A Day With Bruiser Resource Pack
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 1
Contents
1. Foreword from the Artistic Director
2. Background to Bruiser
3. Artistic Process
4. Touring
5. Managing a Company
5.1. Funding
5.2. Marketing Bruiser
5.3. Company Structure
6. Bruiser Arts Academy
7. Bruiser FAQs
8. Things You Didn't Ask, But Might Want To Know
9. Production History
10. DVD Lending Archive
11. Bruiser Hire Department
12. A Day With Bruiser Workshop Plans
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 2
Foreword
Artistic Director, Lisa May
Hi everyone,
I am delighted to welcome you to A Day with Bruiser. This project has been a long time in the making and is an area which we at Bruiser are extremely passionate about. We wanted to address the requests from teachers and students who are studying the company, and enhance students understanding and application of Bruiser’s artistic output, processes and management within the artistic sector. Professional development for young people, inside and outside of a formal education setting, is extremely important to us, and as a Northern Irish theatre company, we have a commitment to nurture homegrown talent. After extensive consultation we developed a one day The first play Lisa event that tackles these key areas: ever directed 1) The Bruiser Style and Ensemble Playing was “Cat and 2) Devising and Physical Theatre the Moon” by 3) Text versus Movement W.B. Yeats, 4) Careers in the Arts during her 5) Theory into Performance I hope that these workshops help to build your studies at confidence in a non-naturalistic style, to encourage you university to take risks, to play, to think outside the box and to work collaboratively to create visually exciting and physically striking work. Enjoy today!
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 3
Background to Bruiser
Bruiser was formed in 1997 by Lisa May and Joanne Murphy, who met at the University of Ulster, where they were both studying Theatre Studies. After graduating, Lisa and Joanne felt there was a gap in the market in Northern Ireland for high quality touring theatre with a commitment to education. With a lot of passion and enthusiasm (but not a clue about running a company), with the best will in the world, the girls formed Bruiser, so called because they knew the type of theatre they wanted to create; punchy, sharp, knockout shows. Lisa had always wanted to act professionally but during her time at university she had explored directing and However, Lisa found that there is no liked it. Her directing style had already hard and fast rule as to which started to form, with influences from technique to use. For instance choral Bertolt Brecht, Dennis Potter and John sound effects may work for The Godber, to name but a few. Caucasian Chalk Circle but not for Cabaret. Physicalising the text may However, it would be unfair to say the work in Othello but not in Cooking unique production style which is with Elvis. Lisa’s philosophy is to try identifiably “Bruiser” was fully formed in everything (time permitting) and 1997. It has grown and developed, cherry pick what works, always influenced by the people Lisa has remaining sensitive to the tone and worked with; the actors, the playwrights, nature of the text. the creative teams, and her own changing tastes and interests throughout This collaborative approach has the years. Some techniques have been enabled Lisa to continue to learn and honed over many years. Lisa’s obsession develop her style, allowing her the with precision, rhythm, synchronicity and freedom to play and create new choral work has certainly become more physical theatre techniques, keeping rigid over the last seventeen years. the Bruiser style fresh and current.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 4
Artistic Process
"When it comes to innovation, it's hard to beat a Bruiser production" Belfast Telegraph
The Artistic Process for a Bruiser actor can be a tricky one, especially if you haven’t worked in this style before. One actor once described the process as “forgetting everything I have ever been taught”. Another said “if you’ve worked for Bruiser, you can do anything” and I understand where they were coming from, especially if previous acting work had been extensively in naturalistic theatre.
The reason being this; we explore the role of the actor, enforcing him/her as the central mechanism of performance. Breaking this rather flouncy sentence down, the actor is everything. They control all aspects of the performance. They act in scenes (usually in highly choreographed set pieces), they sing, they dance, they move set, they are the set, they manipulate props, they multi-role, they comment on the action, they provide mood and atmosphere, they frame and remain on stage throughout. For an actor who is used to just acting in the conventional sense; getting a costume on, entering from the wings, speaking the lines and exiting, this Bruiser lark seems like a lot of hard work. And it is! Not just by the exhausting style but the director then expects the actors to chip in ideas.
With only three or four weeks to rehearse a play in this pin-point precise style, it is a mammoth task for an actor. They have to connect as their character to find an emotional truth, which leads to the blocking and throughline of the play. That is the most important aspect to keep in mind. Without that, the audience will just witness a pleasant dance by a bunch of robots, which provides no heart. However, to cope with the choreographic style the Bruiser actor then loses the character for a couple of weeks until every move has been learnt. That is every transition (highly important in a Bruiser play so as to keep the audience engaged and make the play fluid), all harmonies honed, every choral costume change sharpened, and the blocking itself, which can be very intricate.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 5
Artistic Process Continued
Even though the emotional truth is at the heart of the play and has influenced every aspect, it is usually only the final week of rehearsals, when all aspects come together and the actor puts the character back “on top”. This can freak an actor out. However, as we are humans and not machines, the process of compartmentalising is essential. Some people’s minds work quicker in this style than others. Some can put the character back on top quicker than others. Some have to work a little harder to get the moves first. The bottom line is trust. The actors have to trust the director that she knows what she is doing, and the director has to trust the actors to embrace the process.
That is why the collaborative element is so important for the Bruiser process. A great Bruiser actor will revel in the fact that they get to share ideas and are not aggrieved if their idea gets thrown out of the window . A professional actor will listen when necessary and contribute appropriately, creating a good team atmosphere. By collaborating with the director, the cast feel ownership of the production and are committed and motivated.
Of course, collaboration and play is the ideal working environment for Bruiser’s physical style, but it is not always possible. The two main obstacles: trust and time.
I have been lucky with my casts and very rarely do I accidentally pick a non-team player. I put this down to our rigorous audition process which always results in a recall group workshop. However, during rehearsals, if the actor refuses to embrace the process, the collaborative element of the process has gone and it reverts back to the conventional relationship of a director telling the actor what to do. I dislike working like this as it restricts innovation, but in circumstances like this, it must be done.
The other challenge; time, is always against us – the days of the Berliner Ensemble getting a year to rehearse a play has long gone. We have four weeks, the show has been booked, tickets are on sale, and the show must go on. Therefore, as the director, I do a lot of preparation. Research is key and this can take place months, even years in adavance. I always go into rehearsals with a lot of ideas in my head. Some I like more than others. Some I am definite about and some I know will act as a launch-pad into something hopefully better. Every night, before the rehearsal the next day, I block the next few pages in my head, just so that I have something to fall back on if we hit a block. Sometimes the scene is totally different to what I had in my head and sometimes it is exactly how I blocked it the night before. The sense of having the fall back idea takes the pressure off and allows me to play in the rehearsal room.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 6
Artistic Process Continued
Finally, the preparation aspect allows me the opportunity to find my “hook”. What I mean by this is Bruiser has built up a reputation for new adaptions of existing scripts. Therefore, I look at the script and think “what is my hook?” “What do I want to say about this script and these characters, and what vehicle can I use to say it?” For instance, the hook in Lady Windermere’s Fan was to create a base character for each cast member.
By unifying the cast as servants, they could come together and comment on the ridiculous characters of the upper classes (they are the audience’s anchor), which is precisely what the original author was trying to say. This “hook” helps Bruiser to tell the story in an innovative way whilst remaining faithful to the text. The servants could also create backgrounds and atmosphere, giving scope for comedy, dramatic framing of scenes and physical theatre techniques. This concept provided scope for new writing, a new score, and was a useful mechanism for transitions. It also helped create a canvas for actors to “add on” to, with indication costume and props when they multi-roled.
For me, preparing the concept before I go into rehearsals is one of my favourite tasks. It’s a challenge, like being a detective and finding that one “hook” which helps you to say what you want to, to an audience.
