The Clown is the poetic transposition
of the unique silliness of the actor,
as revealed by a mask: the Red Nose.

Deeply rooted in movement based theatre, this course proposes an intensive training in Clown, considered as a specific theatre style. The pedagogy focuses in particular on the analysis of the physical and emotional world of each actor, as revealed by her or his natural body, with the help of the Neutral Mask. This will lead to the discovery of a unique clown, with a specific body, tempo, voice, costume, attitudes, emotions, and poetic world.
The journey of movement theatre begins with the Neutral Mask and ends with the Red Nose. Through the Neutral Mask the actor discovers a state of physical presence, calm and openness to space. In terms of movement, no-body is neutral: every-body carries profoundly expressive themes, em-bodied in everyday movement. There is a web of "non-neutral attitudes" and physical and emotional “background noises" within each person's movement and physical presence. If observed with an eye to movement, using the reference of the Neutral State, this web appears like painting/markings on a white sheet. They are “dramatic” in the etymological sense. They contain a drama: an action.
The use of the smallest mask in the world, the Red Nose and the amplification and articulation of these very personal themes allow the actor to enter the Clown State.
The clown is not a character, it’s a state of playing where everyone has access to this key question: what is so funny about myself? To discover one’s own clown is to reveal one’s own unique comic persona and turn it into a universal comic form.
As the Neutral Mask is the mask of humanity, the Red Nose is the humanity of the mask.
For a performer, there is something fundamental in the discovery of his or her personal Clown: it's raw, pure, personal, unique, challenging, empowering, revealing, extremely rewarding... It's the exquisite pleasure of touching the empty space of complete comedy.
As a theatre style, Clown has a unique poetic potential because it allows the performer to explore and play joining the naiveté and the vulnerability of the child, with the rigor and the technique of the adult, thus revealing the poetry of the ridiculous, and a unique poetic power.
The sublime stupidity of the clown is his enduring trust in life, despite his complete imperfection.
The aim of this course is to give participants professional theatre tools, in order to play and create within their own clown world.

There are as many clowns as there are human beings.
There is one way to stand, and infinite ways to fall.
Intelligence is limited. Stupidity is infinite.

 THE PROGRAM

First Week: THE CLOWN “STATE”

Play, action/reaction and fun.
From the Neutral Mask to the Red Nose
From the neutral state to the comic state.
The Red Nose as a mask: amplification and articulation of movement
The clown as a state of being on stage.
The empty space.
Emotional awareness and contact with the emotional body of the actor
Contact with the audience

Second Week: THE PLAY (le jeu)
Playing with space and with objects.
The relationship among clowns: hierarchy, leaders and servants, levels of stupidity.
The Circus Clown Archetypes: Augustus, White Clown, Monsieur Loyal.
Clown numbers and le bide (fiasco).
The Rhythmical space: entrance, crescendo, development of themes

Third Week: THE SKILLS
The actor’s skills in the service of the clown.
Playing with music, singing, acrobatics, juggling, dance and unusual or unique skills.
The writing of a Clown Number.
Accidents and comic routines

Forth Week: THE SHOW
Devising a clown variety show.
Writing and directing clowns.
Rehearsals
Public presentation of a final show.
Re-work of the numbers for three
performances.

SCHEDULE

For further tursitic information please visit:

http://www.virtualkristiansand.com/

ADMISSION

Giovanni Fusetti

Telephone: (+39) 349 7130121

 

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