Epidauros Workshop Theatre Lab #2

Imalis Announcement - Epidauros Workshop Lab #2

The Center for Ancient Hellenic Theatre of Epidauros, IMALIS, in partnership with the Municipality of Epidauros announces the 2012 Research Workshop Series titled “Shed the skin, trace the path, set the post: Approaches to the performance and staging of Ancient Greek Plays” with master instructors Atsushi Takenoushi (Jinen Globe), Paul Goodwin (Drama Center London), Prof. Demetrios Lekkas (Imalis, Open University) and Vasilios Arabos (Imalis).

The second laboratory workshop of 2012 will take place in Ancient Epidauros from June 16th - 22nd and will be taught by Paul Goodwin and Vasilios Arabos:

Ode of the Breath - Between Earth & SkyExploring Dimensions of the Sublime in Ancient Tongue, Tone & Action

Dates: June 16th - 22nd, 2012Duration: 7 hours/day, 49 contact hours, total.

Description: 

This is a Voice & Text workshop in ancient and classical performance practices for the contemporary theatre practitioner and is aimed at actors, performers, directors and writers interested in learning how to develop approaches to the staging of the classical role in Ancient Greek Theatre.

Working on Euripides’ Orestes, we will lay down the foundations of performance practice in Ancient Greek Theatre through an experiential exploration of the framing principles and psycho-somatic techniques encoded in the primary text.

The workshop will introduce its participants to an array of approaches to classical verse and role which will be performed in Ancient Greek.  Participants will learn how the original poetic text in Ancient Greek is voiced, translated and broken down into its fundamental phonetic and physical components that feed the inner life of the role. We will work on the roles & specific passages of Electra and Orestes.
Ode of the Breath will be taught in tandem by Paul Goodwin and Vasilios Arabos.  We will draw on Paul’s 30 years of performance and teaching experience in classical theatre and dramatic verse, he will give us an invaluable access to the practices of the British acting tradition and how the performer deals with the challenges of form and content in their approach of the classical role.

The workshop will reveal that the power of the original dramatic verse is accessible to all practitioners independent of linguistic origin as a precise sequence of breath, sound and action that can be played believably and meaningfully. The workshop will also introduce its participants to ancient phonology as the vibration of specific energy-forms through the body & the voice. We will learn how ancient actors and dramaturges used the science of prosody to work that energy’s foundation in the breath and extend it into symbol and action (Artaud).

The connection of meaning and action to the spoken word will be shown to be an organic act integral to the creation of the role. These are all performance issues crucial to the actor, and they are challenges integral to our approach to dramatic verse, to which we will bring a range of processes integrating Stanislavskian acting approaches, embodiment of text and symbol (Jungian archetype). Participants will leave having acquired a very concrete set of tools and rigorous training in Form, Structure, Rhythm, Thought, Breath, Tone and Articulation and with an integral experience in the preparation and performing of role the ancient role.

Our ultimate aim with this foundation work will be to measure the proximity and distance between Shakespeare and Euripides with our own bodies, in the flesh and with heart, to feel the images riding upon the blood and to circulate it in space through sound and movement, to carry the poetics through the senses: this is the objective we have set ourselves with Paul for this workshop-laboratory.  Tragedy is an ode to the blood, and an ode to the breath in that it pierces and penetrates to the depths both actor and audience. 

Imalis’ unique approach to Ancient Greek performance practice developed out of over 14 years of research and practice in the arts of Ancient Greek Theatre will introduce practitioners to deep reading, prosodic and phonetic disciplines and the use of Ancient Greek poetics in the staging and playing of the ancient role.  In this process, which we term “native tongue staging,” the original theatrical language and its poetry are transformed from barrier into a source of creation for the performer because we deliberately place within the rehearsal process the act of translation and native tongue acquisition: the group is taught how to read, translate and voice the text in Ancient Greek directly, as an organic part of the rehearsal process and preparation of the role.

COSTS:

House of Neuse is a non-profit organization which only accepts charitable donations. While we organize one meal a day and book lodging arrangements for our guests, these are paid by us to the venue operator.Expenses: €330.00 (Asteroa) or €370.00 (Sunny Gardens). This payment covers one Lunch meal per day (workshop days, not including days off or break days), accommodation (7 days - 8 nights, see below), two (2) transfers to and from the Ancient Theater, and Teachers’ fees.
Airport transfers are not included.
Donation: €110.00 (suggested). Please bear in mind that we are a non-profit, and larger donations are always welcome. We can provide provide pertinent invoicing/receipts for tax purposes.

Please register early, space is limited.
REGISTRATION:
To register for this workshop, please visit Ode of the Breath and click the link “Register for this workshop”.

To register directly, click here: Registration Page.
CONTACT INFORMATION:

Imalis, the Center for Ancient Hellenic Theatre of Epidauroswww.epidaurustheater.org
info@epidaurustheater.org
Sunny Gardens and Asteroa hotelswww.epidavroshotels.gr

Enquiries:
Paul: +44-77-9879-5395
Vasili: +30-694-439-5808
Nicholas: +30-694-450-3513

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