Programme

Long before a word is spoken, bodies are already telling stories. A posture, a breath or a glance changes the way a scene is perceived. In non-verbal theatre we work with body language, presence and movement. We follow impulses, respond to one another and discover how much can come about without words. Along the way there is room to experiment, to exaggerate and to be misunderstood. Together we give form to the unsaid and make silence visible. What does your body say before you have even had a thought?

This course is an opportunity to deepen your acting skills and to explore difficult situations, both as a performer and as a director. When is an emotion, a piece of acting, a scene authentic – and when is it too much? How do we approach emotionally charged scenes, and what ways are there of staging them? In this course we share tips and tricks for portraying demanding moments such as love scenes or scenes of violence authentically on stage, or for treating them abstractly. We learn a few small stage-combat tricks and explore and try out different approaches using texts.

From the first ideas to the dramaturgical concept: beginning – climax – ending. (no work on dialogue)

An acting workshop about comedy – how does a laugh come about on stage? And what does it take for a comic situation to feel not embarrassing but joyously, richly funny?

In this workshop we dive into the world of comedy – physically, directly and with great delight in trying things out. Out of simple actions, the influences on our playing situations and our reactions to space, object and fellow players, we build scenes that feel light, precise and surprising. Together we sharpen our sense of timing, reduction and comic accents. We create figures, explore clichés, develop them into effective characters and discover how and why comedy works in the theatre.

It is not about perfect punchlines, but about presence, instinct, the joy of playing and the willingness to blunder wholeheartedly from one faux pas into the next.

What is it about?

• How does comedy arise out of our physical actions?
• How do we turn comic figures and their clichés into effective characters?
• How do mishaps, interruptions and «negative» feelings become playful conflicts with a light touch?
• How do we build a direct connection with the audience through joy in playing, precision and warmth?

The workshop is hands-on and thrives on trying things out together. Depending on the group, personal goals, spontaneous impulses and the commedia magica «Theaterbar» concept all feed into it.

Who can take part? Anyone who enjoys playing, failing, experimenting and discovering comic moments on stage. Theatre experience may be helpful, but is by no means essential.

The audience should be captivated by the shaping of the text alone. What does that take? The most important element is placing accents. With precise accents we guide the audience through our text, so that their thoughts and images are exactly where we want them. A course not just for actors and directors!

Too tired for a workshop or a performance? Then come and join us in the theatre marquee. Small performances, games and exercises await you, which you can join in with (if you feel like it) – and perhaps the odd theatre song too. It is never too early for a glass of bubbly or a cola in good company and good spirits.

With playful basic training I will guide you step by step into the world of theatre improvisation. With plenty of joy in playing and by learning the rules and techniques, you will gain confidence and will soon be responding in the moment to the impulses of your fellow players. After that there will be no stopping you. Careful: highly addictive! And along the way you practise the art of failing, giving yourself the ultimate boost into the weekend … and into life itself!

The audience should be captivated by carefully considered shaping of the text alone. What does that take? Alongside precise accentuation (Friday's course), further elements matter too, such as melody and rhythm. A course not just for actors and directors!

A sentence rarely comes about on its own. One word pulls the next along with it, one thought stumbles into another, and suddenly there is something that nobody had planned. In improvised writing we do not write towards the perfect idea — we write in order to find it along the way. Fast, spontaneous, offbeat or poetic. Sometimes alone, sometimes together. Without deleting, without holding on, without thinking too long. Often only a single sentence lies between nonsense and truth. Together we gather scraps of language, follow images and give chaos a voice. What happens when you are allowed to forget your inner red pen for a while?

One of the first things a human being does after being born? Play! Whether purely for the joy and fun of it or with the aim of achieving something. In this course we sharpen our perception and work on our physical presence and our expressiveness. We move from playing across into truthful acting. We try out various working methods used by theatre practitioners in order to find the characters and emotions slumbering within us.

An acting workshop across language borders – in Deutsch – Français – English – and with hands & feet!

How differently do we actually understand our culture? And how alike are we when we stand on stage together? In this special workshop, French-speaking, German-speaking and other theatre enthusiasts meet as equals – in a creative, open and good-humoured atmosphere.

The language of the course is not fixed but moves freely between French, German, English – and non-verbal playing. Together we explore how cultural backgrounds show up in the way we act. We work with elements of improvised theatre, explore the craft of authentic playing and rediscover the underlying principles of our acting. Entirely without pressure, but with plenty of curiosity and appetite for play.

What is it about?

• Are there cultural differences in the way we do theatre?
• What connects us on stage – despite (or precisely because of) our differences?
• How can a shared theatre culture emerge when politics wants to unite the theatre associations across language borders?

The workshop thrives on spontaneous exercises, shared questions and creative togetherness – across language barriers and (pre)judgements, towards new forms of expression and playful understanding.

Who can take part? Anyone who enjoys playing, experimenting and meeting others – whether in German, French, English or through body language. Theatre experience may be helpful, but is by no means essential.