Summer Workshops
Playback Theatre Workshops
We are offering two workshop series in late January 2010. Places are limited, book early.
- Summer Weekend Intensive (29-31 January)
- Presentation & Public Speaking Workshop (30-31 January)
Playback Theatre Workshops
We are offering two workshop series in late January 2010. Places are limited, book early.
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Are you as excited about these workshops as I am? Ian and I were invigorated and inspired by our last playback theatre intensive in November. It looks like a couple of those who joined us last time are back for another dose, but the majority are new to playback theatre and come from all sorts of backgrounds with a rich variety of experience. I wonder what stories we will hear!
If you've enrolled, I invite you to get the conversation started early – introduce yourself and the story that brings you to this workshop… what are you looking forward to? What's your relationship to story? What are you hoping for?
Rampant creative invigoration!
as a visual artist I spend a great deal of time working on my own creative processes, alone. To be a part of a unique and expressive collaboration is an exciting prospect!
ian here!
I've been thinking a bit about the stories I tell to myself. The internal narrative of my day. Mike and I laughed last year when i came to a PB rehearsal, and I said to him- I have a new mantra- "great things happen in my life". As I'm from an Irish heritage, that's not the internal narrative I grew up with. Bog Irish life kind of didn't let your imagination run that far!
With this in mind, I'm thinking about how stories get played back. How can I as an actor, listen broadly. How can I as a person be aware of my natural story voice, and can I learn to tell my story from another perspective?
Complex? Do you think I need help? Or is it just natural curiosity?
I think the wonder of playback is that it challenges us to change our internal narrative/mantra and keep us mentally/emotionally healthy. Playing with story and ideas unlocks parts of my brain that I don't normally use in my day job – and I feel so free and full of life as a result!
Thanks Anonymous (Jan 23)
I think you summed up what I'm intersted in exploring in the work of Playback. If I can become more aware of my ways of telling, then I might start to see other ways of telling and being. And somebody else's view can always make the view better!!
See you all Friday!
ian
Hi all, I'm really looking forward to immersing myself in playback for a few days. I've dabbled in other forms of improv and realised that playback is what I love most, mainly because it taps into the range of emotions, not just humour. That said, I'm also looking forward to playing and being playful, and having lots of laughs! I also relate to the concept of 're-storification' (yes! a made up word). Just as the planet needs reafforestation because of massive land clearing, so we also need to rediscover story in a sometimes bleak, corporate, jargon-filled landscape devoid of story and emotion.
Cheers, Viv
What a great weekend. What was that quote again Ian? "It's easier to act your way into a new way of thinking than think your way into a new way of acting" It's become my motto for the month. Can you tell us who's quote it is please.
Thanks everyone for an awesome weekend. It was so much fun to play with you all and thanks again to our fabulous facilitators.
It sure is beautiful to work with playback. I agree with Viv, we need it in our overly complex extremely technological lives.
I'm just writing up some notes from the weekend, and I can't remember how the "French Telephone" exercise that Mike facilitated went. Would you be able to refresh me Mike or anyone else?
Look forward to the performance in March.
Keep being bravely creative everyone!
Hi Annie,
that game is from Augusto Boal's 'Games for Actors and Non-Actors' and he describes it thus:
"A circle of people watching each other (in a chain)… The aim is to do nothing. You watch (your person) carefully without doing a thing. But whenever your model moves the tiniest bit, we also move, a tiny bit more… the whole thing escalates. With the instruction 'Do nothing' as the starting point, we end up with all extremes".
Ah yes, thanks Mike. It was a lovely exercise.
I too love that quote and when i posted it on my blog a comment came back with this similar quote: "We do not find our own center. It finds us. We do not think ourselves into new ways of living. We live ourselves into new ways of thinking." — Richard Rohr
Viv, I just read the reflections you shared on your blog over the weekend.
http://vivmcwaters.com.au/2010/01/29/space-but-not-the-sort-you-think/
http://vivmcwaters.com.au/2010/01/30/celebrating-emotions/
Your comment: "this is one of the reasons I enjoy Playback so much – the opportunity to vicariously experience a range of real emotions, either as a player or even an audience member, and to tap into my own emotional responses" sums up one of the reasons I feel so lucky to practice Playback Theatre regularly. I love this about the work too. Of course, as an actor in most kinds of theatre or film you experience emotions, but I think in Playback there is often a stronger connection with audience and self through empathy.
The first time I've blogged and how appropriate I'm doing it after a weekend of 'firsts' for me. Thank you again to everyone for a safe and creative environment. It was a truly wonderful workshop and the power of stories, emotion and response is still resonating strongly with me.
I wish Playback came in pocket size so I pull it out and show everyone! However, I will carry everyone with me always and this experience has helped to deepen my understanding of what it really means to be 'being human' as well as a human being.
Thank you, thank you, thank you ….
Ian here
I'm veruy excited to see Viv quote Richard Rohr. I've read a works of his last year, and I belong to a mens discussion group based on his principles! Its been one of the most enriching groups I've been part of.
the quote about acting your way into a new way of thinking is from Ibarra 2003- I know nothing more !!
ian