OUTLINE OF THE WORKSHOP

I) THE "CARNAVALESQUE" BODY

-     Actor training using "motors", rhythms, energy levels, vectors.

• Efficient respiration and use of energy for the actor/dancer/singer/mime/acrobat.
• Tension levels in the "non-everyday-life"body.
• Elements of the Corporal Mime grammar of Etienne Decroux.
• Relationship with the training of the Japanese Kyogen actor.
• Construction of the "carnavalesque" body.

II) THE MASK AS A TOOL

• Study of the body with a mask.
• Technique of the mask: the rule of the three "tempi".
• The mask and the audience: study of a privileged relationship.
• The masks' own rhythm.
• The social groups of masks of the Commedia dell'Arte.
• Improvisation with masks and discovery of character types.

III) THE TECHNIQUE AND THE RHYTM OF THE COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE            

• Structure of the Commedia dell'Arte.
• "Entering" and "Leaving" the stage. Rhythm, listening, intensity.
• Verbal "ping-pong".
• Study of the technique of "grommelot" or "linguistic triangle". (phonetic reconstruction of an existing or fictive language).
• Construction of "lazzi".
• "Contrast" between two characters.
• The third player (scenes with three or more characters).

IV) TECHNIQUES OF IMPROVISATION

• Improvisation with and without mask (anti-psychological and psycological).
• Study of the "situation".
• Construction of classical Commedia dell'Arte scenes.
• Creation of a "canovaccio" (script) of Commedia dell'Arte.

WORKSHOP PLAN

1st week:  THE "CARNAVALESQUE" BODY.
2nd week: THE MASK AS A TOOL. THE TECHNIQUE AND THE RHYTM OF THE COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE
3rd week: TECHNIQUES OF IMPROVISATION (Perform a “canovaccio”)

OBJECTIVES

Discover of the mechanism of one of the great traditions of the professional actor in both Western and Eastern worlds.
The objective is also to perform at the end of the workshop in front of an audience (the "canovaccio").