HELIKOS | FROM THE NEUTRAL MASK TO THE RED NOSE

FROM THE NEUTRAL MASK TO THE RED NOSE

24 Marzo, 2009 → 29 Marzo, 2009 - Cape Town, South Africa

The essence of physical comedy

This workshop aims to follow the journey from the Neutral Mask to the Red Nose, the two essential polarities in the world of theater masks.
First the work will lead the students to find the "Neutral State" and subsequently to tweak that state toward character work and eventually toward the idiosyncratic and personal world of the Clown.

Through the Neutral Mask the actor discovers a state of physical presence, calm and openness to space. There is a web of "non-neutral attitudes" and physical and emotional "background noises" within each person's movement and physical presence. If observed through the reference of the Neutral State, this web appears like paintings/markings on a white sheet. They are “dramatic” in the etymological sense. They contain a drama: an action. The Neutral Mask teaches the actor to unfold any "individual physical drama" to reach a state of pure presence in space, in the silence of the present moment. It’s the basis for all theatre masks.

After developing the actor's awareness of the Neutral State, the workshop will explore some of the infinite possibilities of creating comic characters, based on variations from neutrality. The focus will be on exploring how each character development is based in an unbalance from neutrality.

The final step will be the discovery of the Clown through 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. The use of the smallest mask in the world, the Red Nose and the amplification and articulation of personal themes allow the actor to enter the Clown State. This will lead to the discovery of a unique clown, with a specific body, tempo, voice, costume, attitudes, emotions, and poetic world.

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?
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...

To discover one’s own clown is to reveal one’s own unique comic persona and turn it into a universal comic form.
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.

As the Neutral Mask is the mask of humanity, the Red Nose is the humanity of the mask.

CLASSES

The workshop will start on Tuesday March 24th and end on Sunday March 29th.

(please note that the original dates have changed, and teh workshop has been anticipated of one day.

Each day includes 6 hours of Master Classes.
Classes take place each day from 3 to 6 pm and from 7 to 10pm.

Master Classes include:
Movement Analysis and Movement Technique
Improvisation

ADMISSION

The training addresses to professional theater artists wishing to develop their skills, to artists with performing experience (theatre, circus, dance, music, etc. ) interested in movement theater, to theater students and to drama teachers wanting to further their experience.

This workshop also addresses to students interested in applying for the Scuola Internazionale di Creazione Teatrale HELIKOS. For participants that are in the application process for the three year training at Helikos in 2010-2012, this training will be valid as admission workshop, to get to know Giovanni's work. On March 31st, the day after the end of the workshop, the students in this position will meet with Giovanni for an individual feedback session.

To apply to the workshop, please send, via email a letter of motivation
and a resume with artistic experiences to Giovanni Fusetti

Each applicant will be contacted by Giovanni, and admitted applicants will receive further practical information and will confirm their enrollment by sending a non-refundable deposit of RAND 1.000.
Once selected, places will be given in order of arrival.
Please note that the number of students is limited to 14.

TUITION

RAND 3.000: earlybird discount: if deposit is sent by January 15th.
RAND 3.800: full price if deposit is sent after January 15th.

Please note that tuition does not include accommodation and that participants will be responsible for organizing their staying in Cape Town. However, the organization will provide a list of local contacts for affordable accommodation.

Language
The official languages of the workshop are English. A basic understanding is required.

The training will happen in Cape Town. The exact venue will be communicated later.

For further information about the content of the workshop and for applications
please contact:

For any further practical information please contact

YVE PELSER
in Cape Town
Mobile phone: +27 74 100 3013
(GMT+2)

email: clowningworkshop@gmail.com