When choosing a script it is the difficulties within them, the obstacles that attract me. Such as “how on earth do we present a burning shed on stage in Blue Remembered Hills without actually having a shed?” These problems excite me. It forces me to think outside the box and create new ways to tell a story. The Bruiser style encourages the audience to share the journey, to contribute by using their imaginations. A cane can become a gun, or a sheet a baby. An actor can slip seamlessly between characters without full costume changes or even leaving the stage. We, the audience and the actors, are investing in each other and investing in the story. You know you are in a theatre. You know we are acting. The event isn’t real. We are telling a story, and we are not pretending that it is real. However, if the story is told well enough and the cast are totally committed, an audience will believe the baby, made up of a sheet, might die at the hands of the gun made from a cane. The emotion is real and the story is vivid. The Bruiser process continues to explore this vital relationship between the audience, the actors and the space, using physical theatre techniques.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 7
Artistic Policy and Mission Statement
“To produce innovative live performance, combining text and physical theatre techniques”
Bruiser aims to:
Use minimal set for maximum impact
Further explore the role of the actor, enforcing him/her as the central mechanism of performance
Streamline and explore the relationship between the essential dynamics of theatre – the actor, the space and the audience
Encourage an environment for the exchange of ideas and collaboration between arts practitioners in production
Commit to touring, workshop development and teaching to encourage a greater access to theatre
Produce a consistently high quality product
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 8
Touring
Bruiser is one of the few companies in Northern Ireland who regularly tour across the province and into the South of Ireland. We have loyal venues who continually programme our work, as well as loyal audiences which continues to grow.
"What really blows my hair back is that they tour their shows in a way no other independent, locally producing Theatre Company does, from Belfast to Ballina and from Strabane to Wicklow, they take theatre to the people in the tradition of Anew McMaster or Moliere and that to me is the way it should be." Dan Gordon, Patron
Our last touring show, The Nose, toured to the following venues: The MAC, Belfast The Playhouse, Derry Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda Riverside Theatre, Coleraine Mullingar Arts Centre, Co Westmeath Strule Arts Centre, Omagh Island Arts Centre, Lisburn The Market Place, Armagh Ballina Arts Centre, Co. Mayo Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar Old Courthouse, Antrim The Swallow Theatre, Galloway, Scotland
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 9
Managing a Company Funding
Bruiser is funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council. All of our core funding (wages, rent, internet, insurance etc) comes from those two main organisations. For seperate projects, we have received funding from Lloyds TSB Foundation, the PSNI and Belfast City Council Good Relations Grant.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 10
Managing a Company Marketing Bruiser
Any successful business has something called 'strong branding'. When you pick up a theatre brochure, flicking through, you're more likely to stop and read about the show that has an eye catching image and fantastic company branding. You must build a relationship with your audience through your individual branding and marketing strategy.
Here are our Top Tips for marketing a company and a show:
You need a logo that makes an impact. Bruiser's logo is bold and striking, just like the name suggests. All branding needs a strong colour theme that people remember. Think of a big supermarket chain...you probably just thought of their logo and it's colour, didn't you?! The main, recognisable colours for Bruiser are white, red and black. All companies need a website. Your website must be easy to follow, have concise information and have a good colour scheme. Photographs, videos and links to social media are a must as this is how you engage an audience member. Be creative and fun on social media. Think about it, when you scroll down your Facebook News Feed, you click on the images and videos that look interesting and entertaining. We're all artists, use your creativity to your advantage! Engage your audiences on social media, get them excited about the show by giving them 'sneak peeks' of rehearsals. Encourage your audiences to talk about how they enjoyed the show. Social media is free and quite often, the best way to maintain and grow audiences. When it comes to art work for a show poster or a flyer, the process must always start off with reading the script followed by talking with the Director. What is their vision for the show? Is there a time period? Ask as many questions as possible. Next, think about your audience. Are they mainly 16-24 or 50+? Each age bracket respond to visuals differently. We always use graphic designers on our show publicity but we have a strong input throughout the process. Trailers and videos showing 'behind the scenes' footage or interviews with the cast and creative's are an excellent way to keep your audience interested, making them feel part of the process, not just as a passive audience member. Short trailers, around 30-40secs are preferable as people often click onto another video after this time.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 11
Managing a Company Marketing Bruiser
A good music score to accompany the video helps keep your viewer interested and build excitement. Please make sure that you are not using a Copy Right video. You may need to make a small payment to PRS for the use of a clip of music. If you do not check and upload your video to You Tube or with photographers and journalists website, you may get fined for a breach of there to take pictures of your cast in copyright. costume and interview the likes of At Bruiser, we use our Newsletter to inform people of the Director or Choreographer. the company's artistic programming. We have a At the end of the production, make large database that includes schools, audiences and sure you receive Box Office industry professionals. We use MyEmma which allows information from the venue. You can us to create professional looking newsletters. Again, use this information to learn about we use the recognisable colour scheme and your audience, making marketing in photographs. the future more focused. When a show is in its last week of rehearsal before tech week, we hire a photographer to come in a take photographs of a run through. It's important to get 'Pre-Production Shots' before the show opens as venues love to use them to interest potential audiences. A quality photograph of the show can make all the difference when promoting the show on social media, your website and to the press. During the Dress Run in the theatre, we hire the photographer again to take 'Production Shots'. These can be used throughout the run for the press and other marketing purposes plus they can be kept in your show archive. To get publicity around your show, you must write a Press Release informing the newspapers, radio stations and television industry of your work. This is your opportunity for you to sell your show and company using your Unique Selling Points (USP). Having good USPs will set you apart from other shows and companies creating interest from the media. Out of a Press Release could come a Press Call
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 12
Managing a Company Company Structure
Every theatre company is different, but the company structure of Bruiser looks like this:
Board of Directors
Chair Treasurer Other Directors
Sub-Committee for Fundraising
Artistic Director
Company Manager
For productions, we hire freelance Creatives, Our Patrons stage managers and performers. To give you an example, here's the list of Creatives working Duke Special is a singer on Cabaret. songwriter from Belfast who has toured sold out shows in Director: Lisa May Ireland, UK and Europe. From headlining Shepherds Bush Musical Director: Matthew Reeve Empire, London, to stage Choreographer: Sarah Johnston diving at Electric Picnic, Duke Company Manager / Producer: Carly Special has come further than McConnell he ever imagined he might. Set Design: Stuart Marshall Lighting Design: James McFetridge Dan Gordon is a Northern Irish Costume Design: Christine Boyle actor, director and playwright. Make Up: Constance McGrath & Ann Marie Dan starred in Marie Jones Crossey play, A Night in November in Wardrobe: Claire Lilly the Tricycle, London & most recently directed Mistletoe and Crime at the Lyric Theatre.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 13
Bruiser Arts Academy
' Today's Learner, Tomorrow's Earner ' Bruiser Access Course
Responding to feedback from teachers and students, Bruiser hopes to expand and develop our community enhancement programme, creating a professional development package for young people from disadvantaged areas who have an interest in the arts. Bruiser will introduce a one week access course, which will act as a stepping stone to the more intensive summer schools. Participants will have to opportunity to work with leading professionals on all art forms and produce a short showcase at the end of the week.
Bruiser Level 1& 2 Summer Schools 2015 in associate with The MAC Professional Developement for Young People in the Arts
This course is open to 14 to 21 year olds who believe that they have the enthusiasm and drive to hack it as a professional actor. Now in its ninth year, Bruiser will team up with The MAC to offer this unique and highly successful project, providing a tast of the pressure and demands on a professional actor.
Bruiser will host two intensive ten-day theatre schools, during the summer holidays. Young actors will get the opportunity to work with professional theatre directors, Lisa May (Artistic Director of Bruiser Theatre Company), Matthew Reeve (composer and musical director), Patrick J. O’Reilly (theatre performer and writer) and Sarah Johnston (choreographer) towards a theatre performance in the MAC Studio Theatre, using Bruiser’s unique physical style.
Participants will experience the visually exciting, rhythmic, choral and choreographic elements for which Bruiser is renowned, by participating in a series of theatre workshops, which will be both informative and fun. Participants will learn how to think outside the box and bring text to life with adventurous and dynamic ensemble playing. The Summer Schools will result in two professional, public performances.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 14
Bruiser Arts Academy
' Today's Learner, Tomorrow's Earner '
Bruiser Graduate Academy
Continuing Bruiser's commitment to nurture home -grown talent, Bruiser in association with the fantastic MAC, will embark on the fifth year of its Graduate Academy Scheme. There are 15 places available for students who are considering the continuation of study at University or Drama School, those already studying, or those who have graduated in the Performing Arts.
