State of Play
performance workshop
7-11 April 2025
with Richard Kimberley
State of Play is a 1 week training in Physical Theatre Play.
This is a workshop close to my heart. This is where my life as a player comes through me.
The tingle that runs through me when an audience is around.
The pleasure of the player.
To play is a state and to play on the stage is a skill
This is a workshop for performers, people who have training in some stage craft and are looking to expand their experience and train their theatrical play muscles.
The workshop is rooted in the pleasure of play. 'le jeu' inspired by the work of Philippe Gaulier and structured by the techniques and mimo-dynamic work of Jaques Lecoq. Mixed through my own experiences of spending time in front of many an audience on stage and street as well as working with humans of all sizes over the last decade.
To start we will explore the state of being available to play, presence, openness, body and breath. To welcome play and to hunt the play. Through games and stage improvisations we will focus our exploration on the sparkle of pleasure and learn great tools for anyone wishing to understand their craft more.
You know when you watch a theatre show and its...well.. boring? Its' that! Or NOT that! or around that, they're not playing.. they are doing, they are 'acting' not playfully reacting. We want to enjoy to see humanity playing. I wish to be on the edge of my seat, i wish to breathe and move with the performance.
Then we will get inspired by the dynamic world around us, From elements to animals, materials to colours we will observe, analyse and move dynamics that we will then transpose into the theatrical realm, to gift us a frame to play within. The fire to fuel our play. Taking on new forms, shapeshifting, to become and to move. Exploring a body and movement led way to create and improvise. A tool that will give you a tools for devising and inspiration for future creations
The State of play is one of creation. Once the state is reached it writes alone. You know what to do. No thinking is necessary. We leave the room of acting and move in the space of reacting. To take the moment into your hands and let it play you. To be open to react. Eyes open in a state of aliveness, the audience hooked on your every move and you 2 steps ahead. You don't need to worry about what to do in an improvisation, you need to play.
We will develop in stage craft, movement analysis, writing, improvisation and creation... comic or not. The workshop will be physically demanding. We will also move a lot! and use our bodies A LOT! So a comfortable level of physical fitness is recommended.
This workshop is a must for those with an interest to develop their stage play,
devising and creation skills. Some stage experience is wished.
The Trainer
Richard UK is a player and pedagog of physical theater.
He is Assistant teacher at the prestigious Ecolé Philippe Gaulier
Guest Teacher at Matteo Destro's Mask Movement Atelier
and Trained in the Pedagogic field by Giovanni Fusetti.
He's played the last 11 years around the world with Barada Street
Shapeshifts between the many inner roles of masculinity.
In his hit solo 'Jimmy - A ridiculous Tragedy'
Toured with Clown troupe - Plague of Idiots
Confuses and amuses many with his Maybe Magic comedy Show
and Plays music with Tiny Tall Tales
Along with founding and programming the Gut Alaune Performance
Festival
More on the trainer here
"Richard Kimberely is a brilliant teacher. He opens space for barrier-free learning, makes fail possible so everyone can laugh and is free to dare. All his exercises invite for playfulness and open-hearted fun." Philippe Leeb - Austria
Details
When: 7-11th April 10:00 - 17:30 daily
Fee: 300 - 650 Euros. (Self reflected sliding scale)
People: Min 6 participants, maximum 14
Accommodation and Food: is not provided and must be arranged by participant.
Confirmation: on acceptance, 200 Euros must be paid to confirm the booking and the remaining money in full before the workshop start. See Terms and Conditions here
Where: Vienna tbc
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