Open to beginners and those with workshop or performing experience.
Commedia Dell’Arte originated in Italy and spread its influence across Europe to England, informing characters in plays by Goldoni, Moliere, Shakespeare and in TV sitcoms!
These audacious archetypal characters still have the power to thrill audiences and empower players today.
Peta Lily is a director, performer, theatre maker. She teaches at RCSSD and RADA and leads independent workshops in Commedia, Archetypes and Clown. She has also developed a new clown genre: Dark Clown, which extends the clown’s range of expression.
TUESDAY 8TH SEPT- 10-5PM – IZUMI ASHIZAWA- JAPANESE PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE
Based on Japanese physical performance techniques, this workshop will practice body-oriented routine exercises based on Japanese physical acting techniques and philosophy and work with ensemble exercises. In the first part of the workshop, students will learn hands-on techniques, routines, and the philosophy of Japanese traditional “kata”. In the second part of the workshop, Ashizawa examines how she reinterprets and reframes traditional codes, using examples from her past works.
Izumi Ashizawa is a Japanese performance and visual artist, born/trained in Tokyo, based in New York. Rooted in her deep study/training in Japanese culture, she specializes in transmedia performance art, particularly keen on reinterpreting male-only-permitted Japanese traditional cultural codes, and places them in a different context to give a new meaning. She has performed and taught all over the world.
WED 9TH SEPT – 10AM-5PM EFFORTLESSLY FREE- 1 DAY OF CLOWNING LED BY DAN LEES & JAMIE WOOD
We will lead participants through a series of exercises and provocations connecting body, voice, imagination and play.
As a wonderful clown once said, ‘Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.’
The aim of this workshop is to create a supportive atmosphere of play which encourages participants to open up and share themselves fully with each other. The resulting experience might be laughter.
This workshop is for performers and non-performers. People interested in laughter, play and connecting with others.
Min age 16. Please wear loose comfortable clothing.
THURS 10TH SEPT-2-5PM STAGE DIVING- PIERGIORGIO MILANO
Piergiorgio Milano is an Italian Belgium choreographer, dancer, and physical theatre creator. His unique artistic language seamlessly blends the raw energy of circus arts with the fluidity of contemporary dance.
FRI 11TH SEPT 10-5PM VISUAL VERNACULAR- ZOE MCWHINNEY
VV needs only a small area of the stage to perform great silent visual epics, akin to sign language.
VV emerges the strongest from those of us growing up communicating visually everyday and without sound as the norm. We are known as the Deaf people. One of us, is called Zoë McWhinney (she/they), recently won the internationally renowned festival Clin d’ Oeil’s Sign Slam championships in Reims, and was shortlisted in the nationally prestigious Forward Poetry Prize 2026, while using her VV skills. Zoë (signname: curly hair) looks forward to meeting you and hosting the Workshops.
SAT 12TH SEPT 11-1PM VISUAL VERNACULAR- ZOE MCWHINNEY
VV needs only a small area of the stage to perform great silent visual epics, akin to sign language.
VV emerges the strongest from those of us growing up communicating visually everyday and without sound as the norm. We are known as the Deaf people. One of us, is called Zoë McWhinney (she/they), recently won the internationally renowned festival Clin d’ Oeil’s Sign Slam championships in Reims, and was shortlisted in the nationally prestigious Forward Poetry Prize 2026, while using her VV skills. Zoë (signname: curly hair) looks forward to meeting you and hosting the VVorkshops.
Free places for Deaf participants