Academy students will work closely with Artistic Director, Lisa May of Bruiser Theatre Company, to explore the highly stylised, ensemble nature of her work.
"The graduate academy showed me that it was possible to get work and was crucial in terms of experience, contacts and a wealth of knowledge about working actor’s life"
Practical advice on self-employment, audition techniques, working with agents, creating a winning CV, free headshots and the opportunity of working with other prominent theatre directors / casting agents is also very attractive to young adults trying to break into the business. The 2014 Graduate Academy students worked with Sarah Johnston (choreographer), Craig Faulkner (Estill vocal training and Musical Director), Lisa May (Bruiser Theatre Company), Patrick J O’Reilly (Le Coq trained), Paula McFetridge (Kabosh), Don McCamphill (Tinderbox), Janice Kernoghan (Replay) and Emma Jordan (Prime Cut). It was fantastic to include tutors from other local professional companies, expanding contacts and networking opportunities for both companies and students, and bringing a wealth of experience to the project. Bruiser hopes to expand this strand of the academy in 2015.
"The Bruiser Summer School instilled me with the confidence to go further with my acting and I'm studying Theatre Performance at Falmouth University. I owe them a lot. I am still using the skills I learned there." Teri Bailie
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 15
Bruiser Arts Academy
' Today's Learner, Tomorro w's Earner ' Bruiser Graduate Academy This 10 day Academy will result in a performance showcase at the Studio Theatre at the MAC. This will be for an invited audience of Artistic Directors, casting agents and acting agencies, with the hope that the students will find an agent, or gain employment from this event. Entrance to this prestigious Academy is through audition only.
Visit: www.bruisertheatrecomany.com/education
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 16
Bruiser FAQs
Question 1
Do you have a designated press officer? If so, what jobs does this person undertake / what methods of publicity do you use?
Answer
We don't have a designated press officer, but the Company Manager deals with all press and venue marketing teams. The CM writes and sends Press Releases unless it is a Co- Production, in that case, the marketing team of the venue deal with all Press and Marketing. The CM manages all media outlets of the company, so the website, social media and You Tube channels. The Artistic Director and CM liaise with the chosen graphic designers on art work for each production.
Question 2
Your directorial style has been likened to Brecht. What did Brecht want to achieve?
Answer
Brecht was seeking a new kind of theatre that reflected the times in which he was living; that replaced the old-fashioned theatre with a modern new theatre; that used theatre as a tool to examine the society in which he was living; that asked questions of the actors and the audience; that instructed the audience; that entertained whilst also being a tool for social and political change.
Although Brecht’s theories changed over the years, he was a political playwright who wanted people to understand the political and social condition of the world around them. He was concerned with the audience’s involvement in what they were watching. Early works like The Mother was a ‘lehrstück ’or learning play and was written with the idea of educating as well as entertaining his audience. The idea of a ‘theatre for the scientific age ’was to investigate life, truth and evidence through theatre, in the same way that a scientist would experiment and examine. To wonder ‘why?’ He once said:
‘The world around you is changeable, it is not fixed. You can do something about it – there is no such thing as fate.’
Brecht wanted people to examine the world around them, to see things in a new light, to ask questions about themselves and others, about the inevitability of their lives, to take responsibility for their actions and to be aware that there is always another way. Choice offers alternative outcomes.
Brecht explores the role of actor and the role of audience within the theatrical space. He wanted them both to question the actions of the characters on stage and ask, ‘was that necessary’ and use this tool of investigation to ask the same questions of their own lives.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 17
Question 2 Continued...
Let’s look at other forms of theatre:
. Does it matter that Punch and Judy are just puppets? . Does it matter that shadow work is just people behind a screen making shapes? . Does it matter to Shakespeare’s audience that a man played a woman?
In fact, Shakespeare’s chorus in Henry V asked the audience outright:
“piece out our imperfections with your thoughts”
One of the reasons why Bruiser uses representational props is to make the audience use their imaginations and think, rather than presenting them with a fake prison cell or a wooden counter. Is this more satisfying to an audience? Perhaps it is like reading a book and being disappointed by the film. The film producer will never be able to recreate the images you had in your head. In the same way, Brecht realised that replicating a stable or a house is pointless as it would never be as good as the image in your head as it is not real, and you know it isn’t real because you are watching a theatrical performance.
All Bruiser productions use representational props and set, yet still engage the audience emotionally. Audiences still laugh, cry, applaud and follow a story that affects them. It is not just the Stanislavskian “naturalistic” approach that engages audiences; Brecht’s style did too. Brecht wanted to alienate his audience and distance them from the action. It is worth dwelling for a moment on the phenomenon of foot-tapping to “Brecht” songs. Imagine the politically charged atmosphere of the 1920s Berlin audiences, where cabaret and music hall acts were familiar. Even now when we hear Weill’s music such as “Mac the Knife”, it is catchy, powerful and memorable. Therefore can the audience of the time remain unmoved by the rhythms of the seductive Weill and his many marches and songs of incitement?
In fact, the songs demand engagement or enragement from their audiences. They were not distanced, and were certainly not cool and rational. They were raucous and passionately committed either for or against all that Brecht represented. Even when Brecht separated music and text (e.g. introduced the song, provided a different space to sing the song, out of the acting space, lighting change), music still provided an escape for the audience and they joined in. And even when Brecht decided to use untrained voices (as Bruiser have in the past), and many of his actors could not sing or had undistinguishable accents, this still engaged the audiences, even if it was met with boos.
Brecht hoped in his plays to show the utter rottenness of bourgeois, capitalist society. His belief was that the audience would see that a new society must replace the old and that only Marxist society could deliver justice (and that this social change was inevitable, but that his task was to help usher it in). Brecht, for all his insistence on reason, was here quite irrational in his theory. His plays could lead audiences to many other kinds of conclusion. And, to Brecht's great dismay, they did.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 18
Question 2 Continued...
Have you any top tips for auditioning for the Bruiser Summer Schools and Graduate Academy?
DON'T PANIC! The auditions are there to give you a chance to show the auditioning panel what you can do. Whilst auditions are inherently stressful for many people, the panel do not want you to panic, they want you to do well. If you relax and enjoy it, so will the panel.
As well as the talents you present during the audition, a big consideration is your potential. How well you respond during the audition will also be noted. We are looking for enthusiastic, team-players!
Choose a character that you are comfortable with, and is suited to your own age.
Do some preparation! Research your character. Make sure you have read the whole play, not just the monologue, to ensure you know your character inside out. Do not pick a monologue from the internet unless you can read the whole play. Without doing this, you cannot put your character into context. Learn the monologue off by heart. Do not rely on reading it just before you go in (or worse, reading it "cold" at the audition). You will NOT be convincing. Ideally you should learn the words - it's always much more impressive to a panel because it shows that:
o you have the ability to learn them, which is reassuring and o that you have the dedication, which is encouraging.
If you need to, then by all means keep the words "to hand" as an aide-memoire, but if you end up simply reading them out, you will not do yourself justice.
Make sure you can be heard. Practice out loud. Ask your teacher at school to help you.
Be Professional - Show the casting director how reliable you are by showing up at least fifteen minutes before the audition.
Dress Appropriately – Wear clothes that you can move in, such as a tracksuit and trainers. It shows that you are ready for work!
If you are preparing a song for Bruiser, you only need to prepare 16 bars. This is sufficient and gives the panel a good indication of your vocal range.
If you are showing off any other skills such as dancing to a CD, make sure it lasts no longer than two minutes and you have brought with you the necessary equipment, e.g. Cd player. Also ensure you have warmed up before you enter the audition room.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 19
Question 2 Continued...
If you are playing a musical instrument make sure the piece of music lasts no longer than two minutes. If the instrument is too big to bring with you, check with Bruiser in advance to see if they can provide the instrument e.g. a piano may be available for use in the venue.
Bruiser offers you a chance to show off any additional skills, so do try and grasp this opportunity and show the panel what you can do. Whether it’s singing, dancing, juggling, playing a musical instrument, use your time to sell yourself!
Question 3
How do you choose your artistic programme?
