk/people.html