Shakespeare and the body
- Course Code: DRM114
- Dates: 12/05/24 - 19/05/24
- Time: 10:30 - 14:30
- Taught: Sun, Daytime
- Duration: 2 sessions (over 2 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Sean Croft
Course Code: DRM114
Duration: 2 sessions (over 2 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
We will develop skills using techniques of physical practitioners from The Lecoq Pedagogy, Meisener, Michel Chekhov and Grotowski commonly used in contemporary worlds and seek out the keys to unlocking Shakespeares hidden physical language, and discover the wealth of tools we can use towards Shakespeare.
What will we cover?
We will use a combination of scenes and monologues to explore a deeper more physically rooted and emotionally driven connection with Shakespeares work. Understanding the rhythm and timing of the text and the grammar within.
We’ll discover how to engage tension and drive the stakes of a scene to it’s desired level. We’ll look at physical connection with others in the scene and how that can enhance the story further and in how the descriptive language used in Shakespeares work can influence our character physicality and our movement throughout a scene or monologue/soliloquy.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Approach a Shakespearean text or monologue and have techniques and tools to understand and perform these
• Physicalise an emotional journey of a character through a shakespearean text
• Demonstrate an awareness on how to create vivid, interesting physical characters with shakespearean and classical texts.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
No experience is needed but an openness to explore and develop text and physical performance simultaneously is welcomed. An understanding of Acting and familiarity with Shakespeare’s work is useful, an awareness and openness of working in an improvisational way is helpful but neither are required. If you have a Shakespearen monologue you would like to work on during this course please memorise/prepare it before the course. (this isn’t a requirement for taking part though!)
Wear comfortable appropriate clothing that allows for ease of movement. Similar to something you’d wear going to the gym.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
There will be solo, partner and group work. Warm ups and games will prepare you for and tune you into the theme of each session. The process (for the most part) does not require a ‘copy the teacher’ style of learning, instead you are asked to physically engage with and explore given instructions to find a deeper connection to your body, which in turn will act as a base for communication in pair and small group work.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Wear comfortable appropriate clothing that allows for ease of movement. As we may engage in some contact work with other students it is essential to observe good personal hygiene and wear clean movement clothes to class.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Search our website for Physical Skills For Actors which offers Stage Combat, Mime, Physical Theatre and Movement for Actors or speak to the tutor for advice and guidance.
Sean trained at École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, a world renowned school for physical theatre. Over the two years he trained in devised theatre, ensemble building, character development, mask work, mime, object manipulation / puppetry and clowning, among a vast array of other training. Sean also trained at East 15 Acting School on the BA Hons / Acting & Stage Combat degree graduating in 2011, gaining specialist skills in nine different weapon sets alongside an extensive acting program, in contemporary and classical work and practitioners. Sean works as a performer, director and choreographer, and regularly leads workshops and courses for theatre companies across the UK, Europe and Asia. His approach to theatre follows predominantly from his training at Lecoq, with the body and with a playful curiosity, exploring the space and how the body moves within it. In his courses he hopes to open up a deeper understanding of performance technique, emotional engagement, physicality and the exploration of all aspects of life through theatre and to share his deep profound love of what he does with others.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.