Answer
I try and find a healthy balance. A mixture of comedic and tragic , a balance of contemporary and classical, a blend of commercial and less well known scripts or new adaptations, and a programme which appeals to many strands of our target audiences. The programme has a commitment to education, but also to the general public. I need to keep in mind that some plays such as Cabaret are not suitable for touring due to the immense size of the cast and crew, and some plays are more suited to touring e.g. the Nose set can easily be erected in small, medium and large touring venues. The plays I choose are always linked by one thing; the potential of using the Bruiser style and developing new techniques which will support the themes and feel of the show. That is why our programme is so disparate. We are not tied down by simply doing one type of show, e.g. our niche is not American drama, local issue based drama or just classical texts. Our Artistic Policy and Mission Statement allows us to explore all genres and styles, and I choose plays that I think can be brought to life with exciting ensemble playing.
Question 4
When you are casting actors does their training have any relevance for you?
Answer
Yes, training certainly is of interest to me. Bearing in mind the type of work Bruiser does, actors need to be good all-rounders, e.g. have a large range for multi-roling, some dancing and singing ability, etc. Further training will have given them a grounding in these skills, and the ability to work closely with their peers in a devising / collaborative manner. It is anticipated that training will have provided an outlet for experimental drama – and so if cast, the actors may have some experience in physical theatre.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 20
Question 5 What type of training would have relevance for you?
Answer
It varies from show to show, however these skills are always ones I look out for:
Physical theatre, rhythm and dance skills. Singing. Accents. Ability to play a musical instrument. Techniques such as Commedia, Lecoq / Mime, Stage Combat, Chorus, devising, etc
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 21
Things you Didn't Ask but Might Want to Know
Carly, you've been in post as Bruiser's Company Manager for a year now. Why did you decide to go into Arts Management?
Arts Management is something that I progressively fell into. When I was 16/17, I had the dream of being a West End star (I think many of us do as teenagers!) but when I started A Level Drama, I was opened up to other forms and styles of theatre. I decided to go to the University of Kent rather than Drama School and study Theatre and Drama academically. It was during my studies at Kent, that I started to work in Stage Management, Lighting Design and Production Management and I really enjoyed it. A module called Cultural Policy really grabbed my attention at Uni. It was a practical and analytical look at the Arts Sector infrastructure and arts management and I got hooked! For my Masters, I specialised in Contemporary Performance Practice were we formed our own theatre companies and performed and produced work with contemporary influences. Each of us had a role to play and mine was Production/Company Management. When I graduated, I was offered a role of Technical Administrator for the School of Arts at Kent, which I gratefully accepted. I started passing on skills to first year students and assisting technicians and tutors with the practical running of modules, shows and exams.
During university, I Co-Founded a puppetry company called Little Cauliflower. Within LC, I was Artistic Director but also split the Company Management role with the other AD. After four years working with my own company, I wanted to learn and discover more. Not every company works in the same way, that's the beauty of Arts Management in a way. The Company Manager role for Bruiser popped up in my emails and I instantly applied. I never thought in a million years that I would actually get the job and return to Northern Ireland and work in the arts sector in Belfast after seven years in England.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 22
Richard, you have been involved with Bruiser for a number of years and were cast in Bruiser's production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle. What skills do you need to be a Bruiser actor and what tips would you give to budding actors out there?
Having been involved with Bruiser over the past 5 years, I have trained within their unique theatrical style and this has allowed me to develop a range of skills over a variety of disciplines. For me, one of the biggest skills I have learnt through training and working with Bruiser is how to successfully work as part of an ensemble. The style calls for actors to not only perform, but also to move set, play instruments, and make sound effects; this ability to adapt quickly as part a team is very important when performing with Bruiser. The skill of awareness is therefore a major part of this ability, and being continually conscious of the other members of the group is a vital skill, as Bruiser performers must have the capacity to react quickly to mistakes or changes that may occur.
For those who are thinking of acting as a profession in the future, I think my main piece of advice would be to learn and absorb as much as possible while you’re young. There were numerous things that I started to learn during my time at school, such as musical instruments, dance lessons, circus skills and languages; the vast majority of these I gave up quickly mainly due to lack of interest. However, since working professionally, the opportunity to use these talents within performances has occurred frequently. I believe that the more talents and skills you can acquire while you’re young, the further this will expand your employability in the future. And you never know when a casting director may be looking for a trumpet-playing, French speaking juggler!
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 23
Vicky, you were involved in the Bruiser Graduate Academy last year. Can you tell us how you found working in the Bruiser style and was it what you expected?
When I first started the Bruiser Training Academy, I was impressed by the level of physical theatre that they embedded in their acting techniques. It was incredibly challenging to keep up with the physical demands and also the intense level of focus that was required from the performers. This assisted me in gaining a more professional approach to my behaviour and habits in the rehearsal room. It was a life-changing experience as it has revealed a completely new branch of the performing arts that I would like to pursue a career in. Previously, I had studied naturalistic acting techniques that suited film, TV and plays from the realism movement. However, with the graduate academy, we used Faustus, The Generous Bank and Jet Set from the musical Catch me if You can. These were stylized using Jacques Lecoq techniques and various other physical theatre practices. Adapting these texts in this style encouraged me to think more innovatively about acting in general and has encouraged me to gain more training in these areas.
The final showcase at the end of the programme was an excellent opportunity to perform for an audience that included; agents, artistic directors, creative directors and family and friends. This provided a chance to improve skills in networking and boosted my confidence in performing. I would highly recommend Bruiser Graduate Academy to anyone who is interested in any aspect of the Performing Arts Industry. It is an excellent chance to meet likeminded people, develop long lasting friendships and have an outstanding level of support from the directors, musical directors and choreographers.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 24
Production History
"The trio of O’Reilly, Rose and director Lisa May have worked wonders in bringing to life this sophisticated piece of European-inspired theatre" ***** Irish Times "There is much to admire in this musically adept, visually stunning production..." Irish Theatre Magazine
"Terrific performances, an on-stage orchestra and a show that sends you home with a smile on your face. Spell hit. H.I.T." Belfast Telegraph
"Director Lisa May, offers up an accomplished, slick, high-quality production..." Belfast Telegraph
"This frantic ensemble delivers an all- singing, all- dancing production. And when they aren’t singing and dancing, the cast are busy acting, playing instruments and changing scenery. All without breaking even a bead of sweat." Culture Northern Ireland
"Director Lisa May encourages her cast to camp it up like crazy, skipping between scenes, humming and trilling and throwing caution to the winds." The Stage
"This absorbing revival soundly delivers a new Othello for our times, raising the play’s profile to long-overdue recognition..." Irish Theatre Magazine
"A frenetic, fast-paced comedy that combines cultural critique with good craic." Culture Northern Ireland
"This production is exhilarating and exciting from beginning to end. Bruiser have proved once again that their combined talents are a force to be reckoned with."
