RSVP; theatre, film, events, workshops.

Clothes: Wear comfortable clothing that will not restrict your movement.

Required: 1. Pen.  2. Notepaper. 3. An item that means something to you personally, this can be anything, from your favourite poem, to a book, a painting, a newspaper article, a photo, and it can be as simple as a sock, so long as you have a good reason for bringing it. 4. A blanket.

Restrictions: No mobile phones, food or drink (except water) during workshop.

Advance notifications: This is a physical workshop, any extra supports or special care requirements, should be  made known on application for workshop, as well as, any food allergies or preferences.

Actors may also wish to email rsvpireland@gmail.com with CV and headshot for future reference, or where the workshop is billed specifically as a professional actor’s workshop.

Lifetime Lab in Cork. 

Yvonne holds an MA Theatre and Drama, UCC; her practical Master's Thesis involved the production of Information for Foreigners by Griselda Gambaro, 2003, a theatre piece, which involved 40 actors and 20 crew, using 13 stages/sets, to depict the scenes of this politically charged performance, to 4 audience groups on the same evening. Each audience began and ended at the same time, as instructed by the playwright. Yvonne explored and developed the theories of Artaud's 'Theatre of Cruelty' in her work, both practically and academically in this thesis. The practical work also involved training inexperienced performers, alongside amateur and professional actors, using workshop techniques she developed from study of practitioners such as Stanislavsky, Meyorhold, Brecht, Checkov, Brook, and Grotowski. Developing on this work throughout her professional life, she has become a skilled workshop facilitator and director, this coupled with her co-ordinating skills makes for a highly motivated workshop group, and a worthwhile endeavour in performance. 

 (See recommendations of previous work.)

DESCRIPTION OF RSVP-PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP in Physical theatre 

 Participants are guided through warm up, character building and layers of improvisation towards a public performance. Experience is not essential and the workshop methods create an even playing field for actors and beginners to work together. In fact we have found that beginners bring a fresh perspective to the seasoned actor. Feedback and cool down session ends the process. 

 ●The performance workshop is open to adult participants (16+). No previous experience necessary. (Has been successfully adapted for younger participants)

●Beginning time is NOT arrival time; early is on time, on time is late, late is unacceptable and entry will be denied.

●During a two hour workshop, participants will explore methods of improvisation in drama, and create a dramatic piece for public viewing. (5-10 mins)

●During a full day or 2 day workshop the piece for viewing will be extended (15-30 minutes).

●The audience are the final part of the process; facilitator explains methods and invites feedback.

●Local performers, artists and academics are also invited to attend, as the audience feedback is a vital part of the process.

●The performance appears as a free slot in the festival or local programme of events:

“Red Sandstone Varied Productions presents a short improvisation. Free Entry.”

●The workshop is adaptable in terms of duration; 2hr, half day, full day, weekend, week.

●Every workshop performance is unique, as it is created by the abilities and creativity of the group.

●Documentation is encouraged of the individual participants, and photographic documentation is taken by RSVP, all participants are required to sign waiver to the effect that this photographic documentation may be used for future promotional material.

●Video documentation of the workshop may also be taken, and will be edited to a 5 minute utube, all participants are required to sign waiver for this video. 

●A brief report will be written by the facilitator and emailed to participants after the workshop, participants are invited to write same and send to RSVP for documentation purposes, but this is not a requirement of participation.

Sample Format for 2 hour workshop. 

2.00pm Introductions and opening presentation.

2.10pm Warm Up.

2.20pm Improvisation of character.

2.35pm Theme for the day discussion.

2.45pm One minute pieces devised and performed.

3.05pm Final performance devised and performed

3.30pm RSVP Presents. 

3.45pm Closing session.

4.00pm The workshop is complete.  

Sample Format for full day workshop. 

11.00am Introductions and opening presentation.

11.20am Warm Up.

12.00pm Improvisation of character.

12.35pm Theme for the day discussion.

12.45pm One minute pieces devised and performed.

1.30pm LUNCH (a performance research task is also given)

2.30pm Warm up/ lunch task performed.

3pm Five minute group pieces devised and performed.

3.45pm Freeze frames are designed (and photographed for documentation).

4.15pm Performance designed, using all previous work.

5.15pm Documentation written by participants.

5.30 pm Dinner (after dinner warm up and performance group rehearsals TBD)

7pm Dress Rehearsal.

7.30pm Performance for audience.

8pm Audience response.

8.30pm Cool down session.

●The functions of these workshops are:

1. To introduce the participants and allow them to form a bond. As with Chaikin’s Open theatre, to evolve “a common effort so intense that at the end of [the project] I have been unable to say which part was my work and which part belonged to someone else.”

2. To provide an enjoyable learning experience, for all concerned; feedback is invited and encouraged throughout the process.

3. To enhance performance abilities, by acting as a stimulus for new ideas, and by offering new perspectives.

4. To create a UNIQUE, MEANINGFUL, and HONEST performance piece.

●BRIEF Explanation of methods.

    Part 1. A warm up of the body, the voice, and the imagination opens each session. Each group, or individual, depending on number of people present, are then given one minute to work out an improvised performance, given some simple criteria. (Chekhov). We examine the capacity for improvisation within a given character (Stanislavsky). Fluidity of expression in performance is encouraged, by reducing thinking time, and increasing confidence. We then attempt to create a connection between the characters within possible scenes, between the actors within the ensemble, and, between the character and the actor who plays that character. All the time promoting co-operation and teamwork.

    Part 2. An improvisation technique adapted to this process can be identified in Stanislavsky’s active analysis. This inspires a “process of discovery [...] through careful analysis and experiment.”(Stanislavsky). For the purpose of these workshops, where there is no script, a theme is decided by the group, and then characters, and relationships between those characters, are devised accordingly. This is the construct that allows a performance to be developed.

Part 3. Further exploration is made, by asking the actor to take part in an improvised performance, based on their newly developed character and any emotional connections they can make with other characters. The situation or scene is changed where the facilitator sees fit. The facilitator may give instruction to freeze the action, at various intervals, and use this time to make further suggestions. The actors might be asked to look at that scene from an audience perspective, to swap roles, or to become new characters witnessing the scene. In general the actors are given as much space and freedom, to express themselves, as possible, then gradually the parameters are reduced by the facilitator, to guide them towards how the work can be expressed in performance.

   Part 4. The facilitator works towards finding the emotion in the actors experience of an improvisation, and to create an access pattern that avoids the tendency to relive a personal experience in order to convince others of its reality. “[C]reative imagination rather than conscious past” (Adler). This allows a creative exploration of the characters, and the scenes, by loosely building the improvisation on the emotions, and the connections, within the scenes. We also develop freeze frames (Boal) to describe the action, and encourage all participants to be involved, even those who might be making their first public performance. All participants are involved in scene discussion and feedback. 

    Part 5. The newly formed company of actors present their work to the public. This is introduced by the facilitator to its audience, and the process by which it has come to being is also briefly translated to the audience. The audience are welcomed as the final part of the process and feedback is invited immediately after.

   Part 6. A closing session, cool-down or de-rolement, is facilitated after performance has been completed. This is meditative in quality, and designed to allow reinforcement of the positive, and resolution of negative, as aspects of the experience. Final thoughts are shared.