Activ 8 Theatre - drama workshops - drama resources - speech and drama tuition

- drama workshops - productions and performances - drama resources - lamda tuition - acting lessons for fun -

Workshops are varied and offer a range of experiences from building up drama skills, exploring different genres, practitioners and texts, through to directing a play. You can choose from the workshops listed or contact me to arrange one tailored to your needs. Sessions are organised into recommended ages, but any of them may be suitable for your group depending on experience. The workshops would certainly inspire and motivate adult groups too. As well as drama sessions there are workshops available for English set texts and improving vocal skills.
Workshops start from Ł100.

To request a workshop, download the workshop request form, fill in the details and email it to us or print and post (address on the form).

Workshops for ages 8+

Mime

This workshop explores how to use body language to communicate. Using games, exercises and improvisation it will teach students fundamental drama skills such as the use of gesture, posture and facial expression. Students will use techniques such as freeze-frame and put sequences of movements together to tell stories.

Telling Stories

Students will discover exciting ways of telling stories using both physical and vocal skills. Students will learn how to use and develop movement, freeze-frame, narration, choral speaking and soundscape. They will explore interesting tales of different genres from creation myths to ghost stories.

The Art of Improvisation

This workshop allows students to use their imaginations whilst exploring different improvisation techniques. The students will use games, exercises and move from spontaneous improvisation to developing their improvisation ideas with a variety of styles, themes and topics.

Workshops for ages 14+

Developing a Character

Students will look at how to create and develop a variety of characters. This workshop will look at the different approaches an actor can take when creating and developing a role. It will encompass techniques by practitioners such as Stanislavski and Brecht and explore realistic and non naturalistic styles.

Physical Theatre

Put physical expression at the heart of the performance. The workshop will encourage students to extend their repertoire of movement skills and give them new and exciting ways of communicating with an audience. Students will explore different influences from the comical work of Commedia Dell’ Arte, through to the more disturbing world of Theatre of the Grotesque.

Devising Theatre

Students look at ways of creating their own piece of theatre. They will work with different stimulus materials such as image, text and music to gain ideas. Students will then experiment with developing those initial ideas using different styles of theatre to find the most effective way of communicating with an audience.

Being the Director

Develop interpretive skills and decide a “Director’s Concept.” Students will explore how using different styles of theatre communicates different meaning to an audience. They will take text and make decisions as to key moments and themes. They will experiment with rehearsal techniques to use with their actors and consider elements such as setting, costume and lighting. This workshop can be arranged around a particular play if desired.

The Origins of Drama - Greek Theatre

Students will immerse themselves in the world where drama began. They will explore different aspects of Greek theatre looking at the function and performance of the chorus, use of protagonist and antagonist, through to the idea of catharsis for the audience. The workshop will use a number of play texts and will look at how to speak verse effectively as well as including exploration with masks.

Practitioners

The exploration of different practitioners is a vital and exciting part of study, particularly for students wishing to take drama to a higher level. With these workshops you can decide whether you would like to include a number of Practitioners in the time given or focus on one.

The Method - Konstantin Stanislavski

Depending on the experience of your group this workshop can focus on an introduction to the Stanislavski System or a development of the techniques. It will involve working with given circumstances, emotion memory, inner truth, tempo-rhythm and units and objectives.

Alienation - Bertolt Brecht

Students will explore the nature of Brechtian theatre, looking at a variety of alienation techniques; such as the use of asides, chorus and narration. They will also look at ways of acting a role, using vocal and physical skills, which involve demonstration rather than impersonation.

Cruelty - Antonin Artaud

Experience the Theatre of Cruelty as a spectator and as an actor. Students will work on using the senses to create a total theatre experience for each other, where the actor audience relationship is put at the centre. They will use expressionistic drama forms and be introduced to the discipline and rigour Artaud used with his actors.

Theatre of the Oppressed - Augusto Boal

Students will take part in games and exercises devised by Boal to explore the ideas surrounding Image Theatre and the Theatre of the Oppressed. The workshop will use the technique of Forum Theatre and experiment with its use in rehearsal and in society.

Workshops for All

These are sessions that have wide appeal and can be used by drama students, English Students or those wishing to gain more confidence in a particular area. Workshops will be pitched at the age range and experience of your group

Speaking Up and Out

This is a skills based workshop designed to develop the use of the voice. It will include a combination of exercises, games and tongue twisters to improve projection, diction and clarity. Students will also experiment with pitch, pace, pause, emphasis, inflection and intonation, using a range of texts in prose and verse to challenge them. Workshops can be tailored to include specific text that students are working on.

Getting Physical

This workshop is about developing better physical communication. It will involve exercises to improve precision and focus in movement work. Students will also experiment with how posture, gesture and facial expression can be used effectively to communicate meaning. Group activities will also explore how shaping and levelling can denote relationships and status.

Set Texts – Brought to Life

Studying plays is an exciting and integral part of the education process. Whilst the language and storyline can jump off the page for some, bringing the text to life can often be difficult in a classroom. In these workshops students can do a combination of observing parts of the play in performance and immersing themselves in this process. You state the text and a workshop will be built around it.

Shakespearean Workshops

There is so much to offer students from the world of Shakespeare. These workshops have been organised so that a number of plays, themes and characters can be explored. You can choose to focus on one aspect of comedy, tragedy or magic or combine different aspects together. Workshops will be pitched at the age range and experience of your group. Set texts are tailored to your needs and can cover one or more plays.

Comedy

Explore the wonderful world of irony, satire and wordplay found in Shakespeare’s comedies. Students will discover themes such as love at first sight through characters such as Bottom and Titania in A Midsummer Nights Dream. They will play games of verbal punning and backchat using text from Much Ado about Nothing and experiment with the art of disguise and cross dressing using text from plays such as Twelfth Night.

Tragedy

In the tragedies students will discover how Shakespeare uses suspense and climax to build tension and keep audiences on the edge of their seat. Using Macbeth and Hamlet students will explore the themes of power and greed and see how these drive the characters to murder and madness. In Romeo and Juliet they will experiment with family loyalty, feuding and the tragic nature of true love.

Magic

This is an exploration of some of the many fantastical characters from Shakespeare’s plays. Students will use Shakespeare’s text as well as creating their own scenes based on characters such as the mischievous Puck or the regal Oberon and Titania from A Midsummer Nights Dream. They will explore the darker world of Macbeth’s witches and experiment with monsters such as Caliban from The Tempest.

Set Texts in Performance

From page to stage - bring Shakespeare’s texts to life. Themes, characters, language, form and structure will be explored with the view point of putting the play in performance. Students can do a combination of observing parts of the play in performance and immersing themselves in this process. You state the play (or plays) and the workshop will be created around it.

Activ8 Theatre is run by Kerren Garner, an actor, qualified drama teacher and examiner.
Email activ8theatre@googlemail.com
Tel 07803296089

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