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 25
""Director Lisa May acknowledges a Fawlty Towers influence...She has created a piece that has a fluidity of physical movement and thought; human avarice and folly are debunked in riveting fashion. She has disciplined and empowered her cast in a playful, anarchic farce." Irish Theatre Magazine
"The company’s distinctive style, with the whole cast constantly on stage, delivering a combination of mime, music, song, concentrated expressionism and intense physicality, is clearly suited to the demands of Littlewood’s savagely acerbic entertainment." The Stage
"This is a typical Bruiser production – spot on physical theatre, interspersed with song, well-timed slapstick...It’s clever, fast and frenetic." Culture Northern Ireland
"Sticking to Bruiser’s ethos of ‘minimum set for maximum impact’, the actors are given only a handful of props to create a myriad of scenes, characters and locations. The result is a wonder of ensemble acting and comic timing." Culture Northern Ireland
"Director Lisa May delicately handles the shifting tones of the play, weaving together strands of wistful humour and dark tragedy with skill and flair." Culture Northern Ireland
"The cast work at a breathtaking pace with typical Bruiser athletics, continually drawing the audience into their world...sit tight, fasten your seatbelts and wait for the magic and the mayhem." Culture Northern Ireland
"Theatrical style and flourish spill over as energy fizzes around the stage." Cork Evening Echo
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 26
"The visual and psychological impact of Gregor Samsa's overnight transformation into a grotesque dung beetle is chillingly powerful..." Irish Times
"Director Lisa May has created a watertight production, filled with beautifully performed songs, and choreography so tight it almost squeaks....A cracker of a show, worthy of a poem from young Mole himself." The Belfast Telegraph
"There are too many highlights to mention...... Gangster opera that's worth every last penny" The Newsletter
"...slick assured entertainment, punctuated by exemplary performances..." The Irish Times
"[The characters] take on a multitude of roles in a virtuoso display of verbal intricacy and theatrical inventiveness." The News Letter
"...under the imaginative direction of Lisa May and in the hands of an excellent cast, [they] gave us a night of black-box theatre that will live long in the heart, and in the memory." Sunday Life - The Golden Nuggets of 2003
"A better, more clearly spoken, introduction to the Bard as study than this critic ever had the good fortune to delight in. Go see." The News Letter
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 27
DVD Collection Archive
In order to access our DVD Library, Our current collection includes: you must have a Google+ Cabaret Account. With an account, we can then add your email to the private The Nose video and you can easily access Canterbury Tales the video via You Tube. The School for Scandal As this DVD Archive is purely for Metamorphosis educational purposes, we are not Lady Windemere's Fan allowed to sell the DVD. We are Confusions asking for a small donation to the company. The suggested amount Cooking With Elvis is £5. The Case of the Frightened Lady Candied If you would like access to our videos, please contact The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole [email protected] Aged 13 3/4
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 28
Bruiser Hire Department
Bruiser have an extensive collection of costume, props, set pieces, masks and puppets for hire.
To see the collection, please visit www.bruisertheatrecompany.com/hire
From there, you can download a 'Hire Booking Form', fill it in and email it to Company Manager, Carly McConnell at: [email protected]
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 29
A Day With Bruiser Workshop Plans
Text Versus Movement Stephen Beggs 1. Warm-up – brief physical & vocal exercises.
2. Portrait Photos
In groups of about 8. When leader shouts go, all run to performance area over 8 beats (counted by the leader) and freeze on 8th beat. Over the 8 beats the leader will suggest a mood, emotion or object to freeze in, e.g. joy, death, happiness, aeroplane, etc. On the 8th beat the group must make sure they are representing that mood, emotion or object and that they are physically connected to each other. Make sure on the 8th beat, all heads face the audience.
Variation 1 of portrait photos: Gradually morph between the 8 beats from the last emotion (e.g. happiness) to the new one (e.g. sadness). Always remain connected to the group when morphing and finding new position, as if moving as one unit. Variation 2 of portrait photos: Try and sense the beats as a group, without the leader counting aloud. Variation 3 of portrait photos: Try and sense the new emotion with the rest of the group (without talking) during the morph, instead of by the leader’s command. 3. Literalising Proverbs/Sayings
Examples:
YOU COULD CUT THE ATMOSPHERE WITH A KNIFE SHE LOOKED AS PRETTY AS A PICTURE HE DROVE LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL WILD HORSES COULDN’T DRAG HER AWAY SHE WAS DRESSED UP TO THE NINES SHE LOOKED LIKE A DOGS DINNER HE WENT IN GUNS ABLAZING SHE HAD BEEN TO HELL AND BACK HE WAS AS STRONG AS AN OX HE WAS AS TOUGH AS OLD BOOTS
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 30
In groups of 3-6, act out and physicalise proverbs or sayings, using choral words, choreography and sound. Depending on the age of the group, participants can devise a short scenario, putting the saying into context and perhaps finishing with the line. They are encouraged to express themselves physically, create images and moods with their bodies, and think visually using symmetry, rhythm, sound effects and levels.
Groups can then choose 4 strong images within their short performance. Between these freezes, they must find a transition that helps them move in and out of the freezes and suits the mood of the piece. They can use words, song, rhythm to choreograph their human set changes, paying close attention to the visual look of the piece.
4. Genre Quiz
In groups of 10. Each group is given 4 sheets of blank paper; each has the name of a different Genre written at the top. These Genres are; ‘Comedy of Manners’, ‘Symbolic Theatre’, ‘Elizabethan Tragedy’ and ‘Brechtian / Epic Theatre’. Each group is also given 16 Genre characteristics printed on slips of paper. Working against the clock, each group has to assign 4 characteristics to each Genre. When 2 minutes elapses, each group presents their decisions to the others. After a discussion, the leader confirms which characteristics belong with each Genre.
5. Genre Script Game
In groups of 7-8. Building on the previous exercise, each group is assigned one of the Genres from the Quiz. They are then given a simple script:
Villain: You Must Pay The Rent!
Heroine: But I Can’t Pay The Rent!
Villain: Then I Will Throw You Out Int o The Snow!
Hero: [Enters] I’ll Pay The Rent!
Heroine: My Hero!
Each group must take this basic scenario and adapt it to create a short physical performance to suit their assigned Genre. They may adapt the dialogue and use choral words, choreography and sound.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 31
6. Text Exercise
In the same groups of 7-8 as the previous exercise. Each group is given a short extract from one of the following texts:
‘Blood Wedding’ by Federico Garcia Lorca
‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare
‘The Threepenny Opera’ by Bertolt Brecht
‘Lady Windermere’s Fan’ by Oscar Wilde
Using the various skills and techniques from all the previous exercises and what they have learned about the Genres from which these plays emerged, each group must prepare a short physical performance of their assigned extract.
Follow-up Exercises Archetypes and Attitudes
Explore playing different attitudes and making them physically big.
Walking in the space – beat, freeze, beat, take up an attitude, walk again, blend attitudes, explore scale, go into neutral in between states.
Start with everyday attitudes; jealous, just had a good idea, lost, angry, depressed etc. Build towards attitudes that might be relevant for the list of archetypes below e.g. starving.
Archetypes from ‘The Threepenny Opera’: Snob Beggar Chief Constable Gang Leader
Gang Member
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 32
Businessman
Jilted lover
Hero
Romantic Heroine Whore In pairs, choose an archetype and an attitude and sculpt your partner. Look at the images as a whole; look at different attitudes across the play, and at some individually in more detail. Choosing one of your favourites, develop a physicality, a walk and a catchphrase. Pull a few out to observe – ask a pair of ‘opposite’ attitudes to enter and meet. Look for the impact as truth-of-attitude and extreme-of-style meet.
Counterpoint in character and encounter
Explore the idea of counterpoint – change one element of the image; the tone, attitude, the physicality, or the expression. Choose an attitude that is the direct opposite of the archetype e.g. what happens if the gang leader is scared?
Develop these ideas of archetypes, encounters and counterpoint further with extracts from the play.
Here is some Bruiser worked with: Beggar (Filch): Only a few shillings stand between me and utter ruin Constable (Brown): How is it possible that such a notorious criminal should be running around loose in London? Whore: From the cradle to the grave; underwear first, last and all the time. Jilted lover (Lucy): No I won’t shut my trap, I can’t bear it. It’s more than flesh and blood can stand.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 33
Heroine (Polly): But love is the finest thing in the world. Gang Member (Matthew): We have contacts in the highest places. Gang Leader (Mac): You’ll rise all right if you think you can compete with me. Romantic Hero (Mac): For I must go away, and no one knows when I shall return.
Devising and Physicality Richard Priestley To bring: Canes (x35), The Caucasian Chalk Circle Grusha Extracts, Masking Tape, Photo Stimuli, Balls
1. PHYSICAL WARM UP (10mins) - Stretchy Vocally Warmy-up
2. CLOWNING & MASKS (10mins) - Circle, looking down. On beats look up and if you make eye contact your out. - Different emotions (Happy, Sad, Confused, Angry). Count to 10 getting more intense (5 being normal, everyday emotion). And both to neutral (0) after each number. - Mime Exercises to Develop Precision in Characterisation: "Walking an Emotion" Ask/demonstrate walking around as an emotion (Happy, Sad, Anger, Jealousy). Walk around the space in neutral. Choose an emotion, count from 1 to 10 getting bigger. Shout an emotion, snap to emotion (10) & then back to neutral.
