Reach Out – Young Vic
MEISNER TECHNIQUE FOR DIRECTORS: a two-day workshop at Derby Theatre
Supported by Young Vic & In Good Company
Session One: Saturday 11th May 2019
Venue: Derby Theatre
Times: Group One: 10am – 1pm / Group Two: 2pm – 5pm
Session Two: Saturday 18th May 2019
Venue: Derby Theatre
Times: Group One: 10am – 1pm / Group Two: 2pm – 5pm
The Meisner Technique has become one of the standard approaches of all modern acting training the world over, and the approach has widely become recognised as a vital part of the directors’ toolbox to collaboratively work with actors, explore text and devise work.
The Young Vic Directors Program Reach Out intiative is supporting a series of workshops for directors who are interested in learning how they can facilitate the connection between actors, enable them to respond intuitively, truthfully and spontaneously, whilst using a technique that provides them with a clear simple focus. The workshops are for two groups, each attending one three hour session either in the morning or afternoon on each of the two dates.
Session One will introduce you to the basics of Meisner Repetition, and how this can lead into improvisation and devising.
Session Two will consolidate the previous learning, getting you confident enough to lead an exercise in the session and demonstrating how it can be used in Stanislavski's Active Analysis.
Each session will allow for questions and time to reflect on how you might bring this work into your rehearsal room. The techniques are simple, fun and deceptively profound. By the end of the two sessions you should feel confident enough to bring this work into your rehearsals. Participants will be learning experientially as well as through observing and taking notes.
Both sessions will be lead by Robbie Bowman, an experienced Meisner practitioner and teacher who was trained by Scott Williams. Robbie has since taken the technique and incorporated it with other techniques such as Stanislavski and Michael Chekhov.
You don’t need any prior knowledge or experience of the Meisner techniques; the sessions are a positive introduction aimed at directors and theatre makers who are curious to add possibilities to their rehearsal room.
You must be available to attend both sessions.
This is an opportunity for directors who live and make work outside of London.
If you are interested in taking part, please sign up here by 24th April 2019.
Please also clearly indicate which group you would like to be part of:
Group 1:
Mornings (10am – 1pm)
Group 2:
Afternoons (2pm – 5pm)
Please only sign up if you are free for both dates. You must be available for the same times on both 11th and 18th.
If you have any access, requirements please let us know.
There is a limited number of spaces for this opportunity and if there is over-demand we will draw names out of a hat. You may not get your first choice of timing, but we will do our best to accommodate.
Robbie Bowman is an actor, director and acting tutor. Alongside his acting and directing work he teaches at University of Wales Trinity St David's, Central School of Speech and Drama and the Royal Welsh School of Music and Drama. His training is in Stanislavski, Meisner and Michael Chekhov. He runs Living Pictures with his partner Elen Bowman. After training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he has been working as an actor for the last 30 odd years for such companies as the National, RSC, Royal Court, Young Vic, Sherman Cymru and in the West End. More recently he has been working on one person shows Diary of a Madman (Wales Theatre Critics Best Actor Award 2014) Gods and Kings (Touring Wales in 2019) and Say When (a new piece about obesity and existential crisis). In 2016, he was the recipient of the Creative Wales Award, which allowed him to research Neuro and Biological science to understand the latest in 'How We Learn'. Along with Living Pictures theatre work he also manages Coed Dylan - a land based project in West Wales for artistic, social and environmental development.
www.livingpictures.org.uk