3. COMPLICITE CANES (20mins) "Focus" 1. Stand in circle holding top of cane with finger. 2. Sense as a group to let go & grab the cane to their right. Try not to let anyone lead movement, but feel it as a group. Don't be afraid of silence.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 34
"Space between performers" 1. Put in pairs & to take one bamboo cane between them, hold the cane between their forefingers, exerting a little bit of pressure to keep the cane secure. 2. The pairs to move about the space trying not to let the cane drop. Encourage the use of eye contact (but no talking) to communicate. 3. As the participants begin to be more sensitive to each other encourage them to make their movements more daring. Can you sit down, roll along the ground, change the speed or rhythm whilst still keeping the cane link? 4. Gradually get a whole group of pairs working in the same space. Encourage the students to be sensitive to all the other pairs and to avoid clashes. 5. Put students into groups of 7 & try to get the, to create spaces, shapes and rhythms together as a group: to be daring, to weave in and out, under and over other people, to play together and be imaginative.
"Developing devising skills Transposition - putting the elements together" (Act 2 - The Flight into the Northern Mountains from 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle'. In this scene Grusha is travelling quickly through many different environments and buildings. She is also constantly climbing uphill into the mountains, and journeys through many different emotional states.)
1. Divide your students into groups of 7 & give each group a piece of text with a clear journey between spaces.
2. In the groups read through the section of text & outline the journey: where Grusha is and what is happening.
3. Get your students to use their bamboos, bodies and voices to show the journey in the form of a moving sketch. If they want they can use tiny fragments of the text to illustrate the images they create.
4. Give the groups a few minutes to produce a piece of about 30 second/1 minute. Discuss what you all saw after you have watched a piece. Is there enough variation in the story? Do you know where you are? Do you know what the emotional quality of each scene is? Work on the pieces and change elements to make them more effective.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 35
4. IMPROV TECHNIQUES (15mins) - Chair is not a Chair (mention Object Manipulation as a stimulus just like canes)
- Umbrella Game "The Offer" Divide into pairs. One person begins by making an “offer” (an idea) & the partner replies with a sentence that begins "Yes, and…". Try not to block your partner’s ideas. Build on each suggestion. When confidence develops, you can add in actions. Use the space as much as possible.
A: It's raining B: Yes, and I've got a large umbrella A: Let’s shelter under it B: Yes, and the wind is blowing us into the air A: We are flying over the sea B: Yes, and we have landed on an island…
- Photo Stimuli & Movement This is the next step to take with this series of explorations. Finding the dynamics of movement of a photograph or painting is more complicated, partly because it is a static representation of something moving, and partly because there are many elements and materials contained within one picture. This really requires imagination on the part of the students and can lead towards developing quite complex movement sequences. 1. Ask your students to find the dynamics of movement in photographs and paintings. 2. With students in groups of five or six choose a painting or photograph and ask them to prepare a series of movements which they think expresses the dynamic of movement of that image. The aim is not to show what the photograph looks like but to express other things about it, including the atmosphere, weight, light, shadow, space and colour. 3. Get the students to present their version of the painting or photograph to the other groups and then talk about what the spectators received. 4. Finally show the spectators the original painting or photograph and talk about what was captured in the improvisation and what was lost. These exercises are central to devising because they explore the creation of a physical text. They transpose a frozen image or object into a series of movements
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 36
which exist in time. They can be a useful way to start talking about dramatic construction in microcosm. In these tiny pieces of movement theatre you can see progression, contrast, variations of rhythm, surprises, transformations of space and even characters emerging.
- (Another example to just mention) 3 frozen images at different heights, find a journey between them, memorise it. Create a narrative of a character out of movement and show others.
5. COMPLICITE TENSION (15mins) - "The 7 Levels of Tension" 1. Begin by exploring both ends of the scale so that your students know where they are travelling from and where they will end up. 2. Get your students to work in pairs and one at a time to take all of the tension out of their body (they should end up lying on the floor). Their partner is there to check that there really isn't any tension left. This is tension level 1. 3. Then get the same pairs to try the opposite. Get them to make every single muscle and sinew of their body tense. This is hard work so don't let them hold the tension for more than a few seconds at a time. This is tension level 7. 4. Now explore the scale from 1-7 and observe what changes occur from stage to stage. Work by getting students to move around the space gradually injecting more tension into their bodies. Most people will arrive at a level of tension that feels incredibly natural to them. Encourage your students to respond and interact with each other and the space to help their exploration of the different tensions. What happens when level 1 meets level 7? 5. Try to find real life examples that illustrate each of the different levels of tension. For example, level 6 could be illustrated by looking at football fans reacting to a controversial decision made by a referee.
This is a list of names given to each level of tension, along with a suggestion of a corresponding performance style that could exist in that tension. 1. Catatonic 2. Relaxed/Californian (soap opera) 3. Neutral/ economic (contemporary dance) 4. Alert (farce, late for bus, lost something) 5. Suspense (melodrama) 6. Passionate (opera, over the top) 7. Tragic (end of King Lear when Lear is holding Cordelia in his arms, too much tension can't move)
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 37
- Box Game "Small space to re-create a big world" Mark out this size space on the floor with tape (150cm x 250cm). This is the performance space & the only rule is that the students have to stay entirely in that space (not even one foot on the floor). 1. Suggest vast themes which embrace huge landscapes, and changes of landscape. These could include a James Bond Style chase sequence or the volcanic explosion at Mount Vesuvius. 2. In groups of five or six get your students to explore their theme on this very small stage. Get them to explore how to create a sense of space in a very small playing area.
6. COOL DOWN & QUESTIONS - Samurai Position, opening space. Reaching up, out & down. - Relax body & roll down - Breathing exercises Follow Up Suggestions 1. ENSEMBLE: Moving as an Ensemble - "Team Knot Game" 1. In groups of five or more, move to the four corners of the room. Get the participants in each group to knot themselves up in a ridiculous position. For example, they must all hold one individual's ankles and at the same time link arms with a neighbour. Then, without breaking their position and contact, they must move to the opposite corner of the room. 2. Cross the room without losing physical contact with the group, but this time only one person is allowed to move at a time. 3. Cross the room with two people not being allowed to touch the ground and with the rest of the group not using their arms to carry these individuals. 2. IMPROVISATION TECHNIQUES: Object Manipulation - "Chair is not a Chair" 1. A follow on from the Complicite Cane exercise, a chair is placed in the centre of the circle. Two participant is picked to enter the circle and are told "the chair is not a chair, what is it?" 2. They must begin to improvise a scene where the chair becomes something else, e.g. an umbrella, a sledge, a kangaroo. And they must react to each others ideas quickly.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 38
3. The action is frozen by another participant who wants to enter the scene by them shouting "FREEZE", and they replace one of the performers by tapping them on the shoulder. The action is un-frozen by the new participant creating a new meaning of the chair.
This game is a good way to rapidly create ideas from nothing, and getting students to start to use objects in different ways. This game can also be played with a broom or a sheet.
3. IMPROVISATION TECHNIQUES: Creating Simple Narrative - "Narrative Levels" 1. In small groups, 3 frozen images are created and memorised. All members of the group should adopt a different pose at varying levels, and these should be different for each image.
2. After the 3 images are created, the group must find a journey between them. A creative way to move from one to the other before establishing the image, and this is again memorised.
3. The final stage is adding a narrative to the images, and creating a purpose for the movement and image. Adding sound effects and words to help build a story that connect the images and movements together. This exercise helps to start creating a story and character out of simple movement. And using the physicality of the body's movement as a stimulus to create a character and be a good way to devise ideas. 3. IMPROVISATION TECHNIQUES: Exploring Space - "Creating real spaces"
1. Begin this work by giving the students themes which inhabit very small spaces (this can be real or imaginary): 'you are stuck in the lift', 'you are explorers trapped in a cave' or 'you are prisoners locked in a tiny cell'. 2. Ask them to create very short scenes which explore physical proximity and how people respond to being in limited spaces. - "Small space to re-create a big world" 1. Mark out this size space on the floor with tape (1.5m x 2.5m). This is the performance space & the only rule is that the students have to stay entirely in that space (not even one foot outside of the box).
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 39
2. Suggest vast themes which embrace huge landscapes, and changes of landscape. These could include a James Bond Style chase sequence, the volcanic explosion at Mount Vesuvius, or Astronauts exploring a new planet. 3. In groups of five or six get your students to explore their theme in this very small space. Get them to explore how to create a sense of space in a very small playing area. These exercises allow participants to think about how to use their physicality to create a sense of changing space. Bruiser's Physical and Ensemble Style Lisa May Splat
Leader stands in middle of circle. She splats a person by saying “Splat” loudly and using a strong action. The person being splatted squats immediately while their neighbour on each side leans in towards them with same action and repeats “Splat” loudly. The neighbour must use the arm nearest to the person who has been splatted. Others in the circle must stay utterly still. Once given a trial run, students are knocked out if there is an error, e.g. too slow, wrong arm, slight movement when not their go. This is a concentration game which focuses on anchoring, alertness, speed and physical control. Variations include a double splat, and a voice splat, where leader changes the pitch and tone of the way she says “Splat”, and neighbours must copy. The Splat action can also change and neighbours must copy. Name Game / Yes Game
Group stand in a circle, and a person begins by pointing at someone across the circle. This person states their name clearly, and this is an indication that the pointer can move to their place. Meanwhile, once they have stated their own name, they too point at someone, wait to hear them state their name, and then move to their place in the circle. A variation to the game is to say “yes” instead of your name. The emphasis is on making the gesture (pointing), verbal (yes) and movement (across the circle) distinct and separate. Get a good, strong rhythm going, and make sure the gesture, verbal and movement are not blurred. A great game to highlight teamwork, rhythm and the necessity for a Bruiser actor to compartmentalise gesture, voice and movement.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 40
Freeze Tag
Traditional ‘tag’ but when a person is tagged, the rest of the group must freeze on the point of contact. The new person who is ‘on’ is then in control of breaking the freeze and resuming the game. They can control the pace, style and movement when coming out of the freeze, and the rest of the group must copy, e.g. slow motion, dance, skip, vocals, etc. The traditional competitive tag element is not important. The focus is on ensemble playing – stopping dead on that point of contact and starting movement at exactly the same time as a unit.
Variation 1 of Freeze Tag: When a person is tagged, everyone freezes, except the person who is ‘on’, who is the only one to use sound and movement to tag someone else. This time they tag them by giving focus to another member of the group by making eye contact and a final gesture. The person who has taken the focus must immediately spring into action with a new repetitive sound and gesture. The group must never let the action stop.
Variation 2 of Freeze Tag: Repeat of above, but you don’t have to make eye contact. Instead the focus can be sent across the room, or even behind the person. This forces the group to use all their senses by focusing to send and receive. Variation 3 of Freeze Tag: As above, but instead of giving the focus a member of the group can take it by starting a movement and sound at any time, and the person must freeze as soon as it is taken. Variation 4 of Freeze Tag: Combine all the above variations. Busy Bee
This is an exercise which develops the concept of physicalising not only different objects, but also emotions and ideas. A letter of the alphabet is called out, and the participants must transform themselves immediately into something beginning with that letter. Pupils are forced to start thinking outside of the box, as no points are awarded if they duplicate their choice, e.g. if the letter is D, most people’s first reaction is dog. Try and push their creativity, striving for wacky, obscure shapes and words. Variations on Busy Bee include getting into pairs, fours, eights, etc, making one bee, and one noun, e.g. if the leader shouts O, she wants to see one orange, not eight oranges, to encourage devising and teamwork. A further idea is giving the groups more structured ideas e.g. a form of transport, something you’d take on holiday, a kitchen appliance, etc. You can build movement and sound effects into this exercise too.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 41
1 – 5 – action and sound effects into improvisation
Ask the group to get into pairs. Then ask the m to count to 5 repeatedly on loop, as this will alternate who starts the sequence every time. Then ask them to swap number 3 with a big action and sound effect. Insert this into the loop. Number 3 must always be this chosen action and sound effect. Once comfortable, ask them to change number 4 with a different action and sound effect. Keep staggering the changes until each number has a large action and sound effect and keep looping this sequence until the routine is smooth. This helps students’ concentration and starts them using big actions and sound effects, plus focusing on smooth choreography. Perform to each other.
Then divide the group into 6. Ask them to repeat the routines to the other members of their group and choose 5 actions and sound effects which are the most striking and visual. Groups must then use these 5 actions and sound effects in a short devised piece (no more than 2 minutes). The students can use dialogue if they so wish or it can be abstract. They can choose whatever genre they want. A great exercise to start the devising process within the Bruiser style. Pass the clap/count
In a circle, pass the clap one way round the circle and once this has been accomplished, pass a count from 1 –5 round the other way. Be alert to the two processes at once. Variation: The clap is passed clockwise around the circle, but when it is passed to the neighbour, they must clap at the same time. This can also be done using stamps, or both. Try and find a good solid rhythm. New rhythms can be added as can new movements and sounds. The rhythm can be themed and is a useful rehearsal technique for unified, choreographed pieces. Break out of the circle and split into groups of about 6. Ask the group to think of a group of people, e.g. policemen, dinner ladies, cowboys, doctors, etc. Ask them to think of 8 different movements and sound effects to epitomise this group. They can be as abstract as they wish, but each person must learn each move as the emphasis is on precision and identical ensemble choreography. Each movement must be exact and the sound effects keeps everyone identical and in rhythm. Each movement must vary in length (not just one beat). Groups can use words, random sound effects, snippets of music as their sound track. Large actions are easier to copy and more effective visually. Students are asked to consider levels, pace, texture and multi-roling, e.g. a bouncer can throw someone out of a club, the
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 42
students can then spin into the customer begging to be let in, then jump into bouncer character again. Highlight the strong finishing position which may influence the next move. Get them thinking visually, and take out any gaps so the piece is fluid. This is to prioritise the fluidity of transitions.
Bouncers Script work – starting with the previous exer cise, ask them to use bouncers as their group of people. Find hooks in the text which brings out strong unified movement. Where would sound effects fit in? What helps support the text rather than breaking the impact of it?
Follow Up Ideas
Stop / Go, Clap / Jump, Angry with the world / Being in love;
Walking in the space, set up the simple obedience to the rules; stop, go, clap and jump. Introduce angry with the world and being in love – get each person to create their own sound and action for these titles – these must be repeated when the signal is given. Gradually reverse the meaning of the instructions stage by stage i.e. go means stop, stop means go, angry means love etc. What does it take to accomplish this task – Brecht’s performance style requires you to remain conscious and not do anything by habit.
Zip Zap Boing
This is a popular game which demands concentration, energy, bold gestures and loud voices. Group stand in a circle. They must imagine a hot ball of energy is being passed around the circle and they must use the appropriate actions and sounds to move the ball.
Zip: Goes to the left or right neighbour Zap: Sends it across the circle Boing: Deflects a zap Ho-Down: The only time the ball can change direction Diddleydee: Skips a person Huh: Skips 2 people I run: Everyone runs and swaps places. The ball continues with the person who said it.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 43
Group Shapes (similar to Busy Bee)
1. Group move around room (can be combined with “stop/go, jump/clap, love/anger) and the leader gives the command to get into groups of a certain number.
2. Upon the leader’s command the groups must then devise a way of having only those body parts touching the ground, e.g. a group may be allowed three feet, two backs, an arm and a leg touching the floor but no more.
3. Without talking, the group must then get into the shape that the leader calls out, e.g. plane, washing machine, house, body, beach, etc.
4. The group must freeze and the leader can “hotseat” members (ask them questions about what or who they are).
5. The leader can ask the group to add movement and sound to their creations.
MIME AND SOUND EFFECTS
Leaf Mime
Mime a leaf falling in the wind. Be exact about your movements. Allow the wind to carry the leaf and take you off the spot and around the room. Morph slowly from the leaf mime to a new mime commanded by the leader, e.g. flying a kite, walking a dog, using a torch, umbrella against the wind, helium balloon, tug of war.
Mime and Sound Effects
Use all senses to convey an object, e.g. smell, texture, shape, sound, pressure, weight, etc. Show mime to a partner. If partner can’t guess it, show again and refine. Shorten the mime by picking key aspects to best suggest the object e.g. sound effects, frame outline before you use it, etc. This turns into a more representative, stronger mime, using bold physical gesture, rather than long- winded, fiddly mimes.
Get the Gist
Large group is split into two. Group B leave the room whilst group A make up a very simple short story with the leader. One member of group A is nominated to retell the story to their group. Group A then nominates a second person to mime the story to a person from group B. Group B are let back into the room one at a time.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 44
After watching the mime, the person must copy it and show to the new person entering from group B. The mime will inevitably get sloppier and differ each time. Emphasis is placed on large clear gestures. The last person who sees the mime must tell the rest of the group what he thinks the story is about.
Sound Ball
An imaginary ball is thrown with sound to another person in the circle. They must catch it and copy the sound. They can then throw it to someone else and make a new sound. The person who catches it repeats their sound. Pay special attention to catching the ball. Make sure you make it clear who you are throwing it to, how heavy it is, how big it is, etc.
Machines
First ask the group what makes a machine work, e.g. cogs, battery, motor, springs, etc. A volunteer then starts a machine, making a rhythmic, repetitive sound and motion. They are the heart of the machine. The rest of the group are then encouraged to join the machine, by adding a different sound and repetitive movement, paying special attention to the visual lines, e.g. levels, connections. Once all members of the group are part of the machine, the leader tells them they are at 5 (the lowest being 0, the highest being 10), he then turns them up gradually, and then down to 0.
Variations on Machines
1. In smaller groups devise a machine that represents an emotion or theme, e.g. happy, sad, angry, gossip. The sounds can be abstract or words.
2. Create a machine that performs a function. Perhaps it is something the group would really like e.g. a perfect boyfriend machine, a homework machine, a money machine – but it must produce an end product. Again a mixture of words, sounds and rhythmic actions can be used.
3. Create a machine which represents an occasion, such as a Christmas dinner. Ask the group to think of strong images and sounds/words e.g. carving the turkey, snapping of crackers, smelling of Brussels sprouts, putting on paper hats. Think of a final ending, e.g. the eating and drinking gets faster and faster until everyone bursts, or perhaps slower and slower until everyone falls asleep.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 45
Multi-Chair
1. A circle of empty chairs, widely spaced. Each chair represents a character, e.g. pantomime hero, witch, drunk, librarian, gangster, teenager, etc. A person is chosen to stand behind each chair, and on the count of 3, move towards it and when they touch it, they freeze as this character. They are encouraged to use the chair to help their image, e.g. the witch could use it as a cauldron, the hero could stand on it, the gangster could use it as a gun, the librarian could use it as a rocking chair, and the teenager could slump on it, or kick it. Once they have held this freeze, the leader shouts change, and they move clockwise to the next chair in neutral. When they reach the chair, they then quickly change into the freeze for the next character. This continues until they reach their starting chair/character.
2. The exercise is repeated, but this time the person must inhabit the character and play a scene in character until the leader shouts change.
3. This exercise is repeated, but the person must find one summarising saying / sound and one bold action that they repeat until the leader says change.
4. This exercise is repeated but the leader no longer gives the order to change, and each person must sense when to move on to the next chair.
5. This exercise is repeated but new methods of transition must be sought. Instead of the chair being the catalyst for the new character, can the group find other more interesting ways to change, e.g. do they stay in character during transitions, do they make clockwork noises / choral actions during transitions, do they find a song or sound effect that represents the transitions. What works best and why?
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 46
Investigating Performing Arts Organisations Carly McConnell Forming A Company In groups of 6, students will kick the workshop off by forming their own hypothetical theatre company. Here, they will decide on the following: What style of theatre they want to create A name for their company What are their individual job roles within the company Who are their audience What their branding is going to be - includes Logo and how they engage with their audience Decide on three words to describe the company Decide on their Unique Selling Points They are to write a 30 second Elevator Lift Pitch to sell their company and/or a theatre production they are currently (hypothetically) are producing By drawing on paper, they are to answer: If your company was a person, what would they look like?
The group will answer these questions practically by using string, clothes pegs, crafts and coloured paper. Each group will then display their clothes line of ideas and deliver a short presentation on their newly formed theatre company.
What is the role of a Company Manager?
On flipchart paper, in their groups, the students will now think of the tasks and responsibilities I personally have as the Company Manager of Bruiser Theatre Company. We will open the floor and one person from each group will read them out. Together, we will all discuss what responsibilities do lie with me, if any suggested by the students lie with the Artistic Director etc. Following on from this, each group will be given a 'Theme'. These themes represent five responsibilities I have as Company Manager: Marketing Administration Finance Producing Health and Safety
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 47
Within their groups, they must decide what tasks each theme involves, writing them down on flipchart paper. We will then open the floor, were one representative from each team tells the rest of them room what tasks they thought lay within the Company Manager role.
How to Write a Good CV Each group will be given an example of a 'bad' Actor's CV. After reading it, they will then be given separate sections of a 'good' Actor's CV wherein they must stick these over the top of the sections on the 'bad' CV, replacing it, in the correct place. This will focus in on how to format a CV, what sort of Head Shot to use and the content.
Top Tips for a Good CV that will be covered are:
Choose a clear, non-pixelated head shot. The head shot must look like you. Does it look natural or over posed? Does it stand out and grab a casting director's attention? A CV must not be longer than two pages Formatting is incredibly important. It must be simple, clean and follow a basic structure outline. Be honest about what work you have done. If the only recent work you have done is amateur, that's fine. A Casting director would rather see honesty. We all have to start somewhere! Don't include child acting credits unless you were Oliver at the Grand Opera House. Don't include Non-Speaking roles unless it was a lead or a contemporary form of theatre If you have been a lead, make sure the casting director knows by placing (Lead) after the character name. What special skills do you have? If you speak fluently in Italian, that is a skill. However, try not to lie or exaggerate on the 'Skills' section. If you have been horse riding once with a friend when you were 10, then 'horseback riding' is not a strong skill of yours! Have sensible contact details. If you want to be taken seriously, it's time to lose the '[email protected]'. Make sure you proof your CV for any spelling or grammar mistakes or even wrong dates.
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 48
Audition Techniques
In their groups, the students have to come up with Audition Techniques Top Tip Tweets using the hashtag #auditiontips
The kind of tips we are wanting covered are:
When applying for an audition/sending through your CV, always be polite and charming. It makes a good impression Wear suitable clothing. Wear something clean and comfortable. Be presentable looking but you don't have to dress up in heels or wear something that you'll be tugging on throughout your audition. Before you enter the audition room, try to calm down and focus. Do a well rehearsed monologue, not something you threw together two days ago. If you have been asked to sing, also chose a well rehearsed solo that you are comfortable with When delivering your monologue, follow this great bit of advice: ”Don't look at her! Don't EVER look directly at the auditioners. It makes them uncomfortable and that's the last thing you want. An uncomfortable casting director stops thinking about you and your monologue and becomes fully absorbed in the fact that you're staring at her! Place your mark over the auditioners' heads, and face forward so everyone in the room can see you." Make bold choices with your monologue but not bizarre ones like unusual movements or piercing screams. Chose your monologue wisely by doing your research on the piece your auditioning for. Look at the characters, the director and also at the company's back catalogue of work. Read the whole play. If you have been given a monologue by the director for the audition, make sure you haven't just read the few pages before and after your monologue. You need to fully understand your character and their context within the whole play. Bring a printed off Headshot and CV to the audition with you.
Follow Up Ideas
Job Interview Roleplay
For those students interested in Arts Management, job interview skills are essential. Interviews usually have the standard 'job interview format'. To make sure you're prepared, follow these brilliant tips:
www.jobs.theguardian.com/article/lethal -interview-questions/
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 49
www.ideastap.com/IdeasMag
Ideas Tap is a fantastic website for young people working in the arts. Their Magazine is full of articles and advice on everything from writing CVs to becoming a theatre director to how to find the right agent.
Here are the best articles for advice:
Becoming an Actor Becoming a Theatre Producer Becoming a Theatre Director Becoming a Theatre Designer Becoming a Playwright Managing your Creative Career Audition Advice from NYT Alumni How to Find the Right Agent How to Establish a Theatre Company How to get Acting Experience